What is the difference in nuance between fan and buff?

Forums: Grammar, Language, Esl, English
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My dictioinary gives me the definitions:
Fan: an ardent follower and admirer.
Buff: an ardent follower and admirer.

They look absolutely same.

Context:

Shelby's death was taken hard by the many auto industry veterans and auto buffs who knew him personally, or only via his cars.

More:
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/05/auto-legend-carroll-shelby-father-of-cobra-dies/1

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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 2,122 • Replies: 22

View best answer, chosen by oristarA

@oristarA,

Fan, coming from 'fanatic' is probably a more extreme form of 'buff'.

'Fan' seems a bit more common these days, but to me they also seem the mean the same thing.

0 Replies

@oristarA,

Fan is the more common word, at least in American English. "Buff" has too many other meanings in addition to the one you quote. But as far as nuances, you see the word "fan" most commonly used in reference to people who follow sporting events or the fortunes of celebrities. Thus I might be referred to as a Red Sox fan (the Red Sox are a badeball team from Boston) or it might be said that a movie star has a large fan-base, meaning a loyal following. You wouldn't see the word "buff" used in these contexts. Also, in American English at least, there is something veguely old-fashioned, almost archaic, sounding in the use of the word "buff" in that sense.

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@Lustig Andrei,

Yeah, nowadays, buff is usually reserved for lean, ripped bodies. Don't ask what ripped means, but I'm pretty sure it isn't what the word suggests.

0 Replies

I have always had the impression that a 'fan' is a keen supporter of something whereas a 'buff' is not only enthusiastic but also an expert.

1 Reply

I would also add, the word buff when used in this manner needs a descriptor. Jay Leno is a car buff, he's a fan not a buff. He collects and restore all kinds of cars and motorbikes.

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@contrex,

I think Contrex is correct about a buff being a expert or having greater knowledge of a sport, hobby or other activity. A fan is an admirer of such activity, a buff is more likely to actually take part in the activity.

I have to think about it.
A tennis fan goes to the matches.
A tennis buff can tell you who won the last three years and why the taller player's ground strokes seem stronger today.

There can also be buffs in fields which do not have fans: Antiquing, History, Cooking and.... Am I on the right track here, folks?

~~ More after my nap~~

Joe(I am a fan of naps)Nation

1 Reply

I favour the replies of Contrex and Joe Nation, and have nothing useful to add to those.

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@oristarA,

~This came to me in a dream.... .

No. It didn't.

Quote:

Shelby's death was taken hard by the many auto industry veterans and auto buffs who knew him personally, or only via his cars.

Buff are amateurs; they do not make a living from their particular knowledge, but (and here is what came to me as I woke up) they could make money from their expertise if they wanted.
That why they are making the distinction above between 'auto industry veterans' (former workers, designers, mechanics) and 'auto buffs' (the guys who love to take cars apart and fiddle with their insides to make the engines go faster, the steering be more responsive, the suspension hold the vehicle on the roadway better~~mostly for their own pleasure.)

Fans, as has been said, are enthusiastic admirers of something, but it would be rare for a fan to have the more in-depth knowledge of a buff.

One final thing, (I do go on.. Embarrassed

..) here's good way to tell the difference: if a person wants to be self deprecating, you know, wants to downplay his grasp of a particular activity,engage in a little false modesty, he will say something along the lines of : "Ah shucks, ma'am, I'm no expert, I'm just a fan that's all."

You can be sure that that guy knows more than he is letting on.

Note: I am a word buff.
I wish I had the time and energy to be an etymologist.

Joe(we need to hire one sometimes at A2K)Nation

0 Replies

@Joe Nation,

Joe's interpretation is excellent and deserves to be chosen as "Selected Answer." The tiny misspelling he's made, however, casts a bit cloud on the crown -- when he said "a buff being a expert." In my book, zero tolerance to any mistake in an expert-level opinion is deemed appropriate, especially when talking about "an expert."

Joe Nation wrote:

I think Contrex is correct about a buff being a expert or having greater knowledge of a sport, hobby or other activity. A fan is an admirer of such activity, a buff is more likely to actually take part in the activity.

2 Replies

@oristarA,

But he isn't claiming expertise. He is describing a buff as being an expert. If it were me, I would be cautious of being overly critical of those who provide useful information. That's just me, of course.

1 Reply

@roger,

roger wrote:

But he isn't claiming expertise. He is describing a buff as being an expert. If it were me, I would be cautious of being overly critical of those who provide useful information. That's just me, of course.

LA's has been chosen as "Selected Answer" before Joe's replies reached here. So you'll understand me.

0 Replies

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

The tiny misspelling he's made, however, casts a bit cloud on the crown -- when he said "a buff being a expert." In my book, zero tolerance to any mistake in an expert-level opinion is deemed appropriate, especially when talking about "an expert."

Such an Aspergerish and ungrateful remark is unlikely to win you any friends or encourage future helpfulness. Joe's use of "a expert" looks more to like a typing error. This is supported by internal evidence ("an admirer") in his post that he understands perfectly well the use of "an" before words commencing with a vowel. The web is an informal place and demanding 100% accurate proof reading is unrealistic. Furthermore, a key component of evaluating information supplied to you is the ability to distinguish unimportant errors from important ones.

1 Reply

@contrex,

contrex wrote:

oristarA wrote:
The tiny misspelling he's made, however, casts a bit cloud on the crown -- when he said "a buff being a expert." In my book, zero tolerance to any mistake in an expert-level opinion is deemed appropriate, especially when talking about "an expert."

Such an Aspergerish and ungrateful remark is unlikely to win you any friends or encourage future helpfulness. Joe's use of "a expert" looks more to like a typing error. This is supported by internal evidence ("an admirer") in his post that he understands perfectly well the use of "an" before words commencing with a vowel. The web is an informal place and demanding 100% accurate proof reading is unrealistic. Furthermore, a key component of evaluating information supplied to you is the ability to distinguish unimportant errors from important ones.

No doubt Joe's answer is better than LA's. But before Joe's answer emerged here, I had chosed LA's answer.
I believe my poor grasp of nuances have failed all of you, including myself. If in Chinese, I should not have made such mistake.
Sincere apology to Joe and all of you.

1 Reply

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

I believe my poor grasp of nuances have failed all of you, including myself. If in Chinese, I should not have made such mistake.
Sincere apology to Joe and all of you.

However you are eager to learn... once more your knowledge advances... thanks to Able2know!

2 Replies

@contrex,

I think a lot of this comes down to personal preference, and maybe regional differences too.

I think a "buff" is mainly an enthusiast, who may or may not be an expert. But he probably is, as an amateur hobbyist.

A "fan" is an enthusiast too, and need not be an expert. I think being a "fan" involves more emotion.

1 Reply

@McTag,

English is great for double-entendres too.

She danced with a fan in each hand, teasingly covering her modesty.
She really preferred to dance in the buff.

0 Replies

@contrex,

contrex wrote:

oristarA wrote:
I believe my poor grasp of nuances have failed all of you, including myself. If in Chinese, I should not have made such mistake.
Sincere apology to Joe and all of you.

However you are eager to learn... once more your knowledge advances... thanks to Able2know!

I doubt the loving memory of A2K will fade away.
See McTag, Joe Nation, JTT and others (including you) who are good at English have been spreading English knowledge here? They also have been learning... because English is more complicated than you ever think.

1 Reply

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

because English is more complicated than you ever think.

Only a beginner would think that a living evolving language was not more complicated than they could ever think.

0 Replies

yes, buff

http://www.scotsman.com/news/bare-buff-offers-naked-cleaning-service-1-2293481

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What is the difference in nuance between fan and buff?

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