beach@msudoc.UUCP (Covert Beach) (11/24/86)
In article <822@ukecc.UUCP> vnend@ukecc.UUCP (D. W. James) writes: > One more thing before I leave this sad discussion behind. I have been >in the SCA for about 5 years now, and until 6 months ago had never heard the >term "ska" used for SCA, or 'SCAdians' for SCAers. It grates about the same >way hearing Clarke and Asimov described as 'sci-fi' writers does. The correct >pronunciation is to say each letter "ess see (long)a", with an -er for members. >Just as Forest Ackerman coined and still likes the term 'sci-fi', I'm sure that >in some parts of the Known World there are SCAers who use 'ska' (most of the >ones I've met are from northern Indiana). But in the kingdoms that I've lived >in it is in bad taste. Sorry for the putting this pet peeve on the net, but >I'm not the only one who feels this way. I'm in the Society for Creative >Anachronism (even if I can't spell it :-)), or SCA, not 'ska', and I don't >read sci-fi, I read science fiction or SF thank you. Not having met you I cant say in your case but Ive found that the majority of people who insist on the SF as opposed to Sci-Fi are boreing. I find that as long as the idea is sucessfully communicated it doesnt really matter. As to the proper pronunciation of SCA and derivitives thereof: As with most slang this one appears to be a regionalism. Personally Ive never encountered the term SCA-er before even though Ive been a member sence AS XII (~1977 ce) On the other hand in the Barony of Storvik (Washington D.C. and environs) the term SCAdian was VERY common, though mostly pushed by the Markland Medieval Mercinary Militia. [Markland is a medieval recreation group simmilar to, but not affiliated with the SCA specialzing in the 6th-11th centuries]. As to pronouncing it "ska", that is the pronunciation of choice that I have noticed in Northwoods (Michigan) and in most of the MidWest. In other words you can pronouce it in any way you feel like to communicate what you are talking about, but be aware that other ways of saying it are commonplace. Quite different from your SF example where there acually might be a majority opinion that SF is the proper form. > >David W. James, >Njal Kollskeggson the Ansteoran, >Quelland to his friends, >From somewhere on the Middle/Meridian border, >Under yet another assumed name, Covert C Beach Malcolm MacDonald Baronial Exchequer of Northwoods