ofut@gatech.UUCP (10/06/83)
Believe it or there is a real reason why people object to Sci-Fi,
though at this point it is rather historical.
In the olden days before I was around, most of the people in this
country (and elsewhere) enjoyed maligning Sci-Fi (pronounced sciffy)
as escapist literature suitable only for children or childish adults.
These people pronounced the venerable letters Sf as sciffy with a
discernably upturned nose. The small, very close-knit collection of
writers and SF fans who were the originators of what we now call
fandom and SF-conventions were understandably annoyed. And if you
pronounced or spelled SF as Sci-Fi then you were one of "the others"
and an enemy.
Now that the mainstream has excepted Sf with a passion, the mainstream
still uses Sci-Fi and pragmatists don't really mind. Especially the
authors who like the new converts money.
--
Jeff Offutt
CSNet: Ofut @ GaTech ARPA: Ofut.GaTech @ UDel-Relay
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