graculus | Terminology assistance, please!

Someone over on OS is claiming that Trek fandom was responsible not only for the terms 'slash' and 'MarySue' (neither of which can be disputed) but the term 'ship' as well, when used to describe m/f fic.

I was under the impression this term originated in X Files fandom and that 'adult' was the preferred terminology prior to that for fic which had a m/f relationship and sex.

Anyone out there who's been in fandom longer than me (or those fandoms in particular) care to share their opinion?

Current Mood: confused

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

penfold-x.livejournal.com

As you know, I am not nearly old enough to know the answer to this question, *young and snotty look* however, I have asked several ~~older~~ classic fans, and they all report that there was no such catagory as ship back in the day (ship originates with X-Files). There were some fics that focused on Kirk/BOTW or Kirk/ThatBlondeEnsignWazzername or Spock/Chapel, but they were very small in number.

From:

graculus.livejournal.com

Well, after the mocking for their comment about how there was 'a growth in online fandom after the cancellation of Trek' (sorry, run that by me again, timetravel boy!?), they're now insistant that the term was being used in that fandom.

They seem to have backed down on the 'we invented it' thing and I have no idea where they got that from in the first place.

From:

penfold-x.livejournal.com

Seems like this fellow is captain of the ignorance squad.

I saw someone claim HP4GU coined "ship." Lots of folks seem to think whereever they stared out in fandom is the end-all-be-all. Whatever, people.

From:

graculus.livejournal.com

If not captain, then certainly a card-carrying member. ;)

I thought HP fans invented a) the internet, b) fanfic, c) all of fandom, d) slash... [the list continues]

The response to being questioned about how the hell they got from there to here? 'I did a presentation on the history of fanfic!'. Uh huh. Well that doesn't mean you weren't wrong.