FanSpeak v1.1: A Fannish Glossary compiled by Rob Levin 22 December 1992 NOTICES This text copyright (c) 1992 by Robert Levin. All rights are reserved. It may be distributed free of charge in any form, as long as it is reproduced in its entirety, including credit to the compiler. Copyright laws are void in ungoverned localities. Consult your local arbitrator for information on guaranteeing authenticity. KEY TO THE GLOSSARY The following is a list of terms which are used in the subculture known as Fandom. Some of the terms are acronyms, used in fanzines and electronic media. Acronyms are shown in all capital letters. In cases where an acronym contains material in parentheses ("()"), that material is optional; in cases where brackets ("[]") are used, select one of the items separated by commas in the brackets.... DEFINITIONS AAMOF, interj. As a matter of fact. actifan, n. A fan who is heavily involved in fanac. AFAIK, interj. As far as I know. apa, n. [>> "amateur press association"] A zine composed of pages contributed by a variety of authors, compiled and indexed by an OC, if distributed in by hand, or by an OE, if mailed. apa fandom, n. The segment of fandom which interacts primarily via apas. AWGTHTGT(A)T(Y)A?, interj. Are we going to have to go through (all) this (yet) again? bem, n. Bug-eyed monster, a character beloved in Golden Age science fiction. bheer, n. A fannish beverage fit for consumption with crottled greeps. It is believed that the fannish ghods drink bheer. BNF, n. ["Big-Name Fan"] A well-known fan. BTW, interj. By the way. classic trek, n. The original Star Trek, as referred to by its enthusiasts. See old trek. comicon, n. A con put on for comic fandom. comic fandom, n. A fringe fandom associated with the appreciation of comic books. con, n. A fannish convention or conference. con fandom, n. The segment of fandom which interacts primarily at cons. condom, n. Con fandom. concom, n. [>> "convention committee"] The fen who run a con, often smofs. connish, adj. Pertaining to con fandom; con fannish. corflu, n. Correction fluid. A liquid used to correct stencils. crottled greeps, n. 1. A possibly mythical ambrosia, attributed to British fandom. 2. The archetypal highly addictive, extremely unhealthful, junk food. crudzine, n. A poorly-designed or poorly-written zine. Cthulhu, n. One of the more loathsome of the fannish ghods, courtesy of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Cthulhu is the patron ghod of the dark closet and of ad hoc cardiac removal. cyberpunk, n. A form of science fiction, popularized by William Gibson and other authors. Cyberpunk fiction usually involves a world-wide or extended computer net and a virtual reality interface. dane, n. A mundane. DUFF, n. The Down-Under Fan Fund. A fund used to pay to transport Australian fen to Worldcon. See TAFF and MAFF. egoboo, n. [>> "ego boost"] Acclaim, or positive ego reinforcement. faan, n. A fan who is more interested in interaction with other fen than in science fiction and fantasy. Sometimes used disdainfully by those who regard themselves as trufen. fafiate, v. [>> "forced away from it all"] To be forced out of fandom due, for example, to another fan whose presence cannot be handled, or the edict of parent(s) or spouse. Fans have also been known to fafiate due to the conflicting requirements of work or school. See also, gafiate. fakefan, n. A derogatory term used to describe an individual who associates with fen, but neither reads science fiction nor fantasy literature, nor participates in fanac. fan, n. An individual affiliated with the subculture known as fandom. fan GoH, n. A secondary Guest of Honor at a con, who is not, in fact, a professional. See GoH and listener GoH. fan time, n. A measure of the passage of time which is uniformly slower than that of the mundane world. An activity which occurs on fan time starts late. If someone is "on fan time" they are uniformly late wherever they go. fanac, n. [>> "fannish activity"] The formal or informal cultural activity of fen. fandom, n. A subculture centered on the appreciation of science fiction and fantasy literature. Fandom has evolved to include a variety of unusual interests, as represented by the fringe fandoms (which see). fannish, adj. Of, concerning or involving the interests or subculture of fandom. fanspeak, n. The language and idiom of fandom. fanzine, n. [>> "fan magazine"] A publication produced by and for fen. Fanzines are often referred to simply as zines (which see). Traditionally, fanzines were produced via ditto or mimeographic process, and are still so produced by purists. However, many modern fen use xerographic processes, including laser printing, to produce their fanzines. fanzine fandom, n. The segment of fandom which interacts primarily via fanzines. Fanzine fandom is often considered to include the letter, lettercol and apa fandoms. fen, n. The plural of "fan." FIAWOL, interj. "Fandom Is A Way Of Life." One of two opposing philosophies which have vied for supremacy since the early days of fandom. See also, FIJAGDH. FIJAGH, interj. A variant on FIJAGDH. FIJAGDH, interj. "Fandom Is Just A God-Damned Hobby." One of two opposing philosophies which have vied for supremacy since the early days of fandom. See FIJAGH and FIAWOL. filk, n. 1. The art of composing words, pertaining to a fannish interest, to an existing tune. An example would be Tom Lehrer's, "The Elements." 2. The art of putting new words to an existing tune, in parody of the original. Weird Al Yankovic practices this form of filking. 3. The art of putting poetry or musical lyrics to an alternate tune for the purposes of parody or artistic enjoyment. An example might be the author's own rather carefully-metered composition, "Jabberwocky" to the tune of "Yankee Doodle." 4. The art of composing melody and music for songs, serious and otherwise, which pertain to an interest of fandom. 5. A formal or informal gathering to practice filking; a filksing. filk, v. 1. To practice filk. 2. To attend a filk. filker, n. One who filks. filksing, n. A formal or informal gathering to practice filking; usually referred to simply as a "filk." Finagle, n. One of the ghods of engineering; patron ghod of the kluge. fringe fandom, n. A particular area of interest, organized similarly to, and bordering, fandom. These include mystery fandom; the SCA; horror fandom; pagan religion (as presently practiced, and as distinguished from Satanism); medievalism and Faire; light bondage; various comic, animation and television fandoms (rarely including soap opera); libertarianism and certain flavors of anarchism (propertarian and syndicalist, among others); the appreciation of Monty Python, the Firesign Theatre, Congress of Wonders, Conception Corporation and other seminal humor of the modern age; furry fandom; and other areas too numerous to record. In general, the fringe fandoms each center upon some particular interest which many fen pursue. fugghead, n. [>> "f*ck*" + "head"] A subspecies of fandom known for its insensitivity, annoying and abusive behavior. Fuggheads have been known to show up as one is leaving one's hotel room at a con and drone on for hours about subjects in which one is not in the least interested. Synonyms include the Yiddish terms "gonef" and "schmuck." See LMJ. gafiate, v. [>> "getting away from it all"] 1. To leave fandom, usually from a sense of exasperation, overload or boredom with fans or fanac. See also, fafiate. 2. To leave a fannish function (such as a con) early, usually from a sense of exasperation, overload or boredom. ghod, n. A fannish deity. These include Finagle, Rodney, Ghu, Cthulhu and divers others. Ghu, n. A fannish ghod popularized by H. Beam Piper. GoH, n. (pronounced, "Joe") The Guest of Honor at a con. Usually a professional writer or artist, or an actor who has played a well-known science-fictional or fantasy role. At filk conventions, the GoH is a filker, but is probably not a professional musician. See fan GoH and listener GoH. Golden Age, n. The period in which modern fandom was born, generally considered to be the 1920's thru the 1930's. Hugo, n. The yearly fannish awards for science fiction and fantasy. Voted on by the membership of Worldcon. ICOCBW, interj. I could, of course, be wrong. IIRC, interj. If I recall correctly. IITYWIMWYBMAD?, interj. If I tell you what it means, will you buy me a drink? IMAO, interj. In my arrogant opinion. See also, IMHO. IMHO, interj. In my humble opinion. See IMAO, IMNSHO, IMOBO. IMNSAO, interj. In my not-so-arrogant opinion. See also, IMHO. IMNSHO, interj. In my not-so-humble opinion. See IMHO. IMOBO, interj. In my own biased opinion. See IMHO. INPO, interj. In no particular order. IOW, interj. In other words. Joe Phan, n. The fannish equivalent of Joe Public. LASFS, n. [pronounced "LAHS-fuss"] The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, one of the oldest such organizations in the country. letter fandom, n. The segment of fandom which interacts primarily via letters and other correspondence. lettercol fandom, n. 1. a largely extinct segment of fandom which interacted primarily via letters to the editors of the Golden Age pulp magazines. Lettercol fandom has largely died out, in the interval between the Golden Age and the modern day. 2. The segment of fandom which interacts primarily in letters to the editors of fanzines. Usually considered to be a subset of fanzine fandom. lino, n. An interlineation; a comment or quotation, often well-known, taken out of context and placed between articles or letters, or at the top or bottom of a page, in a fanzine. Linos are often placed between two horizontal lines. listener GoH, n. A secondary Guest of Honor at a filk convention who does not perform, but is a well-known afficionado of filk. LLTA, n. Lots and lots of thundering applause. LOL, interj. Laughing out loud. LMJ, n. Loud-mouthed jackass, or jerk. A common character-type in fandom. LOC, n. Letter of comment. A letter to the editor of a fanzine or prozine. Locus, n. The semi-prozine founded by Charles Brown; the newspaper of the science fiction field. Locus has won numerous awards, and considered by many simply to be a prozine. MAFF, n. Mid-Atlantic Fan Fund. A fund which has occasionally been suggested, to transport fuggheads to their appropriate reward. See DUFF and TAFF. media con, n. 1. A con which highlights anime, movies and/or audio-visual materials, rather than science fiction and fantasy literature. 2. A con put on by professional promoters, rather than fen. mundane, adj. Pertaining to the non-fannish world. mundane, n. A non-fan. nanotechnology, n. A term invented by Eric Drexler, to describe technology which involves self-replicating microscopic machines. Nebula Award, n. One of the main awards of the science fiction and fantasy field. Nebulas are voted on once a year by the membership of the SFWA, and are awarded in various categories. neo, n. A neofan. neofan, n. A new fan. NASFiC, n. North American Science Fiction Convention. When Worldcon is not held in the United States, NASFiC is held. NESFA, n. New England Science Fiction Association. One of the oldest existing fannish organizations. new trek, n. Star Trek: The Next Generation. Occasionally used disparagingly by enthusiasts of "classic" or old trek. OC, n. Official collator. The individual charged with collating, indexing and distributing an apa which is not mailed. OE, n. Official editor. The individual charged with collating, indexing and mailing a posted apa. old trek, n. The original Star Trek. Often used disparagingly by enthusiasts of new trek ("trek lite"). one-shot, n. A zine published only once, as at a con. OOP, adj. Out of print. OOTC, n. Obligatory on-topic comment. OOTQ, n. Obligatory on-topic quote. ose, n. [filk, << interj. "More ose!" << "morose"] Material of a somber or ghoulish nature, often exaggerated for humorous effect. OTOH, interj. On the other hand. OTOT, interj. On the other tentacle. panel, n. A panel discussion, part of the formal program of a con. perzine, n. [<< "personal zine"] A zine designed as a vehicle for discussing the author's interests and viewpoints. Perzines are often used to inform the recipients as to the goings-on in the author's life, fannish and otherwise. POV, n. Point of view. pro, n. An author; a professional writer of science fiction, fantasy or other literature. The opposite of a fan, in a connish sense. prozine, n. A professionally-published magazine which concerns itself with science-fiction, fantasy or fringe-fannish themes. RAH, n. Robert Anson Heinlein, a well-known, deceased author of science fiction and some fantasy. Real Soon Now, adv. An ironic phrase used by fen to denote an occurrence which is unlikely to happen anytime soon. This phrase can be used to describe both fannish and mundane activity, though it has its roots in the common fannish tendency towards procrastination. New software releases often occur Real Soon Now. See fan time. ROFL, adv. Rolling on the floor, laughing. ROFLASTC, adv. Rolling on the floor, laughing and scaring the cat. ROTBA, interj. [>> "reality on the blink again"] A response to unlikely, unbelievable or scientifically inaccurate comments. RSN, adv. See Real Soon Now. SASE, n. A self-addressed, stamped envelope. SCA, n. The Society for Creative Anachronism. An organization which engages in medievalistic activities, including costuming, medieval crafts and tournaments. semi-prozine, n. A publication which started out its life as a fanzine, from which the author now makes a significant income. A semi-prozine is usually of higher quality layout and greater prestige than the average fanzine. sercon, adj. [<< "serious and constructive"] 1. As applied to fans or fanac: diligent and seriously trufannish. 2. As applied to fanac: designed to bring the perceived values of fandom to the mundane world, or live them in one's daily existence. 3. Engaged in, or advocating, fanac as in 2. SFBC, n. Science Fiction Book Club. SFWA, n. Science Fiction Writers of America. The main guild of professional authors of science fiction and fantasy. smof, n. [<< "Secret Masters of Fandom"] 1. An individual who runs conventions, fannish organizations and other fanac, usually out of an enjoyment of fannish politics, intrigue and authority. Smofs tend to be clannish. Often and originally used as a derisive term. smof, v. 1. To engage in fannish politics and intrigue, generally for its own sake. 2. To engage in fannish gossip. STTNG, n. Star Trek: The Next Generation. See STTOS. STTOS, n. Star Trek: The Original Series. See STTNG. TAFF, n. Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund. A fund used to transport worthy fen across the Atlantic to Worldcons. See DUFF and MAFF. tanj, interj. [>> "there ain't no justice" >> Larry Niven] The fannish equivalent of "damn," without (necessarily) any religious overtones. A variation is, "Tanj it!" tanstaafl, interj. [>> "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." >> E. "Doc" Pournelle] 1. Things which appear to be free, rarely are. 2. Debts generally end up having to be paid, in one form or another. thish, n. [<< "this issue"] A reference to the zine in which it is found. TBTB, n. The Powers That Be. trek lite, n. A disparaging term for new trek, as used by enthusiasts of old trek. trekker, n. The preferred designation of a Star Trek fan. trekkie, n. An archaic synonym for trekker, now considered derogatory. trufan, n. 1. A fan who is active and knowledgeable in all aspects of fandom and fanac. 2. A fan who reads and discusses fantasy and science fiction. TTBOMK, interj. To the best of my knowledge. TTFN, interj. Ta-ta for now. TTYL, interj. Talk to you later. Usual, The, n. A SASE and a copy of your own zine. The Usual is a common price to obtain a copy of someone else's zine. WAHF, interj. ["We Also Heard From."] An acknowledgement for an unprinted LOC, often used when no room remains in a fanzine to print one more letter. Worldcon, n. The central gathering of the fannish world, held every year over the U.S. Labor Day weekend. Worldcon is alternately held in several zones, in the United States and around the world. Anyone who pays for a membership in Worldcon (attending or otherwise) may vote for the Hugo Awards (which see). WYLA[B,S]O[C,M](TG)WTR?, interj. [>> "Would you like a [bowl or saucer] of [cream or milk] (to go) with that remark?" >> Steven Brust, Minneapa] Used to suggest that the recipient has made a catty remark. YATI, n. Yet another Trek inconsistency. YMMV, interj. Your mileage may vary. zine, n. 1. A fanzine. 2. A fanzine, prozine or apa. 3. An individual contribution to an apa.