Subject: SF Fandom

Terms used among fans, esp. terms used to discuss fan-related activities.



Word Definition
filksing n. (1968) a session or event of filk singing
filk singer n. (1979) one who sings filk songs
filksinging n. (1965) the singing of filk songs
filk song n. (1953) a song in the filk style
fillo n. (1959) a small illustration used to fill space, esp. in a fanzine
fugghead n. (1949) a stupid, obnoxious, or incompetent person
fuggheaded adj. (1949) stupid; obnoxious; incompetent
fuggheadedness n. (1949) the quality of being stupid, obnoxious, or incompetent
gafia n. 1 (1940) participation in fandom
gafia n. 2 (1950) the state of having quit fandom (cf. earlier gafia n. 1); cf. gafiation n.
gafiate n. (1956) a person who has quit fandom; one who has gafiated
gafiate v. (1959) to cease involvement with science fiction fandom
gafiation n. (1959) the state of having quit fandom; cf. gafia n. 2
gamer n. (1973) a participant in a war-game or role-playing game; a player or creator of such games
Hugo n. (1953) any of several awards presented annually at the World Science Fiction Convention for excellence in science fiction or fantasy writing, art, publishing, etc.
illo n. (1945) an illustration
ish n. (1937) an issue or edition in a series; spec. an issue of a magazine, esp. (in early use) a fanzine
kipple n. (1960) useless or unwanted (household) objects; junk; rubbish
K/S n. (1978) a subgenre of science fiction, originally published in fanzines and now esp. online, in which the Star Trek characters Kirk and Spock are portrayed as having a homosexual relationship; (later) any similar fiction in which a pair of (established) male characters is so portrayed
letterhack n. (1942) a fan who frequently writes letters to magazine or fanzine letter columns
loc n. (1961) a letter written to a magazine, esp. a fanzine
loc v. (1962) to write a loc (to)
lox n. (1965) plural of loc
Mary Sue n. (1976) a writer who inserts an idealized version of themselves in their own fan fiction n.; such a story or character
mundane n. 1 (1946) a non-imaginative story
mundane n. 2 (1963) a person who is not a science-fiction fan; an outsider
mundane adj. 1 (1945) belonging or relating to the world which lies outside the sphere of interest of a particular group of enthusiasts (used esp. among science fiction fans, originally of mainstream fiction)
neo n. (1956) = neofan n.
neofan n. (1944) a newly recruited or newly active fan
neopro n. (1967) a new professional writer
ob- prefix (1993) denoting 'obligatory or expected reference to' a topic
Peter Parker principle n. (No cites) see Spider-Man principle n.
prodom n. (1941) the world of professional writing, in contrast to fan writing or activities
promag n. (1937) a professional magazine; prozine n.
prozine n. (1942) a professional magazine, as opposed to an amateur fanzine; = promag n.
RealSoonNow adv. (1959) in the near future; quickly; very soon
relaxacon n. (1956) a science fiction convention with few or no fixed program events or organized activities
relaxicon n. (No cites) see relaxacon n.
retcon n. (1989) in a fictional work or series: a piece of new (and typically revelatory) information which imposes a different interpretation on previously described events, often employed to facilitate a dramatic plot shift or account for an inconsistency; (also) use of this as a narrative device
retcon v. (1989) to revise retrospectively (an aspect of a fictional work or series), typically by means of a revelation which imposes a different interpretation on previously described events; cf. retcon n.
RSN adv. (1959) = RealSoonNow adv.
science fictioneer n. (1936) a writer or aficionado of science fiction
semiprozine n. (1947) a magazine that is between the levels of fanzine and prozine in some category such as circulation, quality of printing, etc.; a well-produced or widely circulated fanzine
sensawunda n. (1961) = sense of wonder n.
sercon n. (1958) a sercon fan; a sercon item, sercon activities
sercon adj. (1955) of fans or fan activities: (obsessively) concerned with matters of criticism or scholarship, rather than fandom itself; cf. faan n.
ship n. 2 (1996) a romantic pairing of two characters who appear in a work of (serial) fiction, esp. one which is discussed, portrayed, or advocated by fans rather than depicted in the original work; (also) fans who support a particular pairing, considered collectively
ship v. (1998) transitive to discuss, portray, or advocate a romantic pairing of (two characters who appear in a work of (serial) fiction), esp. when such a pairing is not depicted in the original work; also intransitive
shipper n. (1996) a person who discusses, portrays, or advocates a romantic pairing of two characters who appear in a work of (serial) fiction, esp. when such a pairing is not depicted in the original work
skiffy n. (1978) = sci-fi n.