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The first historical dictionary devoted to science fiction, Brave New Words:The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction shows exactly how science-fictional words and their associated concepts have developed over time, with full citations and bibliographic information. It's a window on a whole genre of literature through the words invented and passed along by the genre's most talented writers. In addition, it shows how many words we consider everyday vocabulary-words like "spacesuit," "blast off," and "robot"-had their roots in imaginative literature, and not in hard science.
Citations are included for each definition, starting with the earliest usage that can be found. These citations are drawn not only from science fiction books and magazines, but also from mainstream publications, fanzines, screenplays, newspapers, comics, film, songs, and the Internet. In addition to illustrating the different ways each word has been used, citations also show when and where words have moved out of the science fiction lexicon and into that of other subcultures or mainstream English.
Brave New Words covers the shared language of science fiction, as well as the vocabulary of science fiction criticism and its fans--those terms that are used by many authors in multiple settings. Words coined in science fiction have become part of the vocabulary of any number of subcultures and endeavors, from comics, to neo-paganism, to aerospace, to computers, to environmentalism, to zine culture. This is the first book to document this vocabulary transfer. Not just a useful reference and an entertaining browse, this book also documents the enduring legacy of science fiction writers and fans.
The shared language of science fiction is covered in this historical dictionary that shows how science-fiction words and their associated concepts have developed over time and includes more than three thousand terms and an analysis of the influence of science fiction on the English language.
Jeff Prucher is a freelance lexicographer and an editor for the Oxford English Dictionary's science fiction project. He has previously been a bookseller, office temp, editorial assistant for Locus, and software quality assurance engineer. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and more books than they realistically have room for.
Edited by freelance lexicographer Prucher, this is the first dictionary of the language of science fiction based on historical principles. Like the Oxford English Dictionary , on whose Science Fiction Citations Project database (www.jessesword.com/sf ) it is based, this dictionary provides citations to each of its 3000-plus headwords, beginning with the earliest reference—a very useful innovation. Because of its specialized focus on the development of the language of science fiction writing in fiction, film, television, comic books, newspaper comics, video games, theater, poetry, songs, science fiction criticism, and fan literature, the dictionary provides a unique, detailed view of the whole genre, pointing to most of the important writers, editors, and publishers. Entries include part of speech, etymology, definition with cross references to related terms, usage status (e.g., historical, jocular, derogatory, obsolete), variant forms, and most important, carefully dated citations and quotations illustrating the usage of the word over time. The "Bibliography of Books Quoted" at the end of the volume supplies complete publication data. Other useful features include a dozen sidebars, one-page essays on topics related to sf vocabulary, and a short list of sf writing guides. Bottom Line This admirable and unique source demonstrates on nearly every page the surprising extent to which the language of science fiction has entered everyday English—terms and concepts such as beam me up, cyberspace, downtime, gateway, morph, newspeak, robot , and space cadet . Highly recommended for public and academic libraries with an interest in science fiction.—Paul D'Alessandro, Portland P.L., ME [Page 114]. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
Gr 7 Up— This historical dictionary will delight fans of the genre and pique the curiosity of others. Short, easy-to-read alphabetical entries mainly cover sci-fi terms from the 20th century, but also include some earlier ones. Corresponding first-usage information is largely taken from the Oxford English Dictionary Science Fiction Citations Project. Prucher cites diverse sources, including science-fiction novels and short stories, and mainstream print and online publications. Users will naturally build connections to popular culture when encountering familiar words such as "cyberspace" or "robot," which originated in the literature. Significant features include a thorough "Guide to the Dictionary" (which includes an explanation of cross-references, an abbreviations list, a pronunciation key, and other helpful guides), sidebar entries, and several well-compiled bibliographies. The absence of illustrations might deter reluctant readers from investigating the book. Overall, though, this dictionary's distinctive attributes make it a worthwhile purchase.—Cara Webster, Cumberland University Vise Library, Lebanon, TN [Page 72]. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information. |
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