 October 30, 2011 - 7:05am | RE: http://www.colonialchrome.co.uk/Pages/Rants/Rant_Sentience.html I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 October 30, 2011 - 3:21pm | That's my bugaboo as well. I hate reading "sentient" where they mean "sapient". It sticks in my craw. Because of sci-fi authors doing it, most people don't even realize there's a difference. The word "sapient" has never even been pronounced on a sci-fi television program EVER, and yet, it should be the most widely used term. Because everyone who uses it almost always means "intelligent". He didn't even touch on "semi-sentient". There's no such thing. Something either is or isn't sentient. It's "semi-sapient" which depicts a tribal culture without language and only rudimentary tool use (not tool-making). Apes, monkeys, meerkats, dophins, and some whales fall into this category. This confusion is no doubt due to the prevalence of androids in sci-fi. The issue is more confusing there. Data became sapient when he moved beyond his programming, but wasn't sentient until he received emotion. However, the issue was argued in a court and the issue was whether he was "sentient", but Picard only proved that he was sapient, demonstrating the confusion in terms, especially where it applies to artificial life. I recommend the Little Fuzzy series by H. Beam Piper for a clear understanding of the issue. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 October 30, 2011 - 7:16pm | So is it potato or potahto? Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
October 30, 2011 - 7:18pm | More like Patato or Orange. The words are quite a bit separate. Meaning two different things. "Potato/potahto" doesn't apply. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 October 31, 2011 - 4:11am | Unfortunately, the English language is constantly being "modified". Usually the most obvious cause is PC, however there is never a spotlight shown on all the twisting and dumbing down due to laziness and pure ignorance. |
October 31, 2011 - 5:49am | Unfortunately, the English language is constantly being "modified". Usually the most obvious cause is PC, however there is never a spotlight shown on all the twisting and dumbing down due to laziness and pure ignorance. So eventually the dictionary definition for sentience will also list the definition for sapience due to weight of usage. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
October 31, 2011 - 8:11am | Yep. Every few years you hear about new words and expressions being added. Your rarely hear about words being redefined or just being left out. But it happens. Many dictionaries are cultural these days. Supprisingly, those tend to be the ones in middle school and high school classrooms across the country. |
 November 1, 2011 - 11:00am | I'm SEGient. My offspring will be SEGience. After I decide which springs to part with. Get it? Part. Oh never mind. |
November 1, 2011 - 12:19pm | Yeah, I know. This happened to "luck" (confused with "chance") and others. It still urks me to hear people say "luck" when they mean "chance", and I have to do it myself when I know it would sound awkward to the audience to say "chance" because of common sayings. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
November 1, 2011 - 12:43pm | EDIT After doing online research and reading some of my Star Wars novels I've concluded it's splitting hairs. When I read "...and the robot, secured to the platform was slowly raised. The ceiling split allowing the platform to rise into the lighting storm. Below, a mad jedion laughed, his cackling echoing down the long tunnels. zzzzzzZZZZaaaaphat! jedion paused, "It's alive... IT'S ALIVE! I have brought sentience to w00t!" |
November 1, 2011 - 1:06pm | Sci-fi Grav-tech adventure tale: Sentient ("Living" becomes the non-technical, inaccurate replacement for the correct use of "sentient".) Hard Science Fiction grounded firmly in reality: Sapient (Just because the "sentient" use is common, doesn't mean it's right. In a story about someone being given "good luck" or "bad luck", you would want to clearly define "luck" from "chance".) View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
November 1, 2011 - 2:42pm | I don't get too worked up when people speak out of ignorance. Depending on the situation, I may correct them. I don't get too upset because I am sure that I speak ignorantly often enough as well. My personal peeve is when people intentionally misspeak. I despise it when people use poor englsih in an attempt to be cool. For instance, "It be code up in heah". My family drives me crazy though. My mother insists on saying "warsh" for "wash" and my in-laws say "boosh" instead of "bush". Apparently there is too much hillbilly blood in the family. |
