# The meaning of Der Trihs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365 "2020-08-18T02:24:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/1 "2020-08-18T02:24:06Z")
My first post to SDMB was back in 2005, and I was really active for several years (faded away the past several, but…). I’ve seen countless posts by **Der Trihs** and even had some back and forth from time to time. I always though his name was some German phrase I never bothered to look up. This created a certain mental image whenever I saw his posts. What a shift when it finally (just recently) hit me that his name is Red Shirt spelled backwards. Now instead of reading his posts with a stern German face in mind, I can only see a fellow Trekker but in better cosplay than I could achieve. Mundane. Pointless. Shared. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/2 "2020-08-18T02:30:27Z")
And look how long he’s survived. Most red shirts barely make it to the first commercial break. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/3 "2020-08-18T02:38:58Z")
You know that legendary racehorse called _Red Rum_… > **[Red Rum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rum)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Red Rum (3 May 1965 – 18 October 1995) was an Irish champion Thoroughbred steeplechaser. He achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years, 1975 and 1976. The Grand National is a notoriously difficult race that has been described as "the ultimate test of a horse’s courage". He was also renowned for his jumping ability, having not fallen in 100 races. > T... ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/4 "2020-08-18T02:45:22Z")
Ah, so to be effective names in reverse must include the word Red. Got it. Now to re-watch “Rebotco Der rof Tnuh Eht” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/5 "2020-08-18T02:48:54Z")
Danny isn’t here, Mrs. Torrance. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/6 "2020-08-18T02:48:54Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > And look how long he’s survived. Most red shirts barely make it to the first commercial break. Even Scotty, who was a Red Shirt, got killed in one episode (but he got better). ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/7 "2020-08-18T02:53:08Z")
^ My son, the doctor. Kind of gets you right there, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/8 "2020-08-18T13:54:36Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Danny isn’t here, Mrs. Torrance. @Ynnad isn’t here, Mrs. Torrance ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/9 "2020-08-18T14:04:02Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > @Ynnad isn’t here, Mrs. Torrance You people finally got me to shut up and now look what you’ve done. I’ll have you know that I’ve got all day to think of a new, really annoying topic. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/10 "2020-08-18T14:09:10Z")
I recall his explanation years ago that it was “Red Shirt” backwards, which enlightened me at the time, but I’m not sure it was Star Trek-inspired, at least originally - perhaps if we page @Der_Trihs he will stop by and clarify? ---
**Author:** ![transcriber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/transcriber/32/4342_2.png) [@transcriber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/transcriber)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/11 "2020-08-18T14:29:35Z")
It’s obviously Star Trek inspired but it’s the name of a character in the recently ended webcomic “Schlock Mercenary” > **[Wednesday 12 October 2005](https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2005-10-12)** > > Daily strip for Wednesday 12 October 2005 ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/12 "2020-08-18T16:18:51Z")
What are you people talking about? It’s not ‘red shirt’ backwards. It’s ‘shirt red’ backwards. Do we not teach people how to read (backwards) anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/13 "2020-08-18T16:25:24Z")
> [@Nature\_s\_Call](#): > > I always though his name was some German phrase That would be **Rotes Hemd**. 😉 Maybe we need a **Chemise Rouge**? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/14 "2020-08-18T17:50:59Z")
I’d tumbled to the backwards meaning pretty early after he arrived. But rather than taking him for a Trekkie/Trekker, I took it as a sardonic nod to “expendable bit player upon the stage of life” and that’s it. He’s an Everyman, a _mensch_. Modest, with lots to be modest about. Hell, he was a night manager at a small hotel. The only way that could have been more blah is if he also co-managed the Denny’s next door to his La Quinta. None of which is meant to insult the man. He said some interesting things and had a much more interesting character and internal mental life than he did physical real life. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/15 "2020-08-18T18:49:16Z")
> [@transcriber](#): > > It’s obviously Star Trek inspired but it’s the name of a character in the recently ended webcomic “Schlock Mercenary” When I read Schlock Mercenary several years ago, I was having serious mental whiplash because I kept picturing the SMBD poster. (also Discourse won’t let me quote your whole post because it has images in it why? If it was okay for you to post it then what’s the problem?) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/16 "2020-08-18T19:29:34Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > perhaps if we page @Der_Trihs he will stop by and clarify? Somego body’s gonna have to fork out bail… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/17 "2020-08-18T20:35:02Z")
I note he set up a custom avatar here, so he’s been logged in on Discourse. But hasn’t posted since the cut-over. I also note his avatar is a red-hued scene reminiscent of some exotic planetscape. Maybe he’s Trekkier than I thought. Or at least more SF-y ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/18 "2020-08-19T05:46:04Z")
Associating his name or him with Star Trek never occurred to me, and I absolutely can’t picture anyone like him anywhere in Star Fleet. I assumed it referred to his clearly leftist political views. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/19 "2020-08-19T06:31:36Z")
And the titular Schlock Mercenary character was first so named (in comic) June 30th, 2000, less than 3 weeks in to the comics run (although he appears in the first strip and is named in the transcript, but that may have been added retrospectively). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365/20 "2020-08-19T06:57:02Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I note he set up a custom avatar here, so he’s been logged in on Discourse. But hasn’t posted since the cut-over. > > I also note his avatar is a red-hued scene reminiscent of some exotic planetscape. Maybe he’s Trekkier than I thought. Or at least more SF-y My original avatar (the dog from Monopoly) transferred over just fine, so I don’t think it means he’s actually been to the new site. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-der-trihs/918365.md?page=2)