# Why "cosmonaut"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 5, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870 "2005-04-05T17:06:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/1 "2005-04-05T17:06:53Z")
If you’re a “doctor” in the States, in Russia you’re also a “doctor.” If you’re a politician in the States, in Russia you’re also a “politician.” But if you’re an astronaut in the States, suddenly your occupation changes if you’re in Russia: you’re now a “cosmonaut,” even though you do exactly the same thing. I can understand why the mass media might have started this (cold war reasons), but to continue it until now, seems silly. Can anyone explain this? (Cecil refuses to. Maybe he’s stumped.) The only other similar term I can think of is that a robber becomes a “bandito” in Mexico–but Spanish terms are natural considering the geographic history between the US and Mexcio. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/2 "2005-04-05T17:08:08Z")
Maybe the Russian word for space is closer to “Cosmos” than “Astros”? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/3 "2005-04-05T17:17:34Z")
Perhaps the question should be why they are “astronauts” in the west, since “astro” comes from the Latin word for “star”, and they don’t go to the stars. (Not even to the nearest one, the Sun). But they do go out into the cosmos. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/4 "2005-04-05T17:18:12Z")
Do Russian soccer stadiums use Cosmoturf? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/5 "2005-04-05T17:28:42Z")
Important note: “Cosmonaut” was coined **before** “Astronaut”. The first man in Space was Yuri Gagarin. > **[Yuri Gagarin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Gagarin)** > > Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin \[a\] (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who became the first human to journey into outer space, achieving a major milestone in the Space Race; his capsule, Vostok 1, completed one orbit of Earth on 12 April 1961. Gagarin became an international celebrity and was awarded many medals and titles, including Hero of the Soviet Union, his nation's highest honour. > Gagarin was born in the Russian village of Klushino, and in his youth was a foundr... ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/6 "2005-04-05T17:28:48Z")
Because the use of a different term set the glorious heroes of the Soviet Union apart from the hated capitalistic swine in America. When the French space program…ahem…got off the ground, they elected to call their intrepid voyages neither astronauts nor cosmonauts, but _spacionauts_. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/7 "2005-04-05T17:32:24Z")
Or, perhaps (seeing **Bosda Di’Chi’s** post and assuming it to be true), the use of a different term set the brave heroes of the United States apart from the goddammed communistic Russkies. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/8 "2005-04-05T17:44:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Perhaps the question should be why they are “astronauts” in the west, since “astro” comes from the Latin word for “star”, and they don’t go to the stars. (Not even to the nearest one, the Sun). But they do go out into the cosmos. Nah, they’re already in the cosmos, regardless of how close to a planet they happen to be. If one were looking for accuracy, one would probably have to settle for vacunauts, or orbitnauts. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/9 "2005-04-05T17:47:56Z")
When the Chinese go into space, they will be called [taikonauts](http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/china_update_031105.html). At least in English. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/10 "2005-04-05T18:07:25Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Perhaps the question should be why they are “astronauts” in the west, since “astro” comes from the Latin word for “star”, and they don’t go to the stars. (Not even to the nearest one, the Sun). But they do go out into the cosmos. In Soviet Russia, [_stars_ travel to _you!_](http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/06/29/31473.html) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/11 "2005-04-05T18:33:25Z")
> [@Dignan](#): > > Maybe the Russian word for space is closer to “Cosmos” than “Astros”? Maybe. I’m referring to English-language media. We don’t refer to a lawyer in Mexico as “abogado.” > [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Important note: “Cosmonaut” was coined before “Astronaut”. > The first man in Space was Yuri Gagarin. Actually, the term _astronaut_ was in use in the US as early as 1930. _Cosmonaut_ (in the US) appeared around 1955. > [@Kizarvexius](#): > > Or, perhaps (seeing **Bosda Di’Chi** ’s post and assuming it to be true), the use of a different term set the brave heroes of the United States apart from the goddammed communistic Russkies. Yeah. I guess it’s just a cold war hangover. (Just like every scandal–regardless of where it occurs–now ends in “-gate” (“Contragate,” “Monicagate”), because Nixon’s henchmen were caugh breaking into the Water_gate_ building.) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/12 "2005-04-05T18:49:51Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > When the Chinese go into space, they will be called [taikonauts](http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/china_update_031105.html). At least in English. Notice how the article begins > [@Article from Space.com](#): > > BEIJING (AP) – Its confidence in space travel rising, China on Wednesday announced plans to send two more astronauts into orbit within the next two years on the country’s second manned mission. Then… > [@Article from Space.com](#): > > Taikonaut (TYE’-koh-nawt) is an English nickname based on the Chinese word for space, “taikong.” But why is this the only occupation where English speakers give a damn what other languages say? If “astronauts” works in the first paragraph, why do they have to generate some new term “based on the Chinese word”…? All I can see is that it’s a silly remnant of the space race that the media can’t shake off. They don’t do this for any other professions, as far as I can see. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/13 "2005-04-05T19:00:42Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > In Soviet Russia, [_stars_ travel to _you!_](http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/06/29/31473.html) If a star hit Siberia, it would do more than knock down a few trees! ---
**Author:** ![Gamaliel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gamaliel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gamaliel)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/14 "2005-04-05T19:55:59Z")
One day I hope our astromen will make it to the moon. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/15 "2005-04-05T20:05:20Z")
> [@](#): > > When the Chinese go into space, they will be called taikonauts. At least in English. Why the future tense? They’ve already sent up at least one. And while we’re at it, is there a special term for a space-farer launched by private industry, rather than any government? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/16 "2005-04-05T20:15:44Z")
Astronaut, according to the FAA. [Spaceship One’s pilots](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5261571/) have their FAA Astronaut wings. The word “taikonaut” should be banned - the Chinese don’t use it; [it was coined by a Singapore newspaper](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3192330.stm). Col. Yang Liwei was the first [yuhangyuan](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3192330.stm) in space. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/17 "2005-04-05T20:15:49Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And while we’re at it, is there a special term for a space-farer launched by private industry, rather than any government? “Filthy-rich”? ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/18 "2005-04-05T21:57:08Z")
The OED’s earliest quotation listing for “astronaut” in the sense of a human space taveler[sup]\*[/sup] is from 1929. Its earliest quotation for “cosmonaut” is from 1959, though that doesn’t give a hint as to when the Russians started using the word _kosmonavt_. \*It has an alternate definition of “astronaut” as a “name given to a space ship” with a quotation from 1880. This definition is listed as “rare.” ---
**Author:** ![Fringe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b5a626/32.png) [@Fringe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fringe)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/19 "2005-04-07T14:32:00Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > In Soviet Russia, [_stars_ travel to _you!_](http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/06/29/31473.html) Haha, beautiful. Yakov Smirnoff would be proud. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870/20 "2005-04-07T14:41:51Z")
[Everything you’d ever want to know about the proper term in most popular languages](http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/english/as/astronaut.html). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cosmonaut/297870.md?page=2)