# Why do science fiction fans dislike the term "sci-fi"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-science-fiction-fans-dislike-the-term-sci-fi/506679>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 17, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-science-fiction-fans-dislike-the-term-sci-fi/506679 "2009-08-17T01:37:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-science-fiction-fans-dislike-the-term-sci-fi/506679/61 "2009-08-19T23:43:54Z")

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> [@Mister\_Rik](#):
>
> You don’t see too many … “romance” RPGs.

Well, sure, you don’t _see_ them. 😉  
I tend to say “Sci-fi” and write “SF”. I’m aware of the divide and the reasoning behind it, but I’ve never cared much one way or the other myself.

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**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-science-fiction-fans-dislike-the-term-sci-fi/506679/62 "2009-08-20T08:02:59Z")

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> [@pantheon](#):
>
> re: Pern- granting that in a loose sense all fiction is fantasy, but going by alternate realities explained by magic vs. science as dividing line…
> 
> The dragons of Pern were genetically engineered to fight the thread (aliens) and to have an empathetic if not telepathic connection to their riders. So even if the current inhabitants of Pern have forgotten their origins, and are living in a fantasy world, it came about through science. That’s a credible dividing line for me in a grey area. Just my $.02…

I knew someone who insisted that Pern was fantasy because it had dragons. He maintained that the origin of the dragons was irrelevant; “dragons” were strictly a fantasy concept, and therefore any story that had dragons in it was a fantasy.

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**Author:** ![pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@pantheon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantheon)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-science-fiction-fans-dislike-the-term-sci-fi/506679/63 "2009-08-20T14:32:40Z")

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> [@LurkMeister](#):
>
> I knew someone who insisted that Pern was fantasy because it had dragons. He maintained that the origin of the dragons was irrelevant; “dragons” were strictly a fantasy concept, and therefore any story that had dragons in it was a fantasy.

Well, sure..if you judge these books by their covers..😛

I should clarify my post though for anyone who hasn’t read the books..they weren’t genetically-altered dragons (i.e. dragons to start with). The colonist took a native reptilian species and genetically engineered it to be huge/intelligent/fire-breathing for a very specific purpose of survival (to battle recurring alien invasions of mindless but very destructive creatures that fell from sky and were most efficiently killed by open flame).

I found the mix of fantasy originating in science compelling. I had only read the Dragonsinger/drums series as a youth, then re-discovered them as an adult and went crazy reading all the ones I could find. I was fascinated with the history and background, as well as the re-discovery of technologies, the political intrigues, etc.

When come back, bring bubbly pies.

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