Though this information will is not anything huge some people may find it quite important if the book is very close to them. Here is an e-mail I sent to Hatrack River and the reply...
Me: "As an avid fan of the Ender Saga I would just like to ask if OSC will be using the word bugger or formlic in the screenplay for the Ender's Game movie. To appeal to a wider audience, particularly in Britain where 'bugger' is an explitive, the use of the word formlic to describe the aliens would probably be a good idea."
Them: "Thank you for your letter. At this point, the screenplay is still in the works, so that's a question I can't answer. I've seen several drafts, however, and I've seen both words used. Sorry I can't help you more than that."
The reply was very warm and though my question was not fully answered I still felt satisfied.
What are you guys personally hoping for? Bugger or Formlic?
Posted by CStroman (Member # 6872) on :
Bugger if they can keep it from not sounding "cheesy". If not then the other sounds more formal.
Posted by Bekenn (Member # 6602) on :
I think bugger would be more realistic; formic would probably be the more-or-less formal name used by intellectuals, but the common populace would be more apt to use bugger, which sounds more like an insult.
Posted by Aeroth (Member # 6269) on :
Let the kids call them buggers and let the adults call them Formics, I say.
Posted by Bean Counter (Member # 6001) on :
I think Buggers will be more the "enlisted man" term, and the teachers and officers should call them formics, however since the whole of battle school is cadet training I would guess that they would use the gentleman model and call them Formics.
Funny thing, I was using formic acid in a chemistry class and found out that it was originally derived by grinding up ants, and thus learned the origin of the Formics name! Still seems pretty arbitrary, after all that is not the name that they have for themselves! Don't see why it cannot be many names.
Didn't the Chinese or call them the sky dragons in one of the Bean books?
BC
Posted by Just another Dharma bum (Member # 6879) on :
The kids should use 'Buggers', the adults should use 'Formics'. Maybe it won't be offensive if kids use it, as it would show their slang and that they are children, if they use formics I think it'll be easier to forget that they are just kids (though actually seeing the kid when he says formic is different then reading about a kid saying formic..blah..).
[ September 22, 2004, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: Just another Dharma bum ]
Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :
quote: What are you guys personally hoping for? Bugger or Formlic?
I'd be very offended if they were called FormLics. However, I have no problem with them being called Formics. Seriously though, I think Formics should be the PC term used by the media and politicians, in Battle School it's always buggers.
Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
*points to PWEB for some fresh news, pointing to AICN's coverage, and adding a little more to it.*
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Seriously though, I think Formics should be the PC term used by the media and politicians, in Battle School it's always buggers.