Talk:List of terms (RDM)/Archive 1

What to include?

Okay ladies and gentlemen, discuss which terms should be included on this page- military terms, slang, colloquialisms etc. --Madbrood 11:30, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

Note they are RDM related only for this category. --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 11:32, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

Hence the title ;) --Madbrood 11:33, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

I'd include the following:
1.) abbreviations: CAG, CBDR, CAP
2.) military jargon: knuggle-dragger, snipe, Mark I eyeball
3.) other colloquialisms: toaster, skin job
4.) BSG specific terms: wireless, dradis, G-4, krypter, Morpha, Triad, Pyramid

Maybe even categorize them in categories along those lines to make it less confusing. There is some overlap, but the distinctions should also be clear to outsiders.
And there should be one line for a very brief explination. If people want further information, they can click on the link to the specific page if one exists --Serenity 12:00, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

Good ideas Serenity. :-) -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 12:19, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

Ok, I'll make a rough outline that can be refined later. And I'll order everything alphabetically within each category --Serenity 12:41, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

Sounds good! -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 12:50, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

We may just want to have a bulleted list. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 13:10, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

Yeah. You edit conflict beat me to the bunch. I was going to suggest the same thing (to avoid the html). --Steelviper 13:12, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

I added some stuff. Comments?
Bullet points can still be added if you want. Feel free to change the layout --Serenity 13:19, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

I added the bullet points. Any other style changes that we should do? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 13:28, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

What I did was group together terms with the same letter. I think it improves the clarity of the list. Or is it just me? --Serenity 13:32, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

A small pic in the upper right might brighten the place up. I was thinking of a blackboard like this. Otherwise formatting-wise I think it's fine. Simple is beautiful. --Steelviper 13:39, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

OK. Of course, for the image, we may just want to wait until the DVDs get released next week so we can capture a better one. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 13:45, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

No rush. And that might not be the best picture. Just the first one that came to mind. --Steelviper 14:00, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

discussion of terms

What about these?

• rack: cot, bunk
• hack: prison, brig (from the Pegasus briefing scene in the extended cut)
• trap: arresting wires on aircraft carriers. On BSG it could be a magnetic arresting system

I'm asking, because the first two are rather common terms today, though I associate "hack" with a prison guard (maybe I watched too much "Oz"). So they might not really belong here. "Trap" however could be added maybe. A lot of other terms are lifted from real life as well --Serenity 19:22, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

references to episodes

Is it really necessary to reference every term to an episode? Especially since there is a link to a more detailed explination?
IMHO there should only be episode links to relatively rare terms like "RFN", "skin job", "snipe", "G-4" and the like. But not to words that are constantly used such as FTL, CIC or CAP. --Serenity 14:18, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

I think this list should provide immediate verification of each term's inclusion; "BS," for example, isn't actually used outside of a designation, and might not even stand for "battlestar." It's not especially fun to do this by opening 40 pages then reading them for meaning and justification, particularly when it's like "RFN" and links to a page about a much broader subject. --CalculatinAvatar^(C-T) 14:26, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

I agree with the last part. But what's the point of referencing the first mention of very common things like "CIC" or "FTL"? A user could have come across them at any point in the series. Others that are only mentioned once or twice in the whole show, might be difficult to place for someone new and that's where a link to an episode is more useful --Serenity 17:10, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

That'd be for consistency. The border you indicate can't be drawn very clearly either. --CalculatinAvatar^(C-T) 20:03, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

Disputed entries

Firstly, I'd like to dispute the entry for "Old Man". I move that it should be altered to reflect its usage aboard the Galactica, since we have no idea that other Commanders are called "the Old Man". It's fairly safe to assume that "genny", "Mk I eyeball" etc are in fairly wide usage, but there's no proof that this particular nickname is fleet-wide. --Madbrood 09:24, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Old man been used on New Caprica as well during these webepisodes. --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 09:41, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Yes, but that was in reference to Adama, was it not? --Madbrood 10:04, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Yeah. Old man even used in the previews. --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 10:07, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Going by real life example, it's probably used on other ships as well. Maybe not all, but I doubt it's confined to Galactica --Serenity 10:11, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Was it ever used in reference to Admiral Cain or to Tigh when he was in command? I've always had the impression that it was less a military term and more a nickname specific to Adama and I don't think there's been any evidence otherwise. --Unless 18:06, 18 July 2007 (CDT)

It was not used in reference to Cain or Tigh. However, Tigh did use the term "old man" while he was in command, of course referencing Adama. Talking to Ellen, something like, "Just until the old man gets back on his feet".--Veepz 18:10, 18 July 2007 (CDT)

It's more a deduction based on real life usage, which BSG's military jargon is largely based on. "Old Man" might not be on all ships, but it's a common term in many navies in one form or another dating back a long time. --Serenity 18:15, 18 July 2007 (CDT)

This isn't really a big dispute, but what about Dradis? I already had it under "BSG specific terms" and now it's been added under "acryoms" too. It would fit in both places, but I chose to not add it to "acronyms" because most people probably don't even realize that it is one. Just like people use "radar" and "laser" as normal words. That's already been discussed a bit on the Dradis talk page itself.
That it is in fact an acronym is still made clear if people follow the link to get additional information. Ideas? --Serenity 10:11, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Okay, this is my bad. I didn't see it when I glanced over the page earlier. Shall delete my addition. --Madbrood 13:12, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Glad everything is cool now. :) --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 13:17, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Someone added BS for "Battlestar". That has never really been used in that way.
But I recall Adama saying "Cut the BS". Meaning "bullshit". But I'm not sure since we should include this, since it's basically a normal word --Serenity 13:58, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

I cannot recalling hearing BS standing for battlestar (outside of BSG). That'd be one of those unfortunate acronyms... --Steelviper 14:01, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

It is part of the designation of battlestars, Galactica is BS-75. However, that isn't it being used as an acronym, just part of a designation. --Talos 14:05, 12 September 2006 (CDT)

"SU: Solar Unit" - was this in a commentary or something, or is it pure speculation? --Madbrood 07:11, 4 October 2006 (CDT)

More like logical deduction. I think it's by far the likeliest meaning. Maybe change it to "probably 'Solar Unit' "? --Serenity 07:29, 4 October 2006 (CDT)

"Go Panthers!" and "C-Bucs Rule": Used as an IFF between Sharon Agathon and Samuel Anders Unless this was established otherwise in-series, IFF refers to the transponder system used in vehicles (aircraft, as far as I'm aware.) This would be an example of a passcode, or somesuch. --PrePressChris 18:10, 23 October 2006 (CDT)

I think "dress and cover" should be moved from colloqialisms to jargon. It is a military term in use today, short for dress right and cover down (adjust so you are in line with the person to your right and directly behind the person in front of you.) Celebith

Done, thanks for the heads up, I can't believe I didn't catch that earlier. --Talos 08:55, 3 February 2007 (CST)

Is knuckle dragger specific to mechanics, or does it refer to noncoms in general? --Unless 18:06, 18 July 2007 (CDT)

Usage seems to apply to mechanics. Think of how apes walk; bowed down, using their knuckles to pull themselves along the floor. The term implies low-skilled work by dumb people. The usage on BSG is clearly non-derogatory though, and some of the deckgang are highly skilled in their fields. --Serenity 18:15, 18 July 2007 (CDT)

Formatting

Most of the non-acronym terms here aren't properly capitalized in title case, or, in the case of DRADIS, not capitalized at all. We should capitalize most of the terms here, if nothing else other to show that we all passed English class.

While I would think that the category itself would help for the lists, this was a nice idea to summarize things in one article.--Spencerian 14:28, 16 October 2006 (CDT)

There is some inconsisteny with "Actual", "Command Authority", "Mark One Eyeball" and "Red Line" being capitalized despite not really being names, but all in all I find it more readable with minor letters. But maybe that's just me.

As for Dradis. I still think that's a tossup and that both versions are correct. You don't capatilize Laser or Radar, do you? Those are technically acronyms, but they passed into common language.--Serenity 14:46, 16 October 2006 (CDT)

Understood, although the discussion about DRADIS (and the decision to fully capitalize it in the article) has been done on its talk page, about a year ago or more. We prefer to use capitals for acronyms as they are not true words, so RADAR and LASER is still grammatically appropriate, despite their inclusion as actual words today as "Radar" and "Laser." "Dradis" right now is no more an actual word than "Nasa" would be. As far as the others, they should be capitalized only in their context: Actual is only used with the ship name, such as "Galactica Actual;" "Mark One Eyeball" pretends to be a device, items of which we capitalize. "Comamnd Authority" and "Red Line" are ones that are toss ups to me and left to grammarians. --Spencerian 17:05, 16 October 2006 (CDT)

I found the terms kind of difficult to read, so I went through and bolded all the ones in the military jargon section. It was very tedious though, and I haven't the patience to go through the whole thing. I also figured it made sense to check in here and see whether people liked it or not. --Inertia1 15:25, 18 July 2007 (CDT)

I personally like it, it does make the word stand out better, in my view. Thoughts? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Sanctuary Wiki — New} 19:52, 18 July 2007 (CDT)

Bug out and chatter

"Bug out" is a standard English slang term. Do we really need to list that here? I don't think anyone needs an explanation for this.

"Chatter" - aside from the way Kat uses it - just means to talk very fast or to say silly thing. Look them up in a dictionary :) --Serenity 11:52, 1 December 2007 (CST)

Actually, chatter is a term for communication between two parties; it's typically used when referencing terrorist activity. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Sanctuary Wiki — New} 12:03, 1 December 2007 (CST)

Ah, now I remember this. D'oh. Bug out still seems unnecessary though. --Serenity 12:36, 1 December 2007 (CST)

Bug out is borderline. I threw it there since it doesn't harm anyone by its presence... and by that same measure, XO and CO are also "unnecessary", since most people who've watched SF television tend to know those acronyms. Same thing with "conn". -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate - Sanctuary Wiki — New} 12:38, 1 December 2007 (CST)