Xenocide

[Jo Zebedee]

Do all us sff peeps know the term? Might seem like a silly question but it has been raised in a crit and suggested genocide might replace, but i think if i used genocide for the killing of an alien race sff agents would assume i am a dweeb. So, is xenocide an accepted sff term?

 

[TheDustyZebra]

It is to me.

 

[Grunkins]

It definitely works. I think Hamilton used it in the Commonwealth books.

 

[Glitch]

So, is xenocide an accepted sff term?

I would say so.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Phew, between spell checker and comments i thought only me and scott card had heard of it.

 

[Ursa major]

If you're reading SF, you either do, or should, know what xenocide means**. It's in the dictionary (meaning the wiping out of another species, whether in SF or in our, real world).

Genocide sounds wrong here, unless those being killed are of the same species as those doing the killing. Besides, it's a word that has a specific meaning in law.


** - And something so devastating and widespread will have an explanation in the text of some sort, e.g. "You can't kill them all; that would be xenocide."

 

[MstrTal]

I am in the xenocide camp as well.

It happens to be a big theme in my own WIP.

 

[Perpetual Man]

I'd say xenocide is more than acceptable. I'd even go as far as saying that is the correct term, that genocide is wrong, only to be used when the races from the same planet - and even then with reservations.

 

[Abernovo]

As with all the above. If you read sf, then xenocide should be, if not a familiar term, then an easily understandable one: xeno - alien. Genocide is within a species, specifically targeting a racial difference (real or imagined), religion, or sub-species.

 

[Hex]

I vaguely recall having to think about it when I first encountered it.

I wouldn't worry, springs -- it's one person's opinion that the word is too complicated. You can happily ignore one person (I do it all the time).

 

[thaddeus6th]

As a very occasional sci-fi reader, I'd not heard the term before, but its meaning was apparent straight away. Sounds like the proper sci-fi chaps all know it well.

 

[Reivax26]

Xenocide works. Roll with it.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Cool as... Hex, I know, but... they were very sure, and I am very small in a very well informed query world.

 

[Boneman]

Xenocide, the third novel in a series by Orson Scott Card... I didn't understand it until I read that book many years back, but in the SFF community it's readily inderstood. Run with it.

 

[crystal haven]

I have no problem with using xenocide. It fits.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Strange that the crit commented on it. In a situation involving aliens, xenocide is the correct term... very peculiar.

 

[Dave]

There was another thread here somewhere about reading books that required having a dictionary to hand. Some thought that was terribly bad, but personally, I like learning new words and don't have a problem.

Xenocide too difficult a word? I don't believe so. Even if you had never heard of it, which seems odd, then you would have heard of Xenophobia. You could work out the meaning without the aid of a dictionary from the sum of its parts.

As already mentioned, Genocide has a very different meaning and is defined by law. it would be incorrect to substitute it.

If it is really too hard, make up your own word or phrase - 'Pest Removal' or 'Alien Cleansing' or 'Infestation Elimination'. Obviously, they come with a one-sided viewpoint.

 

[Mouse]

If even I understand the word, then the person who said they didn't must be incredibly stupid. No offence if it was anybody here!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

No, their crit was incredibly useful and very knowledgeable, which is what made me a little worried about this word, because I don't want someone reaching for the dictionary in the query. I thought it was fairly common sci fi, but it wouldn't be the first time I think something is and then everyone else tells me it's not. So I just wanted to check.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

No one word necessarily has to mean anything specific. It's all about context.