There's nothing better or more understandable about the word "enlist" over "enroll".
Correct. I don't quite understand why "enlist" promotes the idea of action, making it a better word to use than "enroll." Enroll has an important meaning, too. Everyone tends to know military academies are prestigious. Not just anybody gets in. If Pike thinks Kirk is worthy of enrolling, it means something.
To that end, like I posted above, what Pike says is, "Enlist in
Starfleet," which would be the same as telling someone today to
enlist in the army.
No one can just enroll at an academy, either. They need prior acceptance.
We know Pike wants Kirk to go to the Academy, too. So, as has been alluded to in above posts, maybe enlisting and then applying as an enlisted person is the only way Kirk can get into the academy, now.
Man, it's funny how this little bit has taken on a life of its own. But it isn't just semantics. I don't think too many West Point graduates would be happy with people asking them when they
enlisted in the military. And, Pike would certainly know the difference.
I guess we'll wait and see how the phrase works in Pike's overall conversation with Kirk. Which means we can't boycott the movie over this. We have to go to make sure it's not done wrong. Then, if it is wrong, we can get up and walk out with all the others who have either yelled, "Rape," at the screen and are sobbing as they leave, or those who walk out mumbling about wrong-sized nacelles, or those who had it ruined for them because Urban's hair is parted on the wrong side, or the folks who are just upset that registry numbers can begin with zero.
etc..
