What's the difference between a trekkie and a trekker?

[K'Toska]

Haha, I too have a Trek ringtone. It's the end credits song from TOS. My notification sound is Majel Barrett saying "incoming transmission." A lot of people seem to like the notification sound even though they don't realize it's from Star Trek until I tell them. They just think it sounds cool. My mother-in-law loves my ringtone though - she watched TOS when it first came out.

 

[loghaD]

Now that's just cool.

vInlem!
(An attempt to translate "Bro-hoof!")

 

[martok2112]

Now that's just cool.

"Bro-hoof!")

Which sounds thl'ngan in itself!

 

[Starborn Dragon]

Actually i prefer the term Trekker myself.

Trekkie is too much like the word druggie.

 

[Holly Gibney]

Actually i prefer the term Trekker myself.

Trekkie is too much like the word druggie.

Quite the contrary, I prefer trekkie, because trekker sounds like a machine. An ugly machine on top of that.
It sounds like the German word Trecker, which means tractor.

 

[Relayer1]

Trekkie, Trekker, Trek fan I really don't care.

Nor should you...

 

[K'Toska]

Actually i prefer the term Trekker myself.

Trekkie is too much like the word druggie.

Quite the contrary, I prefer trekkie, because trekker sounds like a machine. An ugly machine on top of that.
It sounds like the German word Trecker, which means tractor.

lol! "Trekker" sounds really uptight to me.

 

[Mojochi]

That is how it always seemed to me, & as a fan from way back in the 70s, when Trekkie was the most common term, I'll always identify with that, despite whether it may carry disparaging connotations. In fact, that gives it even more affinity for me, not all that dissimilar to how the N-word has evolved culturally.

Where my Trekkies be at?

Meh I think you have to appreciate how obnoxious fans could be in the mid 90s.

Learning to speak Klingon, etc stuff got obnoxious, absurdly so. I don't think it's insecure to not wanna be associated with people who took there self respect and dignity and flushed it down the tubes.

Thankfully this trend died away, but it's easy to forget just how obnoxious fans of anything(especially sportS) can be.

Meh... So what? Is it any less absurd than the Walking Dead fans now, who build Zombie Apocalypse survival packs & dress like zombies & blather incessantly all over the net? Every group has people who take it too far. The only time you should be insecure about being associated with that is when it becomes criminal. Otherwise, it's just people having a blast, and you can share in it or not to whatever degree you desire. Basically represent yourself well, & make it harder for others to misrepresent you based on a group dynamic

I never had a problem telling people I was a Trekkie back then. They'd usually ask if I was one of the die hards who dress up & go to events etc... I'd say "No. I've just been a lifelong fan of the show". They'd usually shrug it off

 

[Zombie Cheerleader]

Actually i prefer the term Trekker myself.

Trekkie is too much like the word druggie.

That's an odd leap as the ie suffix is pretty common

 

[Mojochi]

Actually i prefer the term Trekker myself.

Trekkie is too much like the word druggie.

That's an odd leap as the ie suffix is pretty common

Exactly. It's actually most closely related to the word groupie. Star Trek has a fan base like a musical group would. We are groupies specific to Star Trek. It makes perfect sense to call us Trekkies. Conversely, putting "er" at the end of something denotes a function you undertake, a worker, a teacher, a manager, an employer, a murderer, etc. Are we trekking? Did we make Star Trek? Then we are not the Trekkers. We are the Trekkies

 

[Crewman Commander]

Actually i prefer the term Trekker myself.

Trekkie is too much like the word druggie.

That's an odd leap as the ie suffix is pretty common

Exactly. It's actually most closely related to the word groupie. Star Trek has a fan base like a musical group would. We are groupies specific to Star Trek. It makes perfect sense to call us Trekkies. Conversely, putting "er" at the end of something denotes a function you undertake, a worker, a teacher, a manager, an employer, a murderer, etc. Are we trekking? Did we make Star Trek? Then we are not the Trekkers. We are the Trekkies

This is exactly the way I've always looked at it, but, hey, if someone wants to call themselves a trekker, that's great too, because I'm sure we have a lot in common.

 

[HIjol]

Trekkie Trekkie Trekkie

Seriously, though, you all make good cases for your choices, and it seems to depend on, in no particular order, Age, Level of Caring, Investment in the "Gestalt" of the thing, and a little bit FandoMania! But I do like that We are Us, when it comes to Star Trek!

 

[eyeresist]

The only time I ever had my dignity shat on for any Trek-related reason was when I was in New York City once and my cellphone went off. It had a TOS communicator ringtone. People around me laughed when they heard it.

Ah, but they recognised it, which means they are guilty by association.

 

[HIjol]

I love hearing or reading that kind of story or anecdote! to me, Star Trek really is a thing to be shared, kind of like a "Group MindFund", to mangle a modern term. I know many may think it is silly, but I find it somehow a departure from the present-day social stress and challenge, for just that one minute or second that a group of people see an emblem or a uniform, hear a Star Trek catch-phrase, hear a ringtone or snatch of theme music...and get it...remember...react...smile...

Yeah.

 

[Karzak]

Trekkies are white on the right side--all their people are white on the right side!

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

Trekkies are white on the right side--all their people are white on the right side!

Hey, I'm a Trekkie, and I'm only white on any side in deepest winter.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The only time I ever had my dignity shat on for any Trek-related reason was when I was in New York City once and my cellphone went off. It had a TOS communicator ringtone. People around me laughed when they heard it.

Ah, but they recognised it, which means they are guilty by association.

Excellent point!

 

[Greg Cox]

Trekkies are white on the right side--all their people are white on the right side!

And you win the thread.

 

[Mojochi]

Trekkies are white on the right side--all their people are white on the right side!

And you win the thread.

+1

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Come back Carol and tell us more about early fandom days!