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Summary
Summary
The first historical dictionary devoted to science fiction, Brave New Words:The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction shows exactly how science-fictional words and their associated concepts have developed over time, with full citations and bibliographic information. It's a window on a whole genre of literature through the words invented and passed along by the genre's most talented writers. In addition, it shows how many words we consider everyday vocabulary-words like "spacesuit," "blast off," and "robot"-had their roots in imaginative literature, and not in hard science. Citations are included for each definition, starting with the earliest usage that can be found. These citations are drawn not only from science fiction books and magazines, but also from mainstream publications, fanzines, screenplays, newspapers, comics, filk songs, and the Internet. In addition to illustrating the different ways each word has been used, citations also show when and where words have moved out of the science fiction lexicon and into that of other subcultures or mainstream English. Brave New Words covers the shared language of science fiction, as well as the vocabulary of science fiction criticism and its fans--those terms that are used by many authors in multiple settings. Words coined in science fiction have become part of the vocabulary of any number of subcultures and endeavors, from comics, to neo-paganism, to aerospace, to computers, to environmentalism, to zine culture. This is the first book to document this vocabulary transfer. Not just a useful reference and an entertaining browse, this book also documents the enduring legacy of science fiction writers and fans.
Author Notes
Jeff Prucher is a freelance lexicographer and an editor for the Oxford English Dictionary's science fiction project. He has previously been a bookseller, office temp, editorial assistant for Locus, and software quality assurance engineer. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and more books than they realistically have room for.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up--This historical dictionary will delight fans of the genre and pique the curiosity of others. Short, easy-to-read alphabetical entries mainly cover sci-fi terms from the 20th century, but also include some earlier ones. Corresponding first-usage information is largely taken from the Oxford English Dictionary Science Fiction Citations Project. Prucher cites diverse sources, including science-fiction novels and short stories, and mainstream print and online publications. Users will naturally build connections to popular culture when encountering familiar words such as "cyberspace" or "robot," which originated in the literature. Significant features include a thorough "Guide to the Dictionary" (which includes an explanation of cross-references, an abbreviations list, a pronunciation key, and other helpful guides), sidebar entries, and several well-compiled bibliographies. The absence of illustrations might deter reluctant readers from investigating the book. Overall, though, this dictionary's distinctive attributes make it a worthwhile purchase.--Cara Webster, Cumberland University Vise Library, Lebanon, TN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Guardian Review
Our culture is suffused with terms from science fiction. Take the previous review, for example: "time machine" and "time travel" both entered the language in 1894 in HG Wells's The Time Machine , whereas "temporal paradox" first occurs in a 1954 Robert Sheckley story. Terminators and other "robots" date back to Karel Capek's 1920 RUR (Rossum's Universal Robots) , the Czech word "robota" meaning "forced labour". According to Prucher, robot is probably the only word in the SF lexicon derived from a play, whereas "cyborg" (1960) has a journalistic rather than a fictional origin. Famously "cyberspace" was coined by William Gibson ("Burning Chrome", 1982), but I was surprised to learn that he wasn't the first to use "matrix" for virtual reality; it appears in a 1976 Dr Who script. Of course, there are omissions: "atomic bomb" coined by Wells ( The World Set Free , 1914) and Bulwer-Lytton's "vril" ( The Coming Race , 1871), a potent substance whose name lives on in Bovril. But from mad scientist to smeghead, this is an indispensable work that is certain to delight fans of the genre. Caption: article-five.1 Our culture is suffused with terms from science fiction. Take the previous review, for example: "time machine" and "time travel" both entered the language in 1894 in HG Wells's The Time Machine , whereas "temporal paradox" first occurs in a 1954 Robert Sheckley story. - PD Smith.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* One of those rare reference books that is both enjoyable to browse and useful as a reference tool, Brave New Worlds may be the best subject dictionary of 2007. Not merely a dictionary of science fiction terms, it is a resource of all the words from science fiction that have been absorbed into popular culture, as well as an historical dictionary, defining terms from their earliest known appearance in science fiction writing through modern usage. Eextremely useful introductory material explains how the words were selected and researched (many came from the Oxford English Dictionary Science Fiction Citations Project http://www.jesseword.com/sf) and how each citation is arranged. Like the rest of the work, the forematter is written so clearly and precisely that it will be understandable to readers at all levels, which is important because the book has a very broad potential audience, from academics to the general public. Each entry starts with the science fiction definition and a chonological listing of usages and citations. If the popular culture sense is different it is provided in a second definition, followed by a second list of usages and citations. Space cadet is an excellent example of a word coined in the science fiction realm that, when used in a popular culture sense, has a completely different meaning. Science fiction defines it as a juvenile spaceman or spacewoman, or one in training, and the first usage was by Robert A. Heinlein in Space Cadet (1948). The popular culture definition someone who appears to be out of touch with reality, as if on drugs was first used in 1973. In addition to definitions, usage examples, and citations, entries contain parts of speech, usage and status labels, variant and derived forms, and, where appropriate, cross references. In addition to definitions and usage histories for more than 3,000 terms there are 11 brief essays on topics such as Expletives & Profanity and Fanspeak, and two excellent bibliographies. The Bibliography of Books Quoted is an impressive list of important works in science fiction. The even lengthier Bibliography of Science Fiction Non-Fiction and Reference Works, divided by subject, is very thorough. For anyone needing information about an important science fiction author or subgenre, this is a definitive list, making it useful for readers' advisors, students writing papers. and science fiction fans of all ages. Brave New Words is highly recommended for all academic and public libraries.--Moyer, Jessica Copyright 2007 Booklist
Choice Review
This new science fiction lexicon and outgrowth of the Oxford English Dictionary (CH, Sup'00, 37Sup-040) is an important and entertaining reference source for any science fiction writer, magazine editor, fan, neophyte reader, or librarian. The word citation format used by this work mirrors the OED's and includes chronological historical entries for the first and subsequent times that the term was used in the literature. Short essays are provided for groups of terms with similar and/or derivative meanings. The book contains three very useful bibliographies: one for the classic science fiction works cited in the book, one for science fiction nonfiction and reference works, and one short list of science fiction author pseudonyms. Prucher has set up a Web site to explain and discuss his editorial choices and the life of this work, and is already collecting more words and historical science fiction citations for the second edition through the OED's Science Fiction Citations . Unlike many reference works, which can be boring, this book is both interesting and humorous. Many science fiction fans will probably read it from cover to cover. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels. L. A. Beinhoff Sauk Valley Community College
Library Journal Review
Edited by freelance lexicographer Prucher, this is the first dictionary of the language of science fiction based on historical principles. Like the Oxford English Dictionary, on whose Science Fiction Citations Project database (www.jessesword.com/sf) it is based, this dictionary provides citations to each of its 3000-plus headwords, beginning with the earliest reference-a very useful innovation. Because of its specialized focus on the development of the language of science fiction writing in fiction, film, television, comic books, newspaper comics, video games, theater, poetry, songs, science fiction criticism, and fan literature, the dictionary provides a unique, detailed view of the whole genre, pointing to most of the important writers, editors, and publishers. Entries include part of speech, etymology, definition with cross references to related terms, usage status (e.g., historical, jocular, derogatory, obsolete), variant forms, and most important, carefully dated citations and quotations illustrating the usage of the word over time. The "Bibliography of Books Quoted" at the end of the volume supplies complete publication data. Other useful features include a dozen sidebars, one-page essays on topics related to sf vocabulary, and a short list of sf writing guides. Bottom Line This admirable and unique source demonstrates on nearly every page the surprising extent to which the language of science fiction has entered everyday English-terms and concepts such as beam me up, cyberspace, downtime, gateway, morph, newspeak, robot, and space cadet. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries with an interest in science fiction.-Paul D'Alessandro, Portland P.L., ME (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
