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Subject: 
Re: Android vs. Droid vs. Automaton (Re: 4x2ReVu: 7141 Naboo Fighter)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.reviews, lugnet.starwars
Date: 
Fri, 14 Jan 2000 08:54:25 GMT
Viewed: 
28 times
  
Joseph Gonzalez wrote:

In lugnet.reviews, Jonathan Little writes:
In lugnet.reviews, John Green writes:
Um, R2-D2 is called a DROID though, right? And what is DROID short for?
ANDROID. I think in the original script or somewhere R2 and C-3PO were called
'droids. Now, they've dropped the apostrophe.

-John

John is most certainly right. In the novelization that I just finished
reading, it was spelled with an apostrophe ('droids). Since this was written
by Lucas himself, I'd have to imagine that it appeared that way in the
script also.

The problem I see with using these terms is that Webster's Dictionary
defines android as "having human features" (which the R2 units definitely do
not have).  Consequently, one couldn't use the 'droid term either because it is
just a contraction of the original term Android.

You'd be surprised.  My best friend looked an awful lot like R2-D2 for a while.

I could have used the term Astromech in my review but I prefer to avoid words
that are not widely known and I'm pretty sure Astromech is a term that Mr.
Lucas came up with himself.

They do refer to them as "Astromech Droids."

Looking back (and for any edited forms of the review), I guess I should use the
term Automaton or Robot (though Robot also denotes human features in some
circles).

Is it possible that simply exhibiting human behaviour is enough to merit the use of
the Greek "Andro-", which means "Man (male)?"  Note that both R2-D2 and C-3PO are
most definitely in possession of male human character traits.  The "-oid" (note the
collapse of the two Os) concerns, as was noted before, "having the traits or
characteristics of [x]."  The etymology says nothing about the only measure being
physical.

P.S. If this discussion keeps going we probably ought to move it to
off-topic.debate

Nah, this is kind of fun.  Now, when we start discussing their political or
religious views...

best,

Lindsay



Message is in Reply To:
  Android vs. Droid vs. Automaton (Re: 4x2ReVu: 7141 Naboo Fighter)
 
(...) The problem I see with using these terms is that Webster's Dictionary defines android as "having human features" (which the R2 units definitely do not have). Consequently, one couldn't use the 'droid term either because it is just a (...) (25 years ago, 13-Jan-00, to lugnet.reviews, lugnet.starwars)

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