[Ads-l] ship, v. (2000-01)

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Wed Aug 17 01:18:40 UTC 2016


Stargate SG-1 fans also discussed the topic "To Ship or Not to Ship"
by September 3, 2000.

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.tv.stargate-sg1/-Mp--7F0gGQ/M2JZmfgDQ_4J

[Begin message]
From: "ephian" <eph... at home.com>
Newsgroups: alt.tv.stargate-sg1
Subject: Re: To Ship or Not to Ship
Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2000 18:16:14 GMT
NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2000 11:16:14 PDT
Organization: @Home Network

Nicely put.  I'm a new poster to this news group, although I've been a
lurker for a while now.  This ship vs. non-ship stuff seems pretty silly.  I
expect a consistent, logical story told in an interesting manner. I like
character development (my only gripe is a sad lack of such for Sam), but I
don't want it to interfere with the story line.  I want to see the story the
writers want to tell us.

And so saying, I guess I'm in the minority in saying that I dislike fan
fiction. I'm in the minority in my own household with regards to this, but
the thing is I want the story the writers give us and the actors bring to
life, not someone else's ideas.  There are a lot of talented writers out
there who I would like to see to applying their talents to creating a new
world for all of us, not reworking the one that the Stargate writers
creating. OK, off my soapbox now.

Thoughts from ephia

> I really don't get this whole thing. Not all of the viewers are "shippers"
> or "non-shippers." Some of us are "Stargate SG-1 Fans."
>
> Personally, I don't care who has a "relationship" and who does not. I
> watch the show and usually enjoy it. I can understand the arguments people
> have about the way the show is going or not going, but I just sit back and
> enjoy a great TV show without worrying about these little nuances to the
> show that I could care less about.
> <snip>
>
> Adam McGaughey
[End message]

Garson

On Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 1:09 PM, Flourish Klink
<flourish.klink at gmail.com> wrote:
> I think you found an example from around the time that usage was changing—I
> know that I personally used "shipping" to refer to more than just the
> Mulder/Scully relationship by 1999. So I shouldn't have been so harsh!
> Unfortunately, I don't have my emails from that time period, so I can't go
> through my personal correspondence to see when my own usage changed. But
> that's the right time period to find the change beginning to happen, if my
> memory is correct. (Of course I might have missed other people using it
> more broadly much earlier—and that would be delightful to discover!)
>
> On Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 1:05 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Interesting point, Flourish. Perhaps warning brackets are needed
>> around the citation.
>>
>> Below is a message from November 1999 that used "shipper" to refer to
>> a relationship between Alex and Mulder. Hence, some readers of the
>> x-flies newsgroup employed (or perceived) the generalized meaning of
>> shipper although this interpretation was atypical. (I am using a
>> citation for "shipper" to shed light on "ship".)
>>
>> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.tv.x-files/Hc8Eesmbvyg/ohhv0VBuMoEJ
>>
>> [Begin message]
>> From: gilamonster96122 at aol.commie (Tom Dexter)
>> Subject: Re: Q:When did you became Shipper/Noromo and why?
>> Date: 1999/11/13
>> Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com
>> Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files
>>
>> I became a shipper when Alex kissed Mulder. Those two sad, dark men
>> really need each other..... Huh? Wait....You mean Mulder and Scully???
>> Uh, never mind  :-P
>>
>> Tom
>> [End message]
>>
>> Below is an example of "To ship or not to" from a message dated
>> January 18, 1998. But this use might also be viewed narrowly. It might
>> mean: should Scully and Mulder consummate their relationship.
>>
>>
>> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.tv.x-files.creative/R-LIzEboU-I/IhwB5A8U1KsJ
>>
>> [Begin message]
>>
>> From: laura capozzola <laur... at erols.com>
>> Subject: Re: Commentary on The X-Files from a Prejudiced Point of View
>> Date: 1998/01/18
>> X-Trace: winter.news.erols.com 885142916 2686 207.172.148.234 (18 Jan
>> 1998 17:01:56 GMT)
>> Organization: Erol's Internet Services
>> Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative
>> ...
>> To ship or not to ship jerks everyone's chains.  It seems like every
>> phile has an opinion about it one way or another.  It's perfect
>> teasing fodder for the master tactician.  For playing the shipper card
>> so diabolically in Season 5, I have to salute him.
>> [End message]
>>
>> Garson
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 12:06 PM, Flourish Klink
>> <flourish.klink at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Excellent find! However, at that time "to ship" clearly meant only to
>> > believe Mulder and Scully should be in a relationship. It was not a verb
>> > used for other pairings (as it is today, or as it's clearly being used in
>> > the 2001 Harry Potter instance). Does it count?
>> >
>> > On Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 11:59 AM ADSGarson O'Toole <
>> > adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Regarding "ship" as a verb: Apparently, The X-Files Official magazine,
>> >> Winter 1998, ran a poll under the title "To Ship, or not to Ship?" It
>> >> was mentioned in x-files Usenet groups by early December 1998. The
>> >> title by itself was somewhat ambiguous, but the accompanying text made
>> >> the meaning clear. Here are some links and excerpts.
>> >>
>> >> This link points to the Way Back Machine snapshot of an article about
>> >> the poll. The snapshot was taken May 4 1999, but the poll, as
>> >> mentioned, appeared in the The X-Files Official magazine, Winter 1998.
>> >> (This should be checked in hard copy, if possible.)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> https://web.archive.org/web/19990504044427/http://www.idealists.simplenet.com/articles/txfarts/shippoll.html
>> >>
>> >> [Begin excerpt]
>> >> To Ship or Not To Ship?
>> >> By Gina McIntyre, Editor The Official Magazine
>> >>
>> >> To Ship, or not to Ship?" - That is the question we asked readers in
>> >> Issue 7. And answer in droves they did, with a loud and resounding,
>> >> "YES!" For those unfamiliar with the "shippers" (short for
>> >> relationshippers) argument, allow me to surmise: Mulder and Scully
>> >> should become involved in an overtly romantic capacity RIGHT NOW! The
>> >> crux of their argument is that as the two agents enter their sixth
>> >> season together as devoted partners, they share a love for one another
>> >> that can no longer remain confined inside the boundaries of a platonic
>> >> relationship. Their motto: "Why don't they do it and get it over
>> >> with?"
>> >> [End excerpt]
>> >>
>> >> Here is a Usenet message mentioning the "To ship or not to ship poll"
>> >> on Dec 5, 1998.
>> >>
>> >> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/it.fan.x-files/cZJpxrutGxY/AClskwj9pL0J
>> >>
>> >> [Begin message]
>> >> From: "kilini" <kil... at nospamiol.it>
>> >> Subject: To ship or not to ship poll USA (da Mel in trasferta)
>> >> Date: 1998/12/05
>> >> Message-ID: <74c9ja$dcf$1 at hermes.iol.it>#1/1
>> >> X-Deja-AN: 419046973
>> >> Organization: Italia Online
>> >> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4
>> >> Newsgroups: it.fan.x-files
>> >>
>> >> http://idealists.simplenet.com/articles/txfarts/shippoll.html
>> >>
>> >> Haven of the FBI most unwanted
>> >>
>> >> Il risultato e' stato SI', OVVIAMENTE:P
>> >> Interessante il punto di vista NoRomo dell'articolista:-)
>> >> Mel
>> >>
>> >> To Ship or Not To Ship?
>> >> By Gina McIntyre, Editor The Official Magazine
>> >>
>> >> To Ship, or not to Ship?" - That is the question we asked readers in
>> Issue
>> >> 7. And answer in droves they did, with a loud and resounding, "YES!" For
>> >> those unfamiliar with the "shippers" (short for relationshippers)
>> argument,
>> >> allow me to surmise: Mulder and Scully should become involved in an
>> overtly
>> >> romantic capacity RIGHT NOW! The crux of their argument is that as the
>> two
>> >> agents enter their sixth season together as devoted partners, they
>> share a
>> >> love for one another that can no longer remain confined inside the
>> >> boundaries of a platonic relationship. Their motto: "Why don't they do
>> it
>> >> and get it over with?"
>> >> [End message]
>> >>
>> >> Below are two more Usenet articles.
>> >>
>> >> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.tv.x-files/zJfDd8ofngE/wGtVd5qKGw8J
>> >>
>> >> [Begin message]
>> >> From: "Mick Swan" <swa... at mediaone.net>
>> >> Subject: to ship or not to ship??
>> >> Date: 1998/12/07
>> >> Organization: Northeast Region--MediaOne
>> >> NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 07 Dec 1998 19:34:06 EDT
>> >> Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files
>> >>
>> >> Ok...I am so out of the loop here.....how do I know if I am a shipper or
>> >> not!!! I am losing sleep over this...is it good??? is it bad??? Who will
>> >> explain this to me??!?!?!?
>> >>
>> >> -mick swan
>> >>
>> >> just a ordinary NH phile
>> >> [End message]
>> >>
>> >> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.tv.x-files/zJfDd8ofngE/-eB5TnrsGbMJ
>> >>
>> >> [Begin message]
>> >> From: christy <celli... at snet.net>
>> >> Subject: Re: to ship or not to ship??
>> >> Date: 1998/12/08
>> >> Organization: "SNET dial access service"
>> >> Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files
>> >>
>> >> Mick Swan wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> > Ok...I am so out of the loop here.....how do I know if I am a shipper
>> or
>> >> > not!!! I am losing sleep over this...is it good??? is it bad??? Who
>> will
>> >> > explain this to me??!?!?!?
>> >>
>> >> Its a good thing! Shippers come in all shapes and sizes, but all agree
>> >> that Mulder and Scully are in love and eventually want them to get
>> >> together romantically on the show. Some want it now, others want it to
>> >> wait until the last ep. Some think sex must be explicitly involved,
>> >> others are happy with sex being implied or ambiguous.
>> >>
>> >> If you don't see the love between our heroes, you fall in the noromo
>> >> camp.
>> >>
>> >> If you aren't sure, or prefer the UST, you are probably a fence sitter.
>> >>
>> >> If you simply don't care one way or the other as long as the show stays
>> >> good, then you are a ....I dunno what you are. We don't have any labels
>> >> to put on you. Just a fan/phile maybe?
>> >>
>> >> christy, who is most definitely a shipper
>> >> SAC, KickAss! Women's Brigade, ATXF Shipper Division
>> >> [End message]
>> >>
>> >> Garson
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 10:36 AM, Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >> > OED3 has a first cite of 2005 for the verb "ship" = 'To discuss,
>> portray,
>> >> > or advocate a romantic pairing of (two characters who appear in a
>> work of
>> >> > (serial) fiction), esp. when such a pairing is not depicted in the
>> >> original
>> >> > work.' A Merriam-Webster "Words We're Watching" post also dates it to
>> >> 2005:
>> >> >
>> >> > http://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/ship-words-were-watching
>> >> >
>> >> > The verbal noun "shipping" dates to 1997, from a Usenet post about
>> "The
>> >> > X-Files." ("Shipper" appeared on Usenet the previous year, from
>> >> > "relationshipper.") So it shouldn't have taken too long for fans to
>> come
>> >> up
>> >> > with the backformation "ship."
>> >> >
>> >> > Antedatings for the verb can be found in forums for "Harry Potter"
>> fans,
>> >> > including on Yahoo Groups. Here's the earliest I've found so far:
>> >> >
>> >> > -----
>> >> > Sara Beth Brooks, Harry Potter fanfiction (Yahoo Group), Nov. 5, 2000
>> >> > And as to Ron/Harry shippers- let 'em ship. [...] As long as no one
>> >> forces
>> >> > me to read and Ron/Harry stories, I'm perfectly fine with letting them
>> >> ship
>> >> > all they want.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ParadigmOfUncertainty/conversations/topics/3888
>> >> > -----
>> >> >
>> >> > And from the same author, later that day:
>> >> >
>> >> > -----
>> >> > If you want to ship for m/m or f/f, dammit, ship.  Just don't make me
>> >> ship
>> >> > with you.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ParadigmOfUncertainty/conversations/topics/3894
>> >> > -----
>> >> >
>> >> > Note that "ship" at this point was intransitive -- later usage has the
>> >> > romantic pairing as the object of the verb (typically as "X/Y", "X and
>> >> Y",
>> >> > or "X with Y"). I can't decide if this one is transitive or
>> intransitive:
>> >> >
>> >> > -----
>> >> > Allison, H/H Shippers Anonymous (Yahoo Group), Apr. 21, 2001
>> >> > My personal two favorite ways to ship are of course H/H and D/G.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/HHShippersAnonymous/conversations/messages/1
>> >> > [may require subscribing to read]
>> >> > -----
>> >> >
>> >> > This one is more clearly transitive:
>> >> >
>> >> > -----
>> >> > Lia, Harry Potter fanfiction (Yahoo Group), Oct. 4, 2001
>> >> > I ship Hermione with almost anyone.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ParadigmOfUncertainty/conversations/messages/12241
>> >> > -----
>> >> >
>> >> > --bgz
>> >> >
>> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------
>> >> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> >> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> >>
>> >
>> > ------------------------------------------------------------
>> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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