Communique from Overeducated Pedants Anonymous

[concertigrossi]

Ok, Avatar fandom, let's talk.

Norm is not a xenoanthropologist.

He could be a xenologist. A xenobiologist. A xenobotanist. A xenosociologist. A sophontologist.

However, he categorically canNOT be a xenoanthropologist if he is studying the Na'vi. Why? Look at the root word: "anthro"is from the Greek "anthropos," meaning "human."

Example:

A misogynist hates women.
A misandrist hates men.
A misanthrope hates all humans.

So if he were studying a human colony on a far-off world with a distinct culture, he would be a xenoanthropologist.

But he's not. Don't feel bad, the scriptwriters got it wrong, too.

I'm going to lose this fight, aren't I.

Comments

[pink-siamese.livejournal.com]

Probably, because you're right.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Worse than I lost the "2010 is not the BEGINNING of a new decade" fight.

Really, I'm just impressed somebody admits misandry is a real word.

[vaxjedi]

Maybe it's the snarky part of my brain, but the original theme to MST3K comes to mind...

[websandwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Hee hee! I didn't notice that, but you're right.

I think Norm was a botanist - at least, he was quite impressed with Dr. Augustine having written the book on Pandoran botany.