ANST - "Newbie"

[dennis grace]

Greetings, Cosyns,

Lyonel ici.

Sir G of Bristol notes:
>Lyonel wrote (in part):
>>I say we call them "players with less experience than ourselves" or   
>"people
>>who have attended less than two events" or "players who want help with   
>some
>>aspects of assimilation into the SCA."  Better still, meet them and   
>learn
>>their names.  In discussion of the problem of assimilating inexperienced
>>players into a group, I've referred to folks I haven't yet met as
>>"newcomers," but I don't want to apply such terms to individuals.   
> Labels
>>like that have a tendency to stick.

And draws the following conclusions:

>Perhaps I am misunderstanding, but it seems Lyonel is saying it's OK to   
>say
>"newcomers" when referring to a group, but that such a term shouldn't be
>applied to individuals.
>
>Accepting this, isn't it OK to apply the term "newbies" to a group, as   
>Caladin
>did in his original post?

Hmmm.  Bit of a leap there, but an understandable one.  Point by point, then:

(1)  I never said the term "newbie" is unacceptable.  I said it's
diminutive, devalorizing, and an unfair label.  I don't care for the term.
I don't like seeing people's efforts belittled by attaching cutesy little
labels to them like "newbie."  However, if you want to use the term, you
have every right.  I just want everyone to know that doing so has potential
ill effects.

(2)  I didn't say using the word "newcomer" was acceptable.  I said I've
done it. Usually I've used to the term "newcomer" when discussing
hospitaller issues. Consider that claim more of a mea culpa than an example
to follow.

(3)  Even if I agreed with labeling, I find "newbie" a less palatable term
than "newcomer" or "new player."

(4)  As for Caladin's posting on the sword wrapping, what function did his
statement "this is intended for newbies" (I'm sure that's a miss quote, but
it should be close enough) serve?  If he'd left off this claim, would a
different crowd of folks have gone to check out the information?

lo vostre por vos servir

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace
_____________________________
Dennis Grace
University of Texas at Austin
English Department
Recovering Medievalist
amazing at mail.utexas.edu

Micel yfel deth se unwritere.
                           AElfric of York

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