Another poll question - Alien Cameras!

[mary_j_59]

My sister and I are having a bit of a debate. She hates the word "holocam", which sounds, to her, too much like something from Star Trek I rather like it. At least it makes clear that it's a camera, and from the future. But what do you think? Should I change this word? If so, to what?
[Poll #1836699]

Comments

[deirdrej.livejournal.com]

Hi, Anne!

I fear that all my minor quibbles are making me sound unreasonable. Holocam is an OK word, as a word. I just don't think the novel has much in common with Star Trek, and the word sounds oddly
Star-Trekky or Star Wars-ish to me. But I think I do agree -- much as I would like some other word (like Ursula Leguin's "ansible"), I don't want to create problems of having to explain what it is. I was thinking that a generic word like "recorder" might work, too. Or, at some point, you talk about the "network." Maybe a word related to that.

Or maybe just "holocam," since everybody else likes it :-D

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

No, you don't sound unreasonable at all! A funny thing about SF - I think everyone uses "ansible" now, because everyone knows what it means and it's such a useful concept. Though I'm not sure the same is true of "holocam", I'm keeping it for now. There will be time to change the word in final edits, if that proves necessary.

Thanks, as always, for your input and encouragement. :)