Friday Fluff: Once and for all, Name Yourselves!
2007 November 2
 |
Update: I’ve made the executive decision that we’ve narrowed it down to two choices: Shapelings and Proselytes. Go vote for one of those here.
All right, Shapelies/Shapelers/Prosies/Shapelings/Other, it’s time to decide for real which name we’re going with.
I made a poll and everything. WordPress won’t let me actually post it here, which sucks, but still, there’s a poll, and you should take it.
Then come back here and discuss. We’re gonna settle this thing today.
I’m definitely a “Shapelers” partisan. I know it sounds like “staplers,” but I also think it sounds like a type of creature in a fantasy novel. But not in a twee way. Also it reads fairly gender-neutral.
Yeah, I’m not as into “Shapelers,” possibly for the same reason you like it, though I will totally defer to the wisdom of the crowd here.
I just voted, but I’m not even sure if what I chose is actually my favorite. Can’t wait to see how this ends up.
I had to go with “Shapelings”, just because it sounds like there might be a significant amount of evil capering involved.
What? It’s a hobby!
Ooh! I can get behind evil capering!
I know I haven’t been around all that long, but I went with Shapelings as well, for a similar reason as Baconsmom.
It sounds vaguely like “underlings,” and… well… I don’t mind being an underling for a good cause!
I like Shapelings, it makes me feel devious. Hehehe…
*grins* I like Shapelings too, because it sounds like changelings! The connotations of which I love.
Heh. I’m a bit soft, I think. I like “Prosies” because it sounds very sweet…but there’s a couple of thorns there. At least in my case.
“Shapelings” has a ring to it, I’ll admit, but there’s something awfully tempting about being called a “Shapely.” It’s got that whole self-esteem-boost thing going on.
I know I’m late to this, but, given we are spreading the word and all, what about about Proselytes?
Um…Shapesters?
Prosettes anybody?
OK. I’ll go back to work now.
Tori — I like Shapelings for the same reason!
I also like Prosettes and Shapelies, but if we want to go all gender-neutral, I’d put in a plug for Members of the Proseletariat (MPs, for short) … though I guess it doesn’t quite have the same ring.
Oh wow. Proselytes. Wow.
I like Shapesters, but that wasn’t on the list.
Ooh, Shapesters is good too. Where were you guys when we were generating ideas??
i voted for shapelings. it has a star trek ring to it, and thems is some passionate fans, yo.
I voted for Shapelings, but then thought Shapelies, but I’m a lemming so I’ll answer to anything.
I voted for Shapelings but Shapesters is great too!
I voted “Shapelings”. It has a nice ring of otherworldly awesomeness to it. Because we’re so kick-ass, our kick-assery cannot be confined merely to Planet Earth.
This may be kind of long and contorted, but how about Proselytizers? By definition, to proselytize is to convert or attempt to convert one to a specific ideology – isn’t that the goal of the blog?
I just saw Fillyjonk’s comment of Proselyte. Proselytes might be easier on the typing fingers than Proselytizers.
That’s all buffpuff, Rachel, she’s the genius here. So are you, since great minds think alike.
“Proselytes” is beautiful but I am concerned it has too much of the possible connotation of “proselytizing,” e.g. uncritical followers going out and pounding people on the head with dogma.
I don’t have as categorical a problem with “proselytes” as that abrupt sentence made it sound, now that I read my comment back. :P It really is a great moniker.
It’s definitely meant to evoke “proselytizing,” but as a satire on people like yesterday’s troll who think we’re just blindly accepting everything Kate says.
Yeah, I just wonder if it’s obvious enough a satire. I can just see people bitching now: “They’re such a hivemind! They even call themselves ‘proselytizers’! They believe everything Kate says!”
Not that it probably matters. Sweating trolls’ opinion is not a great way to live, after all…
hm. Proselytes. I dig that one too.
spacedcowgirl I did sort of mean it in the going forth-and-spreading-the-word kinda way, (though I do like a nice play on words).
After all, some folks Come To Kate firmly convinced there is no other way to view their fat besides, “Ugly! Unhealthy! Failure!” Are we not here, bruthahs and sistahs, to set them free from bondage and launch them on the road to self-love? well. y’know, amongs other things.
I like changelings (being into science fiction/fantasy/mythology) and we are changelings (from fat-hating to fat-accepting and/or loving). Although…..proselytizers is good too.
personally i loved shapeletarian. but shapelings or proselytizers are also neat sugestions!
I think that “Pounding people on the head with dogma since 2007″ should be in the running for a tag line.
And I’m torn between Proselytes and Shapelings.
Hmm. I like the proselyt… concept, but I see problems with both versions. A proselyte is specifically a new convert — which many of the readers here are, but there are plenty of folks who were into fat acceptance before I was even fat. (Granted, I seem to be driving those people away these days, but there are still some around.)
But then, proselytizer — which would be more inclusive of the old crew — is A) more likely to go unrecognized as satire and B) too long.
The more I think about it, the more I kinda really like proselytes. Hmmm. Damn you, buffpuff!
All right, unless one of the other options on the poll starts getting a ton of votes, there’s going to be a new one that’s a run-off between Shapelings and Proselytes.
That is awesome. I am so used to hearing the negative connotation of “proselytize” that I forget that the word itself is value neutral and could very well mean that you are going forth to spread just about anything. In this case love and positivity. I love that idea.
(I mean, not that people who are going forth to spread the word of God or whatever don’t also feel that they are doing something good, but often the objects of…um, proselytization… really don’t see it that way.)
I like “shapelings” because it is a more diverse term. “shapelies” somewhat implies that we are all shapely people, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that there are skinny people who read the board too. shapelings doesn’t have that implication as much.
“shapelies” somewhat implies that we are all shapely people, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that there are skinny people who read the board too
Not to mention lumpy fatties like me!
I also think “shapelies” is pretty femme.
“shapelies” somewhat implies that we are all shapely people, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that there are skinny people who read the board too
Hey, I have a shape! Skeletal is totally a shape! :P
Though I still gotta go with “shapelings,” because of the Star-Trek-ish sounding-ness. And I’m a geek like that.
I just realized why I thought “Shapelers” also sounded sci-fi/fantasy-ish. Because of popplers, the irresistible (and sentient) snack on Futurama.
So yeah, I’m a geek too.
Following what thewellofemoness and fillyjonk said:
While I’m not “shapely” per se (although I do, indeed, have a shape), I read the board every day, I just haven’t commented much yet. I went with prosies because I thought it was an adorable play on words, but that was before I saw “proselytes” and “proseletariats.” Those are pure, unadulterated genius.
Interesting. I went with Shapelings, which made me think only of earthlings, whereas others saw underlings and changelings. And wasn’t there a roly-poly Panda named Ling Ling?
Though I love the play on words with proselytes, the different pronunciation bugs me disproportionately. Prose rhymes with rose, but pros- rhymes with sauce (sorta).
I am so torn between shaplings and proselytes. Personally, I’ll be happy either way.
IF anyone didn’t see this awesome daily show segment about the cupcake ban in New York:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=127672&title=cupcakes
It cracked me up. MeMe Roth compares cupcakes to anti-freeze!
Wait, Cacie, my Cacie? You’re only like one of the shapeliest people I know.
I refuse to let “shapely” require people to be plus-sized. It’s such a good word and that’s not what it means! I like it for the blog because of the double meaning — shape-related, and Kate is also shapely. But I don’t want to lose it into the hinterlands of euphemism.
Though I love the play on words with proselytes, the different pronunciation bugs me disproportionately.
I have that issue, too, but figured it was just me.
Instead, it’s just genetic.
I refuse to let “shapely” require people to be plus-sized.
Absotootly.
Though I love the play on words with proselytes, the different pronunciation bugs me disproportionately.
But then they’d be words differentiated by their pronunciation, and T-rex would invite them over for Yukon potato gnocchi. We can’t lose!
“Accent” has two different pronunciations?
It can, yeah. Like “this really accents your decor.”
mmm…’tato gnocchi…oh boy. I’m hungry.
And now I have no clue what we should be called. Folks have such wonderful ideas!
You know, I have never in my life had gnocchi.
Shapelings! Shapelings! That sounds like “changeling” and it’s somehow mysterious and even ominous. The other one I had trouble pronouncing, and I see I’m not the only one.
It’s also nice as a word that can mean people of any size and, yes, shape. You don’t have to be considered fat to own the name.
Then what’s the other pronunciation? Or am I supposed to pronounce it differently in that sense than when I say “She has an accent”? Because I totally don’t.
Alas, I fear I must refrain from voting since I made one of the suggestions and think shapelings is cute.
Fillyjonk, gnocchi is an absolute must! Dress it up, dress it down, it’s comfort food of the finest kind.
I don’t know to pronounce, Proselytes.
Does that mean I can’t be on this site?! :)
Marle, you can pronounce it with the stress on the second syllable is what I’m saying. You don’t have to, but try it in that sentence and I think you’ll find it doesn’t sound weird. Both are in the dictionary.
I’m trying to come up with other examples but they’re all food examples and I’m not a foodie so I’d probably muck it up.
Yeah, I say it the same way for both, too, and I do think “ac-CENTs your decor” sounds weird. So you’re not alone, Marle.
!! How did I miss this?! It’s ingenious!
It sounds a little pretentious but not incorrect. I don’t know anyone who actually talks that way in real life, mind you. But the sucker’s in the dictionary.
proseletariat
!! How did I miss this?! It’s ingenious!
Holy crap, I missed it too! Sheer brilliance! Oh man, I like it better than Proselytes or Shapelings.
Mmmmm gnocchi — and we’re getting Italian takeout tonight — I know what I’m having for dinner! (add Homer drool here).
I thought of 4 ways (maybe 5) to pronounce “proselytes”:
- prose – lites
- pross – el – ites
then there’s
- pro – sell – ites
or (really far out)
- pro – sel – eye – tees (or pros – el – eye -tees)
I don’t necessarily see this as a problem, though. As long as someone decides which is “right” we all just go along with it. After all, one can argue that boo-kay is the correct pronunciation of Bucket …
Yeah, I like proseletariat best too now! Sorry I didn’t notice it before, Jmars! I was missing the sort of cute non-standard plural of “commentariat” with all the other alternatives and somehow I didn’t see this one when it was first suggested. I love it.
Cheers, scg and fj … but now, I don’t know. What would individuals be called: proseletarians? Sounds like some kind of weird religion. Hmmm, I have visions of a group dressed in strange, tent-like polyester garb participating in some strange ritual involving … could it be … food? And they’re … no, no, the horror … EATING it. AAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH
Sorry, got carried away there. And now, it’s time to go home and get that gnocchi.
I just realized why I thought “Shapelers” also sounded sci-fi/fantasy-ish. Because of popplers, the irresistible (and sentient) snack on Futurama.
Popplers. Eating them. Is it right to?
Proselytes sounds either like a nutrient replacement product or a painful medical condition.
Shapelings, well, I can be a shapeling. Sort of like I’m an earthling. I think.
Popplers. Eating them. Is it right to?
Don’t eat them with barbecue sauce! Don’t eat them with honey mustard sauce!
Totally shapelings. I love it.
But then I’m rather fond of “-ling” endings in general.
(ex.kiddlings) They make me smile. :)
Of the two choices, I like Shapelings best. But I love to think of myself as one of the proseletariat. So proselytes, if pronounced “- pross – el – ites.”
Proselytes sounds either like a nutrient replacement product or a painful medical condition.
Ha!
“I’ve had the runs for three days now, so my doctor told me to drink 2 liters of Proselytes.”
I vote(d) for Shapelings.
Good point, wellroundedtype2 — proseletariat could be the collective noun of proselytes. (Actually I suppose it could be the collective noun of anything. It’s too good to let go.)
proseletariat could be the collective noun of proselytes.
But that would make it prossel-etariat instead of prose-letariat, which hurts my feelings.
You just lack T-rex’s appreciation for words that are pronounced differently in different contexts!
You just lack T-rex’s appreciation for words that are pronounced differently in different contexts!
Bite your tongue! I love every word T-Rex mentioned other than accent, because there is only one way to pronounce that! Dictionary be damned!
There’s also only one way to pronounce proselyte, and only one way to pronounce pro[se]letariat. You see my problem.
Or you should, anyway. SisterJ, back me up here!
Yeah, but lots of nouns change when they go to verb or adjective or collective noun form. I mean, do you have a problem with “child” having a different vowel sound than “children”?
I mean, do you have a problem with “child” having a different vowel sound than “children”?
Well, I DO NOW.
Okay, no.
No matter anyway, because so far, “Shapelings” is firmly in the lead.
Which means, I think, that “Shapeling/s” shall be the plain old noun, and “Proseletariat” the collective noun.
Examples:
“Shapeling Buffpuff sent me this…”
“Wherever two or three Shapelings are gathered in my name, I am present.”
“What do you think, Proseletariat?”
I think it works.
I love the notion of shaping our opinions, our attitudes, our arguments or choices – not just fixating on our shapes. That is clearly what commenting is for me and it is what I gain from the other comments from the other . . . shapelings.
Proselytes – that other form, proselytize, is too easily aligned with the christianist, the talibangelicals.
And, trolls are just shapeshifters . . . like ringwraithes
Totally off topic here, but…
You know what I love so much about this group?
The way we can go from such a serious discussion (i.e. the fat gives you cancer bullshit) to such a silly discussion. I can go from being righteously indignant to laughing my ass off in a matter of seconds.
Ringwraithes, indeed. ;)
“Wherever two or three Shapelings are gathered in my name, I am present.”
Spooky. But also true.
Dudes. How about:
Individually, “Shapelings”.
Collectively, “Shapeletariat”.
“Wherever two or three Shapelings are gathered in my name, I am present.”
ahahahahahhaa
Shapeletariat is pretty great too, I must say. It lacks the assonance with “proletariat,” but it’s not at all bad.
Here we come
The proseletariat
From every corner
of the internet
Hey hey we’re the Shapelings
People say we’re growing big
We’re too busy snarking
To give a flying fig
(your verse here)
I like Shapely. It makes me feel hot. Whereas Shapeling just makes me feel like an alien.
But hey, I’m here to whore today. Roberta (whom y’all know) and I started a new blog, and I know there are Mad Men fans here, so: Basket of Kisses.
Okay, fine, I wrote the URL wrong GRRRRR
Here we go: Basket of Kisses
I still like commentariat.
Kate, I am so with you on the “one way to pronounce proselyte” and if people were saying “prose light” in their heads, I would hear it and it would wound me.
But for some irrational reason, I am OK with “prose – letariat” if we choose to say it with a long o. I suppose it seems like the one is “wrong,” while the other is “wink-wink.”
Fillyjonk, I’m solidly in Kate’s camp on the accent debate. (Ac-CENT-u-ate the positive is not the same). When I write my dictionary, there will only be ACcent. But thank you for introducing me to T-Rex. How does one get on his guest list for these word parties???
Glad it’s all settled, but had to provide my final input :)
But for some irrational reason, I am OK with “prose – letariat” if we choose to say it with a long o. I suppose it seems like the one is “wrong,” while the other is “wink-wink.”
Naw, it’s actually that prose-letariat becomes right again by playing on proletariat instead of proselyte. My problem was with using “prossel” in one context and “prose” in another. Fortunately, I think we’re going with Shapeletariat, which solves that problem.
Thanks for the back-up, though. I knew I could count on you.
But… but… it can’t be “shapeling” singular and “proseletariat”-with-a-long-o plural? All these words are made up anyway, so can’t we just pretend that the plural of shapeling is something that has no relation to it? Just because I like it best? :)