Science fiction

Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology upon society and persons as individuals. In common with most fiction, science fiction is written mainly to entertain people. The borders of this genre are not well defined, and the dividing lines between its sub-genres are often fluid. (In Strong Opinions, Vladimir Nabokov half-seriously argues that, if we were truly rigorous with our definitions, Shakespeare's play The Tempest would have to be termed science fiction.)

Related Topics:
Speculative fiction - Science - Technology - Society - Individuals - Vladimir Nabokov - Shakespeare - The Tempest

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Two competing abbreviations for "science fiction" are in common usage: "SF" (or "S.F.") is the term most commonly used by science fiction writers and serious fans. This is also the preferred usage in the U.K.. The euphonic "sci-fi", coined by Forrest J Ackerman in 1954, has grown tremendously in popularity and is today, by far, the more common term used in the popular press (although many a science fiction writer has been known to wince at its usage, in part because the referent "hi-fi" is no longer in current use). For many years hardcore sf fans scorned "sci fi", but now, thanks largely to the Sci Fi Channel, the battle is lost, and sci fi is the abbreviation most likely to be understood.

Related Topics:
U.K. - Forrest J Ackerman - 1954 - Hi-fi - Sci Fi Channel

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