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You Mean "Boffins" Isn't A Term Of Respect?

Posted by timothy on from the and-here-all-this-time-i-was-thinkin' dept.

Wolfcat writes "SCIENTISTS no longer want to be called boffins, saying the name conjures an image of weird men in lab coats. The president of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS), Chris Fell, today said 'boffin' also suggested scientists were not part of the real world." Look soon for a redacted version of The Register.

3 of 39 comments (clear)

  1. Crackers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I bet this'll be about as successful as the self-proclaimed "hackers" trying to rename the people that break into computers. Or those who insist that the word "piracy" can't possibly ever be a synonym for "copyright infringement".

  2. whatin'? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I've never heard the term "boffin". What the hell are they so upset about? I suggest 99.9% of people have never heard of that term used to describe a scientist.

    Besides, "boffin" sounds like "boffing" as in "screwing". And what scientist doesn't need to be at least a little more associated with sex?

    Oh - and nobody cars what scientists want to be called. People usually don't get to choose what they (or their profession) is referred to as. I mean, if hookers wanted to be known as "physical pleasure service engineers" people would still call them hookers, whores, prostitutes, callgirls, ladies of the night and so on. So what.

  3. Or they could apply the geek solution... by Doctor+Hu · · Score: 4, Insightful
    And reclaim the term as one of respect.

    Doctor Hu (one of several 'old farts' and 'dinosaurs' who are helping to keep our employer's head above water.)