"Sargasso..." refers to humanoid male Arzunians not as men but as "..un-men..." (VII, p. 431), a term resonant in Anderson's works and elsewhere. See here.
Brief posts between other activities.
(The Arzunians have captured "...a small fast Comet-class scoutboat." (ibid.) Spaceship types are consistent throughout the Technic History.)
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Yes, but "Sargasso" was a very early story by Anderson, written before he had thought out, adopted, or coined better ways of referring to non-humans. I mean terms like "xenosophonts," "sophonts," or even just plain "aliens."
Ad astra! Sean
I think he was emphasizing that, although they looked like men, they were not.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree that too is a possibility, even if using "un-men" in this sense seems rather awkward and clunky to me.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: yes, because that in turn would depend on contingent, accidental factors.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Exactly!
Ad astra! Sean
Possibly unfortunate that Poul Anderson would use the term. In the January 1953 Astounding he published a novella titled UN-MAN where un-man referred to united nations man. I found it quite readable.
Kaor, Keith!
I agree "UN-man" did make sense in that context. Shorthand for "United Nations man."
Ad astra! Sean
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