Definition 2(b) is the relevant one in my personal dictionary. This is specifically a common Masonic usage. Obviously, the concept is a very important one in Masonry, an organization that really *does* have passwords and silly handshakes and such to distinguish members from non, and in that context, a "shibboleth" is well-understood to mean, essentially, an identifying mark.
I believe this is the original and oldest meaning -- the word is Hebrew, and this usage is derived from a biblical story, in which the word "shibboleth" is itself used as a password in a key battle. I'm pretty sure that all of the other usages derive directly or indirectly from that. The original Hebrew word has nothing to do with any of these meanings. Its relevance as a password was because of differences in pronunciation between tribes, so the warders could tell which tribe someone was from by listening to how they said the word.
As for the original point: when I was new to fandom, the distinction between "SF" and "scifi" was *very* much a shibboleth in the above sense. Serious con-goers always called it "SF", and tended to more or less sneer at "scifi" fans. However, time has worn the edges off the distinction, and I doubt that anyone under 30 is even particularly aware of it. Indeed, the term "scifi" has pretty much won -- it's far more commonly used than "SF" in all contexts I know of nowadays...
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Re: Definitions?
Date: 2004-09-27 09:21 pm (UTC)I believe this is the original and oldest meaning -- the word is Hebrew, and this usage is derived from a biblical story, in which the word "shibboleth" is itself used as a password in a key battle. I'm pretty sure that all of the other usages derive directly or indirectly from that. The original Hebrew word has nothing to do with any of these meanings. Its relevance as a password was because of differences in pronunciation between tribes, so the warders could tell which tribe someone was from by listening to how they said the word.
(Hmm. Surely someone describes the story online. Ah -- okay, here is a good brief account of the original story.)
As for the original point: when I was new to fandom, the distinction between "SF" and "scifi" was *very* much a shibboleth in the above sense. Serious con-goers always called it "SF", and tended to more or less sneer at "scifi" fans. However, time has worn the edges off the distinction, and I doubt that anyone under 30 is even particularly aware of it. Indeed, the term "scifi" has pretty much won -- it's far more commonly used than "SF" in all contexts I know of nowadays...