The origin of the term "fodorite"
 

I'm wondering what forum oldsters remember about the origin of this term. I have my own belief -- but the search function doesn't "prove" it so ... anyway -- the earliest thread using it that I can find is this one from 1999:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...rague+fodorite

This is of particular interest to me as Fodors themselves picked up the term around the time of the infamous pins.

I lost the reference and google's system has let it sink out of sight, but the first "fodorites" were followers of some obscure Hungarian [I think?]political economist/philosopher -- whose first name eludes me ...

Jerry Fodors is a philosophy professor at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, a city with a history of extensive Hungarian immigration. Maybe his students call themselves "Fodorites"? Don't know about a Hungarian philosopher by that name.

Fodor is a Hungarian name. As you probably know, since you speak some Hungarian (but I don't), it's also a word in Hungarian.

fodor = (noun) frill, ruffle, flounce
fodorit = (verb) to curl up, quill or ruffle

In English, "-ite" is a suffix indicating someone who's a resident of someplace, e.g., Harlemite, or a follower of some person's beliefs, e.g., Trotskyite. (But I think everyone already knew that, so maybe I don't understand the question.)

The Rutgers professor does not spell his last name with an "s"

Neither did Eugene Fodor. The Fodor's publications are named after the possessive form of his name ("Fodor's" rather than "Eugene's"). I don't think Internet urls can use apostrophes.

http://www.fodors.com/about/us/ftp_about_roots.cfm

Wonder why we're not called "Fodorians"?

Actually Fowler asked a vague question again :(

I am interested in the first appearance of the term "fodorite" on the forum as people remember -- Betsy -- the answer lies in who coined the phrase here, which I think I know, but I'm just curious about people's memories.

cmt -- I have heard tell to that philosopher -- in fact I suffered through a lecture by him when I was a grad student in Philaxdelphia ... but I digress ;)

Wouldn't "fodorist" be more appropriate?

Or maybe "fodorian"?

Could this thread be considered "fodoristic"?

"fodoranian"?

With the recent thread about taking the site back, maybe it should be "fodoristas".

Jim

And the pin some of us got way back would be "fodoriana" -- I see a whole vocabulary cottage industry starting up here:)

Let me come out of the shadows -- the reason I was asking for what people remembered is that MY memory [shabby as it is these days:(] is that I was the one who coined the word "fodorite" in reference to the website I started way back in '99 I THINK. I was just being cute -- and lo and behold that's what we are -- "fodorites"

The first picture I posted of a GTG was of the one in Paris on May 16, 1999. The 2nd counter for the website began on 3 June 1999 [I can't remember when I started the first one, but there was a previous counter.], BUT I think some of the rest of the website goes back further....

Before people come crashing down on me as to motive -- I was just wondering what other's memories were here ... although small unmarked bills ...

JJBhoy -- good one :D

And that would make NYFS our "fashionista fodorista: :D

Singletail, you're absolutely right. I didn't realize that my fingers had typed an "s" (against my will!), and I thought you were saying that his name was not the same as the Fodor for whom Fodor's was named.

Well sf,

I have no objections to your being granted the honor of having created the term "fodorite".

Nor I !

I searched "Fodorite" in the Europe section finding 995 threads. The bottom of the pile is question about Hotels in Prague. Helena used "Fodorite" in her reply on 01/06/99. There could be earlier usages out there but finding them would be too much like work.

Ira and Bob, yes, let's let Sfowler be the "mother" of our "fodorite" origins. ;-)

sfowler,

As a fairly new Fodorite (only since last October)I'd love to visit your website. Can you post the address?

Thanks,

Jim

For the record, why should anyone care if someone else cares?

Sometimes I thing "Fodorgentsia" (derivative of "intelligentsia") would have been a more fitting nickname.

Other times, I'm sure "Fodoroid" (from Mongoloid idiot) would have been a better choice.

Since "Fodorite" is long-established, I guess we can live with that.

GIRLS!!! :D

I do know for sure the following:
1. It was coined on this forum
2. And fodors appropriated it during the pin eerrrrm ... distribution.

What I was looking for were useful posts on the topics from people who might remember.

What does this have to do with travel?? Well it's the term used to designate a certain kind of GTG and this TRAVEL forum has a history which includes the use of the term. Any more questions?? No? Good.

Now let's get back to being "fodorites", who spend their time "fodoring" or admiring their "fodoriana" -- or being "fodoristas" [I wonder if that relates in any way to the Starbucks "baristas"?]

KS452 -- excellent contributions!!!

What I DO want are definitions for each of these variants -- there WILL be a quiz ;) Or I could mail my Fodors pin to the best one?

The page referred to is at: http://fodorite.fisherfowler.net/