posted
Recently, there was a brief discussion on the S.S. Conestoga and the origin or meaning of the word "Conestoga". I did some web surfing and happen to find this page.
As you can read, or chose not to read, Conestoga is the name of an old city in Pennsylvania. This city, founded by Mennonites, lend its name to a type of wagon. A wagon that would become famous and synmous with the western expansion of a century later.
Registered: Sep 1999
| IP: Logged
OnToMars
Now on to the making of films!
Member # 621
posted
Please, Jeff.
I hardly think that what they named a hundred year old ship seen only on a computer screen can be unqualifiedly assumed as any sort of tribute to Gene Roddenberry or TOS.
That's a hell of an assumption.
-------------------- If God didn't want us to fly, he wouldn't have given us Bernoulli's Principle.
Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged
posted
I'd point out, Jeff, that there isn't a shred of actual logic in your arguement.
Roddenberry called Trek "'Wagon Train' to the stars". Someone on ENT's staff came up w/ the name "SS Conestoga", a well-known type of covered wagon. Therefore, Berman and Braga were doing homage to TOS.
By the same "logic", we could, if we wanted to, say:
Brannon Braga is arrogant. An arrogant person can be called a "bragger". Therefore, Brannon Braga got his name because "Braga" almost sounds like "bragger".
It just doesn't work.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Well, I wasn't denying that. I was supporting the argument against your assertion that the Conestoga was named after Roddenberry's "Wagon Train" reference.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Jeff's argument is a perfectly valid example of inductive logic, seeking out the most likely reason for this name. And somehow I doubt that the writer was a wagon train fan who just happened to be working on a show named after a bunch of covered wagons...
Registered: Sep 2001
| IP: Logged
posted
Now what is that supposed to mean when it's at home?
Perhaps I just don't get the joke. Might be due to the fact that I am German - aren't we well known for our lack of a sense of humor?
-------------------- Lister: Don't give me the "Star Trek" crap! It's too early in the morning. - Red Dwarf "The Last Day"
Registered: Nov 1999
| IP: Logged
EdipisReks
Ex-Member
posted
conestoga isn't a particuraly obscure reference in the US. almost every school child in the US learns (or used to learn, school children here don't know anything anymore, unfortunately) of the great conestoga wagons that crossed the US.
Topic Closed
Printer-friendly view of this topic
