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The Star Trek Encyclopedia lists two starships, the Constitution-class NCC-1895 and the Nebula-class NCC-71805.
But there are two spellings given for the names of these ships. In the entry for Constitution-class starships the NCC-1895 is spelled Endeavour. The entry for the Nebula-class vessel is under Endeavour, U.S.S., but in the entry's text itself a spelling of Endeavor is also given. This spelling (without the 'u') is also in the starship list of that book.
Now, as I'm sure you are all aware, the correct spelling of that word in American English is ENDEAVOR. The spelling of ENDEAVOUR is British. Now, of course, Captain Cook's flagship was British, so it was spelled with the 'u'. NASA's space shuttle was named for this ship, and so it carries the same spelling. So, the Nebula should definitely have the 'u' spelling, as it was named after these vessels.
However, the issue of the Constitution-class vessel has been a bit convoluted. Was it too named for those aforementioned vessels? Is it an earlier namesake of the Nebula? Is it supposed to have a 'u' spelling?
It would seem simple that it would, but there are some things which have been confusing:
D.C. Fontana, during the early stages of the original Star Trek TV show, came up with a list of possible starship names for the production staff to use as stories required them. On that list were several names after famous sailing and warships. One name was Endeavor. (As seen printed in Stephen Whitfield's The Making of Star Trek.) This could have been a reference to Cook's ship, and she merely misspelled it, or it could have been an independently generated name, given its similarity in meaning and cannotation to the word Enterprise.
The name never ended up being used in TOS, but when Franz Joseph compiled the first Star Fleet Technical Manual in the late 70's, (at the time, with Gene Roddenberry's stamp of approval, but now regarded as non-canon) he included all of the names from the D.C. Fontana list in his book, as they were spelled on the list. So his ship was called the U.S.S. Endeavor.
But the ship never entered the canon Star Trek universe until Okuda put it on an Okudagram display in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. He issued it a Constitution-class designation and a registry number of NCC-1895. And, many have assumed, would have given it a spelling of Endeavour.
But looking in Bjo Trimble's Star Trek Concordance, there is something odd. In that book is printed a copy of the list from STVI. (Which Okuda relayed to her.) And that list bears the name Endeavor. Again, she (or her editor) *could* have changed the name from its British spelling, thinking they were correcting a spelling error, or it could have been an error on the list Okuda gave to her.
So you can see why It's confusing. But the fact is, the only name that really matters is the one that was on the actual Okudagram in the film, because that's the name that was onscreen and is thus canon.
Well, I recently e-mailed Okuda and asked. The name on the original display used in the film was indeed ENDEAVOUR. So anyone (including Spikey), who still has this ship listed under the name without the 'u' should update your lists.
-MMoM
-------------------- The flaws we find most objectionable in others are often those we recognize in ourselves.
Registered: Jun 2001
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-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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quote:Originally posted by MinutiaeMan: Damn British...
Got a problem with us?
If anything we should have a problem with you for stealing our language and dictionary and changing the words! You're just lazy and don't like writing so many letters in a word!
If you want a war . . . . don't look here!
-------------------- If you cant convince them, confuse them.
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capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
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posted
We saved you ass in World War II
'..and we saved your asses in World War III!'
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Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
Oh no, they know too much! Quick Smithers, get the amnesia ray!
You mean the revolver?
Yes. And don't forget to use it on yourself once you're through.
-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
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