A fandom is a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of empathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the objects of their fandom and spend a significant portion of their time and energy involved with their interest, often as a part of a social network with particular practices, differentiating fandom-affiliated people from those with only a casual interest.
A fandom can grow around any area of human interest or activity. The subject of fan interest can be narrowly defined, focused on something like an individual celebrity, or encompassing entire hobbies, genres or fashions. While it is now used to apply to groups of people fascinated with any subject, the term has its roots in those with an enthusiastic appreciation for sports. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary traces the usage of the term back as far as 1903.[1]
Many fandoms overlap. There are a number of large conventions that cater to fandom such as film, comics, anime, television shows, cosplay, and the opportunity to buy and sell related merchandise. Annual conventions such as Comic Con International, Wondercon, Dragon Con, and New York Comic Con are some of the more well-known and highly attended events that cater to overlapping fandoms.
Organized subculture
Fans of the literary detective Sherlock Holmes are widely considered to have comprised the first modern fandom,[2] holding public demonstrations of mourning after Holmes was «killed off» in 1893, and creating some of the first fan fiction as early as about 1897 to 1902.[2][3] Outside the scope of media, railway enthusiasts are another early fandom with its roots in the late 19th century that began to gain in popularity and increasingly organize in the first decades of the early 20th century.[4][5]
A wide variety of modern organized Western fan subcultures originated with science fiction fandom, the community of fans of the science fiction and fantasy genres. Science fiction fandom dates back to the 1930s and maintains organized clubs and associations in many cities around the world. Fans have held the annual World Science Fiction Convention since 1939, along with many other events each year, and has created its own jargon, sometimes called «fanspeak».[6] In addition, the Society for Creative Anachronism, a medievalist re-creation group, has its roots in science fiction fandom and was founded by members thereof.[7] Many science fiction and fantasy authors such as Marion Zimmer Bradley,[8] Poul Anderson,[9] Randall Garrett,[9] David D. Friedman,[10] and Robert Asprin[11] have been members of the organization.
Media fandom split from science fiction fandom in the early 1970s with a focus on relationships between characters within TV and movie media franchises, such as Star Trek and The Man from U.N.C.L.E..[12] Fans of these franchises generated creative products like fan art and fan fiction at a time when typical science fiction fandom was focused on critical discussions. The MediaWest convention provided a video room and was instrumental in the emergence of fan vids, or analytic music videos based on a source, in the late 1970s.[13] By the mid-1970s, it was possible to meet fans at science fiction conventions who did not read science fiction, but only viewed it on film or TV.
Anime and manga fandom began in the 1970s in Japan. In America, the fandom also began as an offshoot of science fiction fandom, with fans bringing imported copies of Japanese manga to conventions.[14] Before anime began to be licensed in the U.S., fans who wanted to get a hold of anime would leak copies of anime movies and subtitle them to exchange with friends in the community, thus marking the start of fansubs.
While the science fiction and anime fandoms grew in media, the Grateful Dead subculture that emerged in the late 1960s to the early 1970s created a global fandom around hippie culture that would have lasting impacts on society and technology.[15]
The furry fandom refers to the fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. The concept of the furry originated at a science fiction convention in 1980,[16] when a drawing of a character from Steve Gallacci’s Albedo Anthropomorphics initiated a discussion of anthropomorphic characters in science fiction novels, which in turn initiated a discussion group that met at science fiction and comics conventions.
Additional subjects with significant fandoms include comics, animated cartoons, video games, sports, music, films, television shows, pulp magazines,[17] soap operas,[18] celebrities, and game shows.[19]
Fan activities
Fan art for the Sherlock TV series on an English telephone booth
Members of a fandom associate with one another, often attending fan conventions and publishing and exchanging fanzines and newsletters. Amateur press associations are another form of fan publication and networking. Originally using print-based media, these subcultures have migrated much of their communications and interaction onto the Internet, which is also used for the purpose of archiving detailed information pertinent to their given fanbase. Often, fans congregate on forums and discussion boards to share their love for and criticism of a specific work. This congregation can lead to a high level of organization and community within the fandom, as well as infighting. Although there is some level of hierarchy among most of the discussion boards, and certain contributors may be valued more highly than others, newcomers are most often welcomed into the fold. Most importantly, these sorts of discussion boards can have an effect on the media itself, as was the case in the television show Glee.[20] Trends on discussion boards have been known to influence the writers and producers of shows. The media fandom for the TV series Firefly was able to generate enough corporate interest to create a movie after the series was canceled.[21]
Some fans write fan fiction («fanfic»), stories based on the universe and characters of their chosen fandom. This fiction can take the form of video-making as well as writing.[22] Fan fiction may or may not tie in with the story’s canon; sometimes fans use the story’s characters in different situations that do not relate to the plot line at all.
Especially at events, fans may also partake in cosplay, the creation and wearing of costumes designed in the likeness of characters from a source work, which can also be combined with role-playing, reenacting scenes, or inventing likely behavior inspired by their chosen sources.[23]
Others create fan vids, or analytical music videos focusing on the source fandom, and yet others create fan art. Such activities are sometimes known as «fan labor» or «fanac» (an abbreviation for «fan activity»). The advent of the Internet has significantly facilitated fan association and activities. Activities that have been aided by the Internet include the creation of fan «shrines» dedicated to favorite characters, computer screen wallpapers, and avatars. The rise of the Internet has furthermore resulted in the creation of online fan networks who help facilitate the exchange of fanworks.[24]
Some fans create pictures known as edits, which consist of pictures or photos with their chosen fandom characters in different scenarios. These edits are often shared on social media networks such as Instagram, Tumblr, or Pinterest.[25] In edits, one may see content relating to several different fandoms. Fans in communities online often make gifs or gif sets about their fandoms. Gifs or gif sets can be used to create non-canon scenarios mixing actual content or adding in related content. Gif sets can also capture minute expressions or moments.[26] Fans use gifs to show how they feel about characters or events in their fandom; these are called reaction gifs.[27]
The Temple of the Jedi Order, or Jediism, a self-proclaimed «real living, breathing religion,» views itself as separate from the Jedi as portrayed in the Star Wars franchise.[28] Despite this, sociologists view the conflation of religion and fandom in Jediism as legitimate in some sense, classifying both as participatory phenomena.[29]
There are also active fan organizations that participate in philanthropy and create a positive social impact. For example, the Harry Potter Alliance is a civic organization with a strong online component which runs campaigns around human rights issues, often in partnership with other advocacy and nonprofit groups; its membership skews college age and above. Nerdfighters, another fandom formed around Vlogbrothers, a YouTube vlog channel, are mainly high school students united by a common goal of «decreasing world suck».[30] K-pop fans have been involved in various online fan activism campaigns related to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and the Black Lives Matter movement.[31][32]
In film
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2021)
Notable feature-length documentaries about fandom include Trekkies[33] and A Brony Tale.[34] Slash is a movie released in 2016 about a young boy who writes slash fanfiction.[35] The SiriusXM-produced audio documentary Comic-Con Begins was launched as a six-part series starting June 22, 2021. It presents the history of both the San Diego Comic-Con and the modern fandom scene it helped to spawn, as told by nearly 50 surviving foundational SDCC members, fandom experts, and special guests such as: Kevin Smith, Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, Felicia Day, Trina Robbins, Maggie Thompson, the Russo brothers, and Bruce Campbell. Cosplay pioneer, scream queen, and foundational SDCC member Brinke Stevens hosts the series.[36] Comic-Con Begins was expanded into the book See You at San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek Culture by creator Mathew Klickstein and published by Fantagraphics on September 6, 2022.[37] The book includes forewords by cartoonists Stan Sakai and Jeff Smith, and an afterword by Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA.
In books
Fangirl is a novel written by Rainbow Rowell about a college student who is a fan of a book series called Simon Snow, which is written by a fictional author named Gemma T. Leslie. On October 6, 2015 Rainbow Rowell published a follow-up novel to Fangirl. Carry On is stand-alone novel set in the fictional world that Cath, the main character of Fangirl writes fanfiction in.[38]
Relationship with the media industry
An example of the furry fandom, a cartoon of an «anthro vixen»
The film and television entertainment industry refers to the totality of fans devoted to a particular area of interest, organized or not, as the «fanbase».
Media fans, have, on occasion, organized on behalf of canceled television series, with notable success in cases such as Star Trek in 1968, Cagney & Lacey in 1983, Xena: Warrior Princess, in 1995, Roswell in 2000 and 2001 (was canceled with finality at the end of the 2002 season), Farscape in 2002, Firefly in 2002, and Jericho in 2007. (In the case of Firefly the result was the movie Serenity, not another season.) It was likewise the fans who facilitated the push to create a Veronica Mars film through a Kickstarter campaign.[39] Fans of the show Chuck launched a campaign to save the show from being canceled using a Twitter hashtag and buying products from sponsors of the show.[40] Fans of Arrested Development fought for the character Steve Holt to be included in the fourth season. The Save Steve Holt! campaign included a Twitter and Facebook account, a hashtag, and a website.[41]
Such outcries, even when unsuccessful, suggest a growing self-awareness on the part of entertainment consumers, who appear increasingly likely to attempt to assert their power as a bloc.[42] Fan activism in support of the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike through Fans4Writers appears to be an extension of this trend.
In science fiction, a large number of practitioners and other professionals in the field, not only writers but editors and publishers as well, traditionally have themselves come from and participate in science fiction fandom, from Ray Bradbury and Harlan Ellison to Patrick Nielsen Hayden and Toni Weisskopf. Ed Brubaker was a fan of the Captain America comics as a kid and was so upset that Bucky Barnes was killed off that he worked on ways to bring him back. The Winter Soldier arc began in 2004, and in the sixth issue in 2005 it was revealed that the Winter Soldier was Bucky Barnes.[43] Many authors write fan fiction under pseudonyms. Lev Grossman has written stories in the Harry Potter, Adventure Time, and How to Train Your Dragon universes. S.E. Hinton has written about both Supernatural and her own books, The Outsiders.[44] Movie actors often cosplay as other characters to enjoy being a regular fan at cons; for example, Daniel Radcliffe cosplayed as Spider-Man at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con.[45] Before the release of The Amazing Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield dressed up as Spider-Man and gave an emotional speech about what Spider-Man meant to him and thanking fans for their support.[46]
The relationship between fans and professionals has changed because of access to social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. These give fans greater access to public figures such as creators, authors, and actors. Online platforms also give fans more ways to connect and participate in fandoms.[47]
Some fans have made their work in fandom into careers. The book Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James was originally a fan fiction of the Twilight series published on FanFiction.Net. The story was taken down for mature content that violated the site’s terms of service. James rewrote the story to take out any references to Twilight and self-published on The Writer’s Coffee Shop in May 2011. The book was published by Random House in 2012 and was very popular, selling over 100 million copies.[48] However, many fans were not happy about James using fan fiction to make money and felt it was not in the spirit of the community.[49]
There is contention over fans not being paid for their time or work. Gaming companies use fans to alpha and beta test their games in exchange for early access or promotional merchandise.[50] The TV show Glee used fans to create promotional materials, though they did not compensate them.[51]
The entertainment industry has promoted its work directly to members of the fandom community by sponsoring and presenting at events and conventions dedicated to fandom.[52] Studios frequently create elaborate exhibits,[53] organize panels that feature celebrities and writers of film and television (to promote both existing work and works yet to be released), and engage fans directly with providing Q&A sessions, screening sneak previews, and supplying branded giveaway merchandise. The interest, reception, and reaction of the fandom community to the works being promoted have a marked influence on how film studios and others proceed with the projects and products they exhibit and promote.[54]
Fandom and technology
The rise of the Internet created new and powerful outlets for fandom. This began with early engineers trading Grateful Dead set lists and discussing the setup of the band’s concert speaker system, called the «Wall of Sound,» on ARPANET, a precursor to the Internet.[55] This led to tape trading over FTP, and the Internet Archive began to add Grateful Dead shows in 1995.[55] Online tape trading communities such as etree evolved into P2P networks trading shows through torrents. After the birth of the World Wide Web, many communities adopted the practices of Deadhead fandom online.
See also
- Akiba-kei
- Anorak (slang)
- Anti-fan
- Fan activism
- Fan club
- Fan film
- Fan studies
- Geek
- List of fandom nicknames
- Otaku
- Stan Twitter
- Sasaeng
Fandoms by medium
- Anime and manga fandom and Anime#Fan response
- Furry fandom
- K-pop fans
- Vidding fandom
List of notable fandoms
- A Song of Ice and Fire fandom (fans of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire including A Game of Thrones)
- Beatlemaniacs (fans of the Beatles)
- Bondians (James Bond)
- Bronies (fans of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic)
- Browncoats (fans of Firefly)
- Directioners (fans of One Direction)
- Fandom culture in South Korea (fans of Korean pop idols and anime)
- Janeites (fans of Jane Austen)
- Juggalos (fans of Insane Clown Posse)
- Larries (shipping fans of Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson)
- Madonna wannabes (part of Madonna’s fandom)
- Marvel fandom
- MSTies (fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000)
- Parrotheads (fans of Jimmy Buffett)
- Potterheads (fans of Harry Potter)
- Sherlockians (fans of Sherlock Holmes)
- SRKians (fans of Shah Rukh Khan)
- Stargate fandom
- Star Wars fandom
- Tifosi (fans of Italian sports teams or motor vehicles)
- Tolkien fandom (also known as Tolkienites, or, if only fans of The Lord of the Rings, Ringers)
- Trekkies (fans of Star Trek)
- Ultras, fanatic sports supporters
- Whovians (fans of Doctor Who)
References
- ^ «Fandom — Definition of fandom by Merriam-Webster». merriam-webster.com.
- ^ a b Brown, Scott (2009-04-20). «Scott Brown on Sherlock Holmes, Obsessed Nerds, and Fan Fiction». Wired. Condé Nast. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
Sherlockians called them parodies and pastiches (they still do), and the initial ones appeared within 10 years of the first Holmes 1887 novella, A Study in Scarlet.
- ^ The fanlore.org editors (2015-02-06). «Sherlock Holmes». Fanlore wiki. Fanlore. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
The earliest recorded examples of this fannish activity are from 1902…
- ^ «About Us | National Railway Historical Society». Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ «Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc — History». www.rlhs.org. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ «Dr. Gafia’s Fan Terms». fanac.org.
- ^ «The History of the Kingdom of The West: Pre-History». 2007-06-09. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ «The Priestess of Avalon – Welcome to Avalon!». avalonbooks.net. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ a b Clute, John (1997). «Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997) Society for Creative Anachronism». sf-encyclopedia.uk. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ Friedman, David. «On Restructuring the SCA». www.daviddfriedman.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ «Home — Great Dark Horde — Horde Space». www.hordespace.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ Coppa, Francesca (2006). «A Brief History of Media Fandom». In Hellekson, Karen; Busse, Kristina (eds.). Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp. 41–59. ISBN 978-0-7864-2640-9.
- ^ Walker, Jesse (August–September 2008). «Remixing Television: Francesca Coppa on the vidding underground». Reason Online. Archived from the original on 2 September 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- ^ Bennett, Jason H. «A Preliminary History of American Anime Fandom» (PDF). University of Texas at Arlington. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
- ^ Ben Grubb (2016-02-14). «The Deadhead Subculture». Grinell College. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ Patten, Fred (2012-07-15). «Retrospective: An Illustrated Chronology of Furry Fandom, 1966–1996». Flayrah. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ^ Cook, Michael L. (1983). Mystery fanfare: a composite annotated index to mystery and related fanzines 1963–1981. Popular Press, (p. 24-5) ISBN 0-87972-230-4
- ^ Kristian Alfonso, Alison Sweeney and More Shocking Soap Opera Exits|msn.com
- ^ ««Gaming’s Fringe Cults»|The Escapist». Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
- ^ Laskari, Isabelle. «Glee Producer and Writer Discuss the Show’s Fandom». Hypable. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ Miller, Gerri (28 September 2005). «Inside Serenity». How Stuff Works. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ Jenkins, Henry. «Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars?: Digital Cinema, Media Convergence, and Participatory Culture». web.mit.edu
- ^ Thorn, Matthew (2004) Girls And Women Getting Out Of Hand: The Pleasure And Politics Of Japan’s Amateur Comics Community Archived 2016-12-14 at the Wayback Machine in Fanning the Flames: Fans and Consumer Culture in Contemporary Japan William W. Kelly, ed., State University of New York Press
- ^ Stanfill, Mel and Megan Condis (2014). «Fandom and/as Labor», Transformative Works and Cultures, no.15
- ^ «fandom edits on Tumblr». tumblr.com.
- ^ Cain, Bailey Knickerbocker. «The New Curators: Bloggers, Fans And Classic Cinema On Tumblr». M.A. Thesis. University Of Texas, 2014.
- ^ Petersen, Line Nybro (2014). «Sherlock fans talk: Mediatized talk on tumblr». Northern Lights: Film & Media Studies Yearbook. 12.1: 87–104.
- ^ «Home». www.templeofthejediorder.org. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ Hanson, Megan (2019-02-20). «Fandom for the Faithless: How Pop Culture Is Replacing Religion». Popdust. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ Kilgler-Vilenchik, Neta (2013). «Decreasing World Suck: Fan Communities, Mechanisms of Translation, and Participatory Politics.» USC
- ^ Bruner, Raisa (2020-07-25). «How K-Pop Fans Actually Work as a Force for Political Activism in 2020». Time. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ^ Ohlheiser, Abby (2020-06-05). «How K-pop fans became celebrated online vigilantes». MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ^ Trekkies (1999) — Rotten Tomatoes
- ^ A Brony Tale|2014 Tribeca Film Festival|Tribeca
- ^ Leydon, Joe (2016-03-14). «Film Review: ‘Slash'». Variety. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ «Column: San Diego Comic-Con gets the superhero treatment in a new SiriusXM podcast». San Diego Union-Tribune. 25 June 2021.
- ^ «See You At San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek Culture». Fantagraphics.
- ^ El-Mohtar, Amal (6 October 2015). «Fan Fiction Comes To Life In ‘Carry On’«. NPR.org. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ «The Veronica Mars Movie Project». Kickstarter.
- ^ Savage, Christina. 2014 «Chuck versus the Ratings: Savvy Fans and ‘Save Our Show’ Campaigns.» In «Fandom and/as Labor,» edited by Mel Stanfill and Megan Condis, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 15. https://dx.doi.org/10.3983/twc.2014.0497.
- ^ Locker, Melissa. «Save Steve Holt! Arrested Development Fans Rally for Bit Player». Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ Chin, Bertha, Jones, Bethan, McNutt, Myles and Luke Pebler (2014). «Veronica Mars Kickstarter and Crowd Funding.» Transformative Works and Cultures
- ^ «The Story Behind Bucky’s Groundbreaking Comic-Book Reinvention As the Winter Soldier». Vulture. 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ «Lev Grossman, S.E. Hinton, and Other Authors on the Freedom of Writing Fanfiction». Vulture. 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ Reporter, Tyler McCarthy Trending News (2014-07-28). «Daniel Radcliffe Disguised Himself As Spider-Man During Comic-Con». The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ «Watch Andrew Garfield’s Earnest Spider-Man Speech at Comic-Con». Vulture. 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ Bennett, Lucy (2014). «Tracing Textual Poachers: Reflections on the development of fan studies and digital fandom». The Journal of Fandom Studies. 2.1: 5–20.
- ^ «‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ started out as ‘Twilight’ fan fiction before becoming an international phenomenon». Business Insider. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
- ^ Stanfill, Mel, and Megan Condis. 2014. «Fandom and/as Labor.». In «Fandom and/as Labor,» edited by Mel Stanfill and Megan Condis, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 15.
- ^ Stanfill, Mel, and Megan Condis. 2014. «Fandom and/as Labor» [editorial]. In «Fandom and/as Labor,» edited by Mel Stanfill and Megan Condis, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 15. https://dx.doi.org/10.3983/twc.2014.0593.
- ^ Stork. Matthias (2014). «The cultural economics of performance space: Negotiating fan, labor, and marketing practice in Glee’s transmedia geography». Transformative works and cultures. 15.
- ^ Graser, Marc (2013-07-15). «Comic-Con: Universal Destroys San Diego Convention Center for ‘Oblivion’«. Variety. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ Maass, Arturo Garcia, Dave (2018-07-23). «25 Best Things We Saw at San Diego Comic Con 2018». Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ Yamato, Jen (19 July 2017). «Inside Comic-Con’s Hall H, the most important room in Hollywood». Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ a b Scott Beauchamp (2017-06-14). «The Internet Is the Grateful Dead». Pacific Standard. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fandom.
Look up fandom in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- «Who owns fandom?» – Salon.com December 13, 2000
- «Rank and Phile» Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine – Arts Hub feature, August 12, 2005
- Why I’m Not a Fan by John Roderick
- HomeStuck — official website
- Organization for Transformative Works – Non-profit organization promoting fandom and archiving fanworks.
- «Surviving Fandom» – Mookychick June 24, 2013
- Harry Potter Alliance — official website
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From fan + -dom.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ˈfændəm/
- Rhymes: -ændəm
Noun[edit]
fandom (countable and uncountable, plural fandoms)
- The fans of a sport, activity, work, person etc., taken as a group.
- Synonyms: fan base, fanship, fanhood
- Antonyms: anti-fandom, hatedom
- 1896, Washington Post October 10, 1896, p. 8, column 6
- «‘Who is this Swain?’ is the question that is being bowled about in local fandom.»
-
2021 July 26, Lauren Sarner, quoting Kevin Smith, “Kevin Smith on ‘Masters of the Universe’ and fan backlash”, in New York Post[1]:
-
So I was like, ‘When this comes out, fans are going to lose their s–t!’ And I was half-right. I’ve watched fandoms get mad at creators before like Rian Johnson on ‘The Last Jedi.’
-
- The subculture of fans.
- The state, quality, or condition of being a fan.
-
2014 March 3, Zoe Alderton, “‘Snapewives’ and ‘Snapeism’: A Fiction-Based Religion within the Harry Potter Fandom”, in Religions[2], volume 5, number 1, MDPI, →DOI, pages 219-257:
-
Despite personal schisms and differences in spiritual experience, there is a very coherent theology of Snape shared between the wives. To examine this manifestation of religious fandom, I will first discuss the canon scepticism and anti-Rowling sentiment that helps to contextualise the wider belief in Snape as a character who extends beyond book and film.
-
-
Derived terms[edit]
- fandomtwt (Twitter communities from specific fandoms or groups)
- fandumb
- FNDM
- Milifandom
[edit]
- See Category:en:Fans (people), for various names of different fandoms.
Translations[edit]
fans taken as a group
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 粉絲圈／粉丝圈 (fěnsīquān)
- Finnish: fanikunta, faniyhteisö, kannattajakunta
- German: Fangemeinde (de) f, Fans (de) m pl
- Gujarati: ચાહકજગત (cāhkajgat)
- Japanese: ファンダム (ja) (fandamu), 界隈 (ja)
- Korean: 팬덤 (paendeom)
- Malay: kepeminatan, kepenggemaran
- Russian: боле́льщики (ru) m pl (bolélʹščiki), поклонники m pl (poklonniki), поклонницы (ru) f pl (poklonnicy)
- Spanish: afición (es) f
subculture of fans
- Arabic: فاندوم
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 迷文化 (míwénhuà), 粉絲文化／粉丝文化, 粉都
- Finnish: fanikulttuuri, fanikunta
- Indonesian: kepenggemaran
- Japanese: ファンダム (ja) (fandamu)
- Korean: 팬덤 (paendeom)
- Lithuanian: fandomas m, fendomas m
- Malay: kepeminatan
- Polish: fandom (pl) m
- Russian: фэ́ндом (ru) m (fɛ́ndom), субкульту́ра (ru) f (subkulʹtúra)
- Spanish: fandom (es) m, fanaticada f, afición (es) m
- Thai: แฟนดอม, โลกของผู้หลงใหล, ด้อม (th) (dɔ̂m)
- Vietnamese: cộng đồng người hâm mộ, văn hóa người hâm mộ
- Yiddish: פֿאַנדאָם (fandom), פֿאַנבאַזע (fanbaze)
Indonesian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From English fandom.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): [ˈfɛndɔm]
- Hyphenation: fan‧dom
Noun[edit]
fandom (first-person possessive fandomku, second-person possessive fandommu, third-person possessive fandomnya)
- fandom
Synonyms[edit]
- kepenggemaran
[edit]
- fan
- fanatik
- fanservis
Further reading[edit]
- “fandom” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.
Polish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from English fandom.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ˈfan.dɔm/
- Rhymes: -andɔm
- Syllabification: fan‧dom
Noun[edit]
fandom m inan
- fandom (subculture of fans)
Declension[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- fandom in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- fandom in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Spanish[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from English fandom.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ˈfandom/ [ˈfãn̪.d̪õm]
- Rhymes: -andom
- Syllabification: fan‧dom
Noun[edit]
fandom m (plural fandoms)
- fandom.
If you’re someone who is deeply devoted fan (of anything, really), fandom may make up a significant part of your mental, emotional, and social life. If you’ve ever emerged from a six-hour long fanfic binge and found yourself wondering “Hey, where did the word ‘fandom’ come from, anyway?” (and also “When did it turn into tomorrow?!”), you’re in luck. (Well, partially. I can tell you about the origins of the word “fandom,” but I can’t reverse your decision to start a 250 thousand-word fic at one AM. Sorry ‘bout that.)
In many ways, fandom can seem like a very modern, internet-based phenomenon, but Millennials were far from the first people to get really, really excited about their favorite things. Long before the Internet was invented, fan groups were publishing fan magazines, attending cons, writing fanfic, and making fanvids. The word “fandom,” too, has been around for a long time — well over a century, in fact.
The history of the word “fandom” starts with a very old word — “fanatic.” “Fanatic” arose out of a Latin word, “fānāticus,” which, in turn, came from the word “fanum,” meaning “temple” or “shrine.” According to The Latin Lexicon, “fānāticus” carries three meanings:
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) states that “fanatic” made its way into English in 1533, as an adjective meaning “frenzied” or “mad.” It first appeared in print as a noun, meaning “a visionary; an unreasoning enthusiast,” in 1644. In the second half of the 17th century, the English used “fanatic” as an insult, referring to Nonconformists (aka Protestants who wouldn’t adhere to the Church of England).
It didn’t take too long for people to shorten “fanatic” to “fan”; variations of “fan” appeared in print as early as 1682. It wasn’t until the late-19th century, however, that “fan” began to be used in relation to sports enthusiasts (especially baseball devotees), separating the term from its original religious connotation. (That said, anyone who has participated in their fandom having a collective meltdown at the promise of new episodes, or when actors seem to acknowledge fans’ OTP will recognize themselves in the early association of “fanatic” with overwhelming religious fervor.) (And I say that with love — if my favorite fandoms are melting down, I’m usually right there in the pot with everyone else).
“Fandom” finally makes an appearance in 1903, when the Cincinnati Enquirer printed, “Fandom puzzled over Johnsonian statements.” The OED reports that Publisher’s Weekly mentioned “baseball fandom” in 1928. “Fandom” is a combination of the “fan” with the suffix “-dom.” Etymologist Michael Quinion suggests that “-dom” has two meanings when applied to words; in one usage, the suffix “denote[s] a rank or an area controlled by a person of that rank” (so a “kingdom” is the area controlled by a king, an “earldom” is the area controlled by an earl, etc). In its second usage, “-dom” refers to “a state or condition.” (“Wisdom,” for example, is the state of being wise.)
Although “fandom” is generally used to refer simply to a collection of fans, I like the idea of taking both of these meanings of “-dom” literally. If we read “fandom” the same way as “kingdom,” then it would literally refer to a region controlled by fans — a meaning that I think expresses something essential about fandom: It is a group dedicated to showing devotion to some object (a show, a comic, a sports team, what-have-you), but it is also a site of production generated and controlled by fans — a space where fans create their own language and communities, and where they reimagine characters and worlds into something that is uniquely theirs. And if we define “-dom” in this case as a state of being, similarly to words like “wisdom” or “freedom,” then “fandom,” too, is a state of being, a condition that fans have. That definition — the idea that fandom isn’t simply an external community, but also a mode of being — will ring true to anyone who’s ever been deeply enmeshed in a fandom. You know who you are.
Images: Giphy (1, 2, 3)
Фэндом (англ. Fandom) — это крупнейший в мире развлекательный сайт для фанатов. Здесь вы можете участвовать в обсуждениях, получать информацию и делиться знаниями на любую тему.
На Фэндоме существует свыше 360 000 активных сообществ, участники которых ежедневно обсуждают свои любимые вселенные и создают контент. Здесь все желающие могут поделиться своими знаниями — включая вас!
Что делает Фэндом уникальным?
Яркое сочетание сообществ, обсуждений и новостей делает Фэндом привлекательной площадкой для многих фанатов. Вот несколько вещей, которые ставят Фэндом на голову выше других сайтов.
- Крупнейший в мире развлекательный сайт для фанатов. Фэндом — это голос фанатов в индустрии развлечений. Мы пишем о самых разнообразных направлениях поп-культуры: кино, видеоиграх, книгах и многом, многом другом. Наш контент создан фанатами для других фанатов, и наши участники самовыражаются в создании и редактировании информационных и развлекательных статей, а также участвуют в обсуждениях на любимые темы. Все вместе они создали 43 миллиона страниц с уникальным содержанием на 360 000 сообществах; эти страницы представляют собой всё самое интересное в мире развлечений и ежемесячно привлекают 190 000 000 уникальных посетителей.
- Лучшая площадка в мире для сотрудничества. Команда Фэндома всегда старается создать самые благоприятные условия участия для пользователей и постоянно улучшает сайт, в том числе, с помощью новых расширений. У нас вы можете получить все необходимые возможности для создания собственного тематического сообщества, которое было бы намного труднее создать вам самим или на другом хостинге на базе MediaWiki. Фэндом предлагает участникам уникальный набор возможностей: создание вики, написание собственных развлекательных статей и новостей, обсуждения любимых франшиз и многое другое.
- Приложения мирового класса. Помимо платформы для ПК, мы продолжаем развивать наши приложения для пользователей мобильных устройств. Приложения Фэндома дают возможность соприкоснуться с уникальным материалом, созданным участниками Фэндома, в мире постоянно развивающихся мобильных технологий. С приложениями Фэндома у каждого фаната теперь есть доступ к любимым вселенным на ходу, что также поможет увеличить посещаемость вашей вики.
- Трафик. Мы используем лучшие интернет-технологии, чтобы повысить рейтинг ваших сообществ в поисковых сетях, улучшить их видимость и способствовать росту. Сотрудничая с нами, вы сможете довести ваши сообщества, новости и статьи до первых страниц результатов поиска, и ваш контент будут читать тысячи и даже миллионы фанатов.
- Команда по развитию и поддержке сообществ. Наши участники — это основа Фэндома. Мы всегда стараемся поддержать их в создании позитивных сообществ и интересного контента. Наша команда поддержки оказывает помощь в технических вопросах, записывает обучающие видео и просто отвечает на запросы участников. У нас также есть команда развития сообществ, которая помогает сообществам с оформлением и содержанием. Наши волонтёры и помощники — одни из самых опытных участников Фэндома. Они занимаются поддержкой сообществ на своих языках, борьбой со спамом и вандализмом и продвижением мультиплатформенного контента.
- Мы связываем бренды с фанатами. Фэндом сотрудничает с крупными издателями и развлекательными компаниями, которые предоставляют эксклюзивные материалы от разработчиков и создателей ваших любимых франшиз. Сотрудничество брендов с фанатами поможет вашему сообществу выйти на новый уровень и предоставить вашим читателям уникальный контент.
- Доверие. Фэндом — это сайт на основе открытого программного обеспечения, а наши сообщества создаются на основе лицензии Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike («Атрибуция — На тех же условиях»). Мы часто публикуем блоги о развитии нашей компании и еженедельные блоги с техническими обновлениями сайта. У нас есть свои страницы в социальных сетях (ВК, Фейсбук, Твиттер) и страница компании в LinkedIn.
У вас есть дополнительные вопросы? Посмотрите страницы Справки или свяжитесь с сотрудниками Фэндома через эту форму.
SF/F congoers know that I do panels about rape, sexual assault, and sexual politics and problems in fandom — in the community education and prevention branch of BARCC, we’re encouraged to identify a community to work with, and fandom is one of mine. ❋ Hani (2009)
The person I know who’s in fandom is a big Wincest shipper which — ugh! ❋ Rabid1st (2009)
My Christmas wish for the New Who fandom is we all represent the best in fandom and that none of us express ourselves via fandom wars. ❋ Missmurchison (2006)
(5 comments | Leave a comment) my fandom is the cutest ever ❋ Chaucerhatblog (2007)
I do think something has changed in fandom over the past 10 years. ❋ Unknown (2010)
I get the outrage people have though because as a fan, I hate when my fandom is taken advantage of. ❋ SVGL (2009)
And of course the authors will follow, because while parties are fun and panels and readings are ego-gratifying, most writers — especially those who came after me and contemporaries like Joe Haldeman and Greg Benford who grew up in fandom — go to Worldcon for the same reason they go to any other major con: to do business. ❋ Unknown (2009)
Maybe because a great part of fandom is — like the baby boomer generation — still stuck in all the stuff they found cool when they were thirteen years old, and want that, or something very close to it, again and again and again? ❋ Unknown (2009)
“About 90 percent of the fandom is just excited to have anything,” said Lori Joffs, co-creator of Twilight Lexicon. ❋ Unknown (2010)
There is a hell of a lot of Wincest out there in fandom, and I have to admit the few times I watched the show, I could see it, not in an ‘oooh I ship this’ way, more in a squirmy, ‘wtf are they doing?’ way. ❋ Rabid1st (2009)
The Master: Nobody in fandom questioned the return of the Master. ❋ Rabid1st (2009)
What’s your main fandom? fandom … fandom …/looks through icons … or ❋ Nathreee (2010)
What then, beyond mere fandom, is the significance of Lovecraft and his ideas for you? ❋ Unknown (2009)
She is best known in fandom as the former editor of the New Adventures of Doctor Who but is also an author in her own right, and has glancingly referred to her past studies of anthropoliogy and social sciences in her pseudonyms ( «Evan Pritchard» and «Carla Marks»). ❋ Coalescent (2010)
When Lori Joffs stated the following to MTV “About 90 percent of the fandom is just excited to have anything,” said Lori Joffs, co-creator of Twilight Lexicon. ❋ Unknown (2010)
Certainly the growing force of fandom is in favor of Time Lord return … and so that would probably translate to the Doctor’s heroism being some sort of breaking of the time lock on Gallifrey. ❋ Rabid1st (2009)
It’s much more credible that The Sun is catching things on the wind in fandom and running with the Chinese Whispers. ❋ Rabid1st (2009)
Also, am I the only person in fandom that likes Eleven’s outfit? ❋ Rabid1st (2009)
Not that I think they read me … but I do suspect they hear about things the fandom is discussing and sort of make up a story. ❋ Rabid1st (2009)
[satan] [owns] the [fandoms] ❋ Supertrash (2016)
The [wars] between [boyband] ‘fandoms’ [strike] fear into the hearts of many. ❋ Elasticdonut (2014)
[The Harry Potter] fandom has some of the most diverse fans, from eight year olds to [thirty] [somethings]. ❋ Brianne (2004)
[i’m in] the [supernatural fandom], i’m basically in [hell] ❋ SpaceGLaDOS24 (2017)
[Hiddles] fandom: [Tom Hiddleston] doesn’t know of [my existence] but I still keep adoring him, loving him. And shipping him with Ben. ❋ Rrandomly (2015)
There is many fandoms, but some of the more common & most [emotionally unstable] of fandoms is… the [SPN] Fandom, Whovians, [The Sherlock fandom]. Need I say more? ❋ A Victim Of Being In A Fandom (2013)
[ever since] i [joined] the [5sos] fandom i havent gone outside…what day is it? ❋ Pizzaisbae (2014)
Guy 1: Doesn’t fandom stand for «fan [kingdom]?»
Me: No, it’s [fanatic] [domain].
Guy 1: Well that makes a lot more sense. ❋ Raina_The_Rogue (2018)
I have been in the [Attack On Titan] fandom for several months now. Please [save me]. Find a way for me to [get out]. HELP!! ❋ Sakura The Neko (2017)
there are fandoms of X-men, [X-Files], Harry Potter, [Tomb Raider], Star wars, Star [treck], Everquest, Sailor moon, Yugi-oh! etc… ❋ Lara (2003)
Probably, in our days there are few people whoDo not know what a fandom is. Anyone who conducts an active life on the Internet and communicates on forums, as a rule, enter into any community of interests and thereby support this interesting phenomenon, which has been developing particularly lately. Let’s once again discuss the fandom and what unites the people inside of them all the same.
Definition of the fandom
What is the fandom, you can understand, if you remember aboutfans, fans, surrounding any celebrity. They, as a rule, create their own community dedicated to the idol, which is now called fandom. Such groups gather not only around famous actors, singers or sportsmen, to unite people can also be a common hobby or some kind of interest.
But more often than not, fandoms occur aroundmovies, television series and video games. Obviously, this is due to the fact that the possibility of the emergence of something new, provoking interest and exciting in this area is very great, and besides, the commercial appearance of new successful projects here has a direct relation to the number and frequency of the appearance of fans.
How to become a member of the Fandom
In order to become a member of any fandom,it’s not enough just to get carried away by some topic. It is necessary to participate in the information exchange — it is, you can say, the quintessence of the existence of the fan community. Today, such an exchange takes place mainly through the Internet, but there are many classical forms — interest clubs, thematic periodicals, congresses of various ranks (from regional to international), and so on.
Special names for fandoms help determinetheir belonging. For example, fans of anime and manga are called otaku, admirers of the series «Star Trek» — trekkers, lovers of «Doctor Who» — huvians, and Tolkienists, as probably clear from the title, are fans of the work of JRR Tolkien. The fanatics of the series «Supernatural» has a somewhat ironic title — superaprimed, the singer Justin Bieber fandom — beliber, and Miley Cyrus — smilie.
Like every subcultural movement, any fandomis unique in its own way; in the course of time, its customs arise, there is a structure, and slang appears, which is often understood only by the members of this community.
Fentom Ribbons
In order to mark your belonging toa certain community, the members of the fandom are wearing colored ribbons on their hands, because they have long been a way of expressing the relation of the bearer to some social movement or to the problem.
For example, blue is popular withtwitters, blue are wearing huvians (the «Doctor Who» series), orange color for the Bangers («The Big Bang Theory»), yellow for fans of the Supernatural series; silver was chosen by the Volchonka fans, and the emerald green by the slashers. Red color is preferred by rockers.
Of course, all types of ribbons listed hereIt is impossible, but everyone who entered the fan community immediately learns about the chosen color and will wear a ribbon as a sign of his belonging to the «elite».
Communities of information custodians
The phenomenon of fandom is difficult to overestimate. What is a fandom? This, as already mentioned above, is primarily the exchange of information. But in fact it will eventually become priceless, and the descendants will receive unique details about the creation of the film, the forgotten musical genre or the technical features of the retro car. Thanks to the fans, all this is constantly kept afloat and carefully preserved.
In addition, we must not forget that fans -this is the same target audience, which the producers study diligently, before submitting one more megaproject to the public. By the way, this applies to any commercial project, because only the presence of enthusiastic fans can create a brand that really makes a profit.
The origin of the term «fandom»
By the way, the meaning of the word «fandom» in the narrow sense was the name of a community of fans of a fantastic genre and originated in the thirties of the last century.
In the United States at that time, the so-calledamateur postal associations, which included adherents of different subjects, about which they exchanged letters. In 1934, on this basis, the League of Science Fiction arose, which became the first official fandom. By the way, this League has raised talented science fiction writers: Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Judith Merrill, Frederick Paul and many others whose names have gone down in history. This included also the famous researchers of the genre of fiction: Forrest J. Ackerman, Sam Moskovitz, and others.
The movement has become very popular, and since 1939, fans of fiction have started to hold world conventions.
How did the fandom in Russia develop?
During Khrushchev’s thaw and in the USSR,The first group of fans of science fiction. At this time, this genre is becoming very popular. Although what the fandom, the devotees of the genre hardly at that time understood. They simply created fantasy fiction (CLF) clubs in libraries or cultural centers where they discussed new books and meetings with authors.
In the early eighties this movement acquireda special scope, and within its framework annual festivals of fantasy called «Aelita» began to be held. And now fandom do not only unite fans of one genre.
What is the difference between a subculture and a fandom
Fanatism and different hobbies that becomemeaning and way of life for a group of people, among other things, over time can grow into subcultures. Such a metamorphosis occurred in its time with punk rock, with gothic music and with furry-art.
Although most fandom do not grow tosubculture. They are hampered by the focus on one thing of adoration or interest. A subculture is a movement that does not depend on individuals, since in it an ideologist (the object of worship) always replaces another ideologist.
The best fandom in RuNet
Determine the best of the fandomdifficult. After all, for every person who is passionate about a topic, it is his fandom that is the best, no matter how many members there are. The main thing for fans is the opportunity to talk about your favorite topic, exchange information, and just meet virtually or really like-minded people. It’s very important to know that you are not alone!
Users in RuNet, determining which fandombetter, come, of course, from attendance. They call the «Lord of the Rings», «Star Wars», «Sherlock», «Harry Potter» and «Doctor Who» communities as such. But these findings can be argued, because the real tracking of the number of devotees of the topic is really no one conducts.
An innocent word used for describing a cult of sleep-deprived people who obsess over one or multiple comics, books, tv shows, movies, video games, etc.
(I mean this in the nicest possible way, I am a member of a number of fandoms myself.)
Beatrice is a member of the Divergent fandom. She cannot stop reading fanfiction and searching fanart. Her OTP is FourTris. She read all the books before seeing the movies.
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A fandom is a group, or community, of people who like a game, book, or specific topic. Usually on social media, a fandom is not a uncommon sight
Most people have gone into a fandom, and there is a most likely chance a person will go into a fandom, and leave one, once in their life.
Fandoms can be good or bad, depending on the age of people, the smarts of people, and the amount of cringe of people. Emojis and cringe, etc. can ruin a fragile fandom. Not to mention horny artists who have the urge to make porn. (At least the art is good.)
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The satanic cult that will destroy you and everything you love. They will take control of your mind and break it so you think about nothing but your ships, fanfics and fanart. Don’t try to fight back, just sell them your soul while you fangirl screech to the grave.
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1
: all the fans (as of a sport)
2
: the state or attitude of being a fan
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Unsurprisingly, hearing that James would be competing with newer contestants sparked passionate reactions from the Jeopardy! fandom.
—
Selena Barrientos, Good Housekeeping, 7 Apr. 2023
Kole likewise demurred when asked to name the fandom surrounding his character.
—Vulture, 4 Apr. 2023
This project revels in the music fandom that makes Del Rey such a genius herself.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2023
Looking forward, we are focused on writing our next great chapter by bringing more amazing games to more people around the world—inspiring them to build community, participate in shared fandom, and have joyful experiences.
—Stephanie Mlot, PCMAG, 30 Mar. 2023
Amid the news that season 7 was officially underway, and that Damian Lewis was returning as Bobby Axelrod, the Billions fandom has flown too close to the sun and is facing a swift comedown courtesy of star Dan Soder’s unexpected remarks on TV last night.
—Louisa Ballhaus, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2023
And the fandom around sports helps as well.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2023
While the video turned out to be something of a cult classic in the *NSYNC fandom, Joey tells PEOPLE about a specific moment on set where Justin’s horse had a bit of an attitude.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
The fandom doesn’t only exist in fashion and media circles either.
—Morgan Jerkins, ELLE, 15 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘fandom.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of fandom was
in 1903
Dictionary Entries Near fandom
Cite this Entry
“Fandom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fandom. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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Last Updated:
11 Apr 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
Other forms: fandoms
Use the word fandom to talk about the community of people who admire a particular celebrity, hero, sports team, or TV show. If you are president of the Boston Red Sox fan club, you’re part of the team’s fandom.
Your favorite boy band might have a fandom that consists mainly of screaming pre-teens, while National Public Radio’s fandom is probably mostly middle aged. If you are a fan of a singer or a series of comic books, you can say you belong to their fandom. The word has been around since the very early twentieth century, from fan, a baseball slang abbreviation of fanatic, which comes from the Latin fanaticus, «mad, or inspired by a god.»
Definitions of fandom
-
noun
the fans of a sport or famous person
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fandom’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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