In Star Trek, Andorians are from Andoria, and Humans are from Earth?
As a gamer with decades of Star Trek adventures under my belt and countless hours spent exploring the far reaches of fictional galaxies, I can’t help but reflect on the intriguing naming conventions that these universes employ when it comes to alien species. In the realm of Star Trek, the tendency to name alien species after their planets is a fascinating choice, one that mirrors our own Earth-bound demonyms.
In Star Trek, it’s common for alien species names to be similar to the planets they originate from, such as Andorians from Andoria, Betazoids from Betazed, Cardassians from Cardassia, and so forth. However, beings originating from Earth, like us in reality, are called Humans. Terms like “Terran” or “Earther/Earthling” carry different meanings.
There are a handful of unusual species-planet combinations known, such as Kaminar housing Kelpiens and Ba’ul, or Klingons inhabiting Qo’noS (Kronos). By the 32nd Century, Vulcans and Romulans reconnected and renamed their planet to Ni’Var. However, according to Memory Alpha, these instances are rare and scattered throughout the cosmos.
There’s a certain logic to this naming system, as it mirrors how we name nationalities in English – for instance, an individual from Italy is referred to as Italian, and one from China as Chinese. Couldn’t we then consider the inhabitants of Earth as analogous to the Dutch people originating from the Netherlands?
It’s plausible. Science fiction, including Star Trek, isn’t unique in labeling alien species based on their planet of origin, like how “Martians” come from Mars and have been a fixture in literature since the 1800s. Many other sci-fi universes, such as DC Comics and Babylon 5, adopt this naming convention for their alien planets too.
Contrarily, fictional universes such as Star Wars, Mass Effect, and Stargate typically feature creative combinations of elements.
A drawback to this naming scheme, however, is that it can tend to depict the alien cultures (and their planets) monolithically. Whereas humans are depicted as richly diverse in their customs and languages, other alien species tend to have fairly limited cultural diversity. Maybe that’s part of the point, though.
One key difference is that humanity managed to unite peacefully, whereas it appears the Klingons, Cardassians, and possibly even the Vulcans may have achieved unity through force. The latter’s history of violence might have prompted a widespread embrace of Surak’s teachings on their homeworld.
It should also be noted, though, that while Star Trek has always featured alien characters, its stories have always centered around Humanity. In fact, many stories highlight the notion that Humans are special in some way. Part of that specialness is our diversity:
If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.
In essence, emphasizing human diversity plays a crucial role in the world of Star Trek. Although it boasts an array of intricate and diverse alien races, portraying these races as uniform within themselves serves to underscore all the nuances and distinctions among humans. It might be that designating Earth as one of the rare planets home to a species with a distinct name adds to its unique appeal.
It’s likely simpler to remember all the episodes and movies (numbering over 900 and 13 features respectively, spanning nearly 6 decades) if there’s a recognizable relationship between species and their planets in the naming conventions. While Ockham’s Razor might suggest this, it can be more intriguing to explore a deeper significance occasionally.
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2024-09-24 23:23