Friday, May 06, 2016

Limits of Democracy, Reached: No Ship Named Boaty McBoatface For You!

An online poll, that itself made waves, made Boaty McBoatface the sailing away favorite for the name of the new British polar research ship. Britain's National Environment Research Council that conducted the poll was not amused by the results, no matter how delightful the name was and the worldwide attention it gained.

British Official: 'Boaty McBoatface' ship name is a no-go

Instead, the ship will be named the RRS Sir David Attenborough.

However, as a sop to the fans, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on the ship will carry the name Boaty McBoatface, but that's now a misnaming and that is rather an inappropriate taxonomic classification for a scientific vessel, as it's not a boat.

Instead it really should be properly named Rovy McRovface, or if you want to expand and identify if by family rather than genus, Subby McSubface.

1 comment:

Comrade Misfit said...

Except submarines have been traditionally called "boats". So calling a submarine "Boaty McBoatface" is more appropriate than so naming a ship.