Why is it called the 'Anglo-Sino' alliance and not 'American-Sino' Alliance?

POSTED BY: MarginalRevolution
UPDATED: Sunday, May 7, 2006 14:54
VIEWED: 15516
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MARGINALREVOLUTION

Friday, May 5, 2006 10:50 AM

Hi, I'm new to Firefly.... so I have a quick question. If the United States was the other superpower, why is their capital planet called "Londonium" and why is the alliance referred to as the "Anglo-Sino" alliance? Shouldn't their planet be called something like "New Washington" and the alliance be called "American-Sino" alliance?

SPOOTY

Friday, May 5, 2006 10:51 AM

Because American's speak English

MARGINALREVOLUTION

Friday, May 5, 2006 10:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Spooty:
Because American's speak English

No that still dosn't make any sense. "Sino" is essentially another way of saying "Chinese" the Chinese don't speak "Chinese" they speak Mandarin/Cantonese/etc.

"Anlgo" refers to a nation, such as the "Anglo-Nippon alliance" was a compact between England and Japan. It does not refer to the language....

Ontop of which, it still dosn't make sense why the capital planet would be anmed "Londonium," a British City....

Also another point that should be made, many people reffered to the US/British relationship as the "Anglo-American" alliance.... if the United States was the actaul superpower then it should be American-Sino, unless for osme reason, the English are able to put significent political pressure on the United States..... which dosn't make sense to me.

SPOOTY

Friday, May 5, 2006 11:14 AM

Interesting points.

As far as I gathered I assumed that Mandarin was the dominant form of Chinese in the Firefly 'Verse and that led me to believe that it was basically 'dumbing things down' or making the Firefly 'Verse easier to understand. Sort of just rounding off the edges for Prevailent East meets Prevailent West. I dunno.

When the Alliance was formed both sides had to settle their differences and maybe it was a decision to just be a culmination of both of the major tongues spoken.

Maybe you best ask Joss :)

GEEKUSA

Friday, May 5, 2006 11:33 AM

Because America took over England, effectively becoming the American Empire in an interesting irony. Joss explained as much in the Visual Companion...at least I think it's the Visual Companion. That's pretty much why it's the Anglo-Sino Alliance and why Londinium is the other Core world to Sihnon. America chose to incorporate England's historical weight into their new empire.

"Knew it...probably...saw them cops...and...turned...tail..."

"Can't...sentence...properly."

MARAZ

Friday, May 5, 2006 11:34 AM

Anglo could also be used to mean all the English speaking nations (ie Anglo-sphere) so perhaps the alliance involved Britian, Canada, Australia etc. to some extent. Perhaps the English speaking countries formed closer political ties. I mean if there were only two super powers that became all dominant that would suggest that other countries became absorbed into their political spheres of influence.

Perhaps even the concept of the nation state becomes obsolete, rather than the United States and China becoming super-powers it is English/American and Chinese culture that become super-powers. With globalisation etc. the idea of nation states could believably become much less important.

EDIT: GEEKUSA's answer basically makes mine redundant, :P oh well.

MARGINALREVOLUTION

Friday, May 5, 2006 11:46 AM

Ok thanks for the explanations.

I really hope the show gets expanded so we can see all these kool planets. I'd really like to see how Londonium and Sinhon actaully look like.

Aother point of continuity i'd like to ask. If the Alliance had the ability to terraform a planet, certainly they would have done so with Earth. therefore, the debate that seems to exist on whether or not the planet physically still exsists must be moot o this point. If it does physically exist, it would have been utilized by now. the fact that it's become "myth" must indicate the fact it was somehow "destroyed." Although I don't know what sort of tehcnology the Alliance could possess to kill a planet (seeing htey don't even have FTL travel).

11THHOUR

Friday, May 5, 2006 1:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MarginalRevolution:
If it does physically exist, it would have been utilized by now. the fact that it's become "myth" must indicate the fact it was somehow "destroyed." Although I don't know what sort of tehcnology the Alliance could possess to kill a planet (seeing htey don't even have FTL travel).

On the broadcast episodes of Firefly the introduction explains that Earth "got used up". In Serenity the teacher explained that Earth could no longer support the population because the numbers "had become so many".

In both instances Earth has not been destroyed. Rather the pressure of the human population exhausted the natural resources.

11th Hour

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RHODRI

Friday, May 5, 2006 2:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MarginalRevolution:
Hi, I'm new to Firefly.... so I have a quick question. If the United States was the other superpower, why is their capital planet called "Londonium" and why is the alliance referred to as the "Anglo-Sino" alliance? Shouldn't their planet be called something like "New Washington" and the alliance be called "American-Sino" alliance?

It uses less letters

EVILDINOSAUR

Friday, May 5, 2006 4:09 PM

prolly cuz anglo-sino sounds better than american-sino

"Haha, mine is an evil laugh."

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