Define "grognard"

[Desdichado]

I find it bizarre that the wargame answers are getting such a low response rate, since this is a multichoice pool. It seems obvious to me that, whatever the meaning is in relation to D&D, the term also means an old school wargamer, because that's where it comes from. Since there are people alive and kicking who were "grognards" back in the 70s, a redefinition that excludes them seems to me to be simply inaccurate if it aims to be useful.

Then again, maybe it's just become so hip to call old players "grognards" that many people are unaware of the wargame -> OD&D connection.

I don't think that's all that bizarre at all, because the frequency with which one encounters that type of grognard has gotten so low that that definition has become rather meaningless over time.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

I said that it's someone who simply prefers an older edition of D&D, however, it really should include two caveats. First is that the usage of the term can be such that it implies disrespect of such individuals, generally because it's not just a matter of FAVORING an older version but also actively DISLIKING the newer versions rather than just not preferring them. The second caveat is that it can be used simply as a means of identifying them as a fairly distinct group without attempting to imply anything about them one way or another.

The ORIGINS of the term, and the past usage of it are interesting, perhaps even useful to know - but are IRRELEVANT to the fact that the term is CLEARLY undergoing change. Just looking at the poll it becomes evident that it doesn't mean what it USED to mean, but also that it doesn't have a particularly unified, commonly accepted meaning and usage.

 

[Diamond Cross]

I'm a grognard and I'm okay
I game all night and I sleep all day

I play my games, I drink Pepsi,
I go to the lavatory
On Wednesdays I go to college
And drink loads of drinks of caffeine

 

[Umbran]

Pepsi? PEPSI!!???!!! Heathen!

And so the cola wars meet the edition wars...

 

[Mournblade94]

Grognard is fine in its historical context. Any other use of the word is meaningless.

 

[Hussar]

Grognard is fine in its historical context. Any other use of the word is meaningless.

ROTFLMAO

Because, you know, all words in a given language have static meanings that never change.

So, according to you, grognard can only apply to French Napoleonic soldiers?

 

[Hussar]

Hey, how does that work? There's 34 votes for "accepting" but only two names. Looks like someone's got some sour grapes.

 

[Maggan]

You know while everybody's arguing over what the word means, I'm sure your girlfriends could use somebody to talk to.

Nah, she never calls me at work.

/M

 

[Doug McCrae]

Hey, how does that work? There's 34 votes for "accepting" but only two names. Looks like someone's got some sour grapes.

haXX0rZ!!!1!

 

[pawsplay]

Grognard is fine in its historical context. Any other use of the word is meaningless.

"Word," of course, coming from the root word meaning "to speak," would not apply to written communication.