slanshack

English

Etymology

From slan (“science fiction fan”) +‎ shack. From a clubhouse for science fiction fans in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA called "Slan Shack" which existed from 1943 to 1945; from the fanspeak term slan; from the science fiction novel Slan (1940) by A. E. van Vogt, by analogy to the superior but persecuted mutants of the novel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /slænʃæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

Noun

slanshack (plural slanshacks)

1. (dated, fandom slang) A house shared by fans of science fiction.
   • 1944, John Bristol Speer, “sfn - Sydcon”, in Fancyclopedia‎^[1]:

     Slan Shack - A science-fiction house in Battle Creek, charter members being Al & Abby Lu Ashley, Walt Liebscher, and Jack Wiedenbeck. Acquired in the summer of '43, it wasn't occupied by the slans till the eve of the Michiconference. EEEvans joined a little later.

   • 1951 May 21, Winthrop Sargeant, “Through the Interstellar Looking Glass”, in Life:

     Sad to relate, however, some of the European delegates were probably insurgents rather than true fen. Probably none of them had ever been in a slanshack, and there were only a few completists among them.

   • 1995, Richard Newsome, “Signing one's real name”, in rec.arts.sf.fandom (Usenet):

     In fact we *had* a slanshack about 6 blocks from his house, but he never had the time to hang out much -- he would drop by for an hour or so to drink beer...