It's Asp, not ASP!

Asp is the name of a certain snake species in which case many ships in ED are named after various snake species. Many people say "ASP" instead of "Asp", but A-S-P doesn't stand for anything. For crying out loud I even see the let's play ED videos with the gamer saying A-S-P instead of Asp. Seriously, go Google up 'asp snake' for verification. Come on guys, this is ridiculous.

It's very likely that you are right in the context of the original Elite game. However, I like the idea that every ship manufacturer has it's own naming scheme. Faulcon DeLacy uses snakes (Viper, Cobra, Python, ...), while Saud Kruger uses whales (Orca), Core Dynamics is more into birds (Eagle).

Lakon has the Asp Explorer and "Type X" ships. So only the Asp would name a snake. In this context I like to think of the Asp as the "Advanced Space Pioneer". This family of ships had the former military version "Mk II" and now the civilian "Explorer". This is the reason why I fly an ASP. :)
 
This is ASP ;)

[video=youtube;RSVXixwLzqI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSVXixwLzqI[/video]

its an acronym of the band leaders name Alexander Spreng.
 
Isn't Aluminum the incorrect spelling? I was sure it was called Aluminium.

Depends on which side of the pond you're on I believe. I only found out the word "orientated" is actually a real alternate spelling of "oriented" last year.
 
It was called Aluminum first by the chap that discovered it, then he changed it to Aluminium. American spellings are different to British ones in general because Daniel Webster changed how words were spelt when he compiled his dictionary, he wanted to simplify English spellings.
 
Having a look around the cockpit...
ASP.png
 
Asp is the name of a certain snake species in which case many ships in ED are named after various snake species. Many people say "ASP" instead of "Asp", but A-S-P doesn't stand for anything. For crying out loud I even see the let's play ED videos with the gamer saying A-S-P instead of Asp. Seriously, go Google up 'asp snake' for verification. Come on guys, this is ridiculous.

Thank you someone for finally starting a thread on this ;) all I've been brave enough to do so far is put little footnotes in smaller text at the bottom of some post asking why people keep saying ASP.
 
Depends on which side of the pond you're on I believe. I only found out the word "orientated" is actually a real alternate spelling of "oriented" last year.

From what I gather orientated only got added to the dictionary because so many people were assuming it was a real word that it became one... Which is kind of how language works but also supremely annoying. I believe the same has happened where people say conversate instead of converse.
 
I would like to suggest one additional explanation for why some people think it's ASP, not Asp: Second language. Asp may or may not be a recognisable word for native speakers, but it surely isn't for most people for whom English isn't their mother tongue. When I first read the name Asp Explorer in the Frontier manual I immediately assumed it was an acronym. I never questioned that assumption until a couple of months ago, i.e. over half a lifetime later. Now I tend to say Asp, but it's still hard to get over the reflex of thinking of it as an A.S.P.
 
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I only say it as A S P when talking to my boyfriend cause EVERY SINGLE TIME I say Asp he giggles and says 'It sounds like Ass'. I love him...but he can be immature some times.
 
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I'm sorry it's not ASP or Asp, it's "Dat Asp", as in:

"You're in my way, good sir. Would you please back Dat Asp up?"
"Dayum, Dat Asp is fine, just an absolutely fine piece of ship."
"Dat Asp is so sexy - I can't wait for the day until I can get me a taste of Dat Asp"

Thank you, this has been a public service announcement.
 
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