Talk:unidentified flying object

I don't think UFO should be synonymous with Flying Saucer. The terms carry different implications. For example many people 'believe' in UFOs. That is, they believe that people sometimes see objects in the sky, that appear to be flying, which they are unable to identify. They don't necessarily also believe in 'flying saucers' since this term is usually used to imply a flying vessel guided by an intelligent pilot (or something similar), but not - for example - a misidentified balloon or unrecognised weather phenomena. Just a thought.

Almost all synonyms carry different implications. Big deal.

UFO specifically means unidentified yet people use it all the time for things that they do know the identify of.

Flying saucer means a saucer-shaped one yet people use it all the time to mean "UFO", or spaceship generally. Especially people who aren't interested in sci-fi.

How often do you hear people say "I don't believe in UFOs". Do you think they literally mean "I don't believe that ojbects fly in the sky which have not been identified"?

They're not always synonyms, and logically they wouldn't be, but people aren't logical and sometimes they are synonyms. Perhaps annoying but true nonetheless... — Hippietrail 10:59, 2 Jun 2004 (UTC)

The definition meaning an alien spacecraft belongs at UFO, because it's a meaning of UFO that has diverged from the original meaning of the word, which was an acronym. Shoof 03:59, 4 August 2006 (UTC)