What is everyone else's thoughts on this subject? I personally think its quite silly to use it but that is just my opinion and i am entitled to my own opinion right?

Sorry forgot to post the link and it wont let me edit for some reason. The information is on this page. www.drinkdeeplyanddream.com

I've never really liked the use of either word myself. I just usually say vamp to make it easier. But if you have to choose one or the other the original spelling is the most often used by those serious about learning and discovering. I'm not saying there aren't those who are serious about it using the y spelling but most do use the i spelling.

I'm surprised that DDD published that nonsense. It's very stereotypical and feeding into the "than thou" stigma. "I'm more vampire than you are, you're just a poser."

Let's go back and find some origins of the word vampyr or vampyre.

1734 -- The word "vampyre" enters the English language in translations of German accounts of European waves of vampire hysteria.

1810 -- Reports of sheep being killed by having their jugular veins cut and their blood drained circulated through northern England. --"The Vampyre," a poem by John Stagg, is published.

1819 -- John Polidori's "The Vampyre"is published in the April issue of New Monthly.

1829 -- Heinrich Marschner's opera, Der Vampyr, based on Nodier's story, opens in Liepzig.

1932 -- The movie Vampyr, directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, is released.



The latin genus Vampyrus, note the Y.

Elizabeth Miller has some interesting reading and is a well known Dracula scholar.
http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/rwbdinn.htm

The oxford dictionary being used is likely a modern adaptation and surely different from the 1700 version dictionaries, much like Olde English differs from our language today. Words change their spelling as they become widely accepted. The statement DDD made is very one-sided, ignoring well-documented examples of the word "vampyr" or "vampyre" in use.

That's not to say that there isn't any truth in it. Only that it being presented in such a way that it's the authority on almost all use of the word "vampyre" is just wrong. There are many who use the word "vampire" for every stereotypical example given too.

Which is more accurate or more important ? That should be entirely yours to decide. Which word captures the essence or feel of the definition of what you are trying to convey? People today still grow their hair long and wear tie-dye and peace symbol necklaces. People today still dress punk or gothic or 80s or other cultural or era influenced style. Use the words however they fit best in your own definition and avoid listening to someone else trying to stereotype it for you. They are the real posers. The ones grabbing a word and defining it for the entire culture as-if it can only be that way, and no other.

Very interesting thoughts Sire. I just don't see the point of using the word vampyre rather then vampire since vampire is the english spelling and i am american. Its nothing to do with people or anything in my case.

I use the word vampire too, almost always. Like you.

If I chose to use the word vampyr or vampyre, I would do that if it felt comfortable and helped convey the general feeling of what I was trying to get across. If I was considered pretentious in doing so, I'd rather it be based on my own personality and behavior instead of the way I chose to spell a word :)

Yes very true. How can someone accurately judge anyone on how they spell. It just isnt logical.

It's just that stereotype coming up again. English have bad teeth. French don't bathe. Jews are greedy. Women are weak and less intelligent (ducks). People who wear black must be goth. Goths worship Satan. ( I just typed Satan as Stan at first. lol. Maybe we should refer to Satan as Stan from now on. )

Sometimes these subcultures are their own worst enemies. They perpetuate the stereotypes by labeling others in the subculture for being a little different than their own little group.

(Funny you should bring that up. I was thinking about starting to use Stan instead of satan earlier today when i was talking to a friend and typed "Stan".) I know sometimes it can be hard not to judge people but if theyre going to judge tghey could at least keep it to themselves :p i myself sometimes find myself being quick to judge but i always correct myself and realise what i did was wrong. And i most certainly do not voice my opinion unless i have found what i suspected to be true.

When I see the word Vampyre used, it immediately makes me think the person using it desperately wants to be taken seriously whilst just sounding like a wannabe. It's like an attempt to be original whilst being horribly cliched.

I always assumed that people who use the 'Vampyre' spelling are just using a very out-of-date dictionary. Like people who still spell wife 'wyfe'.

The only difference, besides the spelling, that I have noticed, is that the definitions are different. The definition for vampyre is much more indepth than that of vampire.

Vampyre Vampire \Vam"pire\, n. [F. vampire (cf. It. vampiro, G. & D. vampir), fr. Servian vampir.] [Written also vampyre.]
1. A blood-sucking ghost; a soul of a dead person superstitiously believed to come from the grave and wander about by night sucking the blood of persons asleep, thus causing their death. This superstition is now prevalent in parts of Eastern Europe, and was especially current in Hungary about the year 1730.

The persons who turn vampires are generally wizards, witches, suicides, and persons who have come to a violent end, or have been cursed by their parents or by the church, --Encyc. Brit.

2. Fig.: One who lives by preying on others; an extortioner; a bloodsucker.

3. (Zo["o]l.) Either one of two or more species of South American blood-sucking bats belonging to the genera Desmodus and Diphylla. These bats are destitute of molar teeth, but have strong, sharp cutting incisors with which they make punctured wounds from which they suck the blood of horses, cattle, and other animals, as well as man, chiefly during sleep. They have a c[ae]cal appendage to the stomach, in which the blood with which they gorge themselves is stored.

4. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of harmless tropical American bats of the genus Vampyrus, especially V. spectrum. These bats feed upon insects and fruit, but were formerly erroneously supposed to suck the blood of man and animals. Called also false vampire.


Vampire
1. A reanimated corpse that is believed to rise from the grave at night to suck the blood of sleeping people.
2. A person, such as an extortionist, who preys upon others.*
3. A vampire bat.


As you can see, there are some differences in the definition.

As to whether or not using one word or another denotes who is more of a vamp...I think people need to stop judging others...seriously.

@ Shadout - Too funny!

More appropriate to the Bloodlust Forum, IMO.

Incidentally, a hell of a lot of British people DO have bad teeth. There's a huge shortfall of dentists: could you send some over, please?

It seems to me to be about the same as spelling 'magick' as 'magik'
or 'chi' as 'ki' or 'potatoe' as 'pototoe'...

F.P. *chuckles* I have seen it frequently used myself and I think that is a very good reason, by the way I liked your pun. Some people within the supposed 'Vampire Community' do say that it differentiates between two types of vampires. A possible example is those they think are half-blood, which I must add many do not think can exist. *rolls eyes* Vampyre then might be used, but actually I have heard the more proper term Dhampyre is the proper word for a half-blood vampire. But F.P. I do agree with you, it is quite silly spelling it that way and I am quite glad I never spell it that way if I can help it.

:alucard: It juss looks phat :10: lol.

the only reason why i use "vampyre" instead uv "vampire" is cuz it looks cooler! haha! kinda stupid, i kno, but who cares? also in sum of the books i've read it wuz spelled that way. i.e. Nocturne by elain bergstrom.

when i read vampyre rather than vampire it just feels more historical to me. MAkes me think of folklaw and such.. I use the word Magik when talking about real witchcraft and not magic tricks ala kids parties.. personally speaking it just allows me to deferentiate between serious and fluff.

Like Vicereine, and most witches, i use Magick instead of magic for differentiation purposes.

And One of my fav bands is Inkubus Sukkubus. They changed the spelling from Incubus Succubus to the k's because of numerology reasons.
And 1 of their songs is Vampyre .. and i can assure you they are not attention seeking wannabe's!!!
And maybe if you trace back language ... a lot of your language comes from greek and latin. In the greek alphabet there is no c, k's where used.
And in english the letter y was very often in place of where we have i's now.
Because pronounciation of words was different then.

And using a y in vampyre, adds a more historic, artistic, poetic feel i think.

And continuing with Sire's point of historicity.
One of my fav poems is The Tyger , by Willian Blake.

and i use both spellings, vampire in more serious terms like in conversation. because in those situations a more intellectual face is needed, and i feel the need to use more 'propper' english. for the same reason i dont use txt-tlk as much on forums.

the y spelling, although looking different, having a more appealing numerological value etc, i tend just to keep for poems and creative reasons etc ...

As for people who use it in role play .. then so be it! let them, vampyre looks more fun and 'te olde' than vampire. and role play is just a game.

By having that stereotype, it shows more about you than the apparent 'wannabes'.*rolleyes*. Just relax, does the spelling matter, people change the spelling of their names all the time because they like it, they want to .. just dont be so nickity-pickity and stop pigeon holing people.

BB

i just think some people wanted to look "professional" with vampirism.

Like the computer freaks " or L337z0rZ "

Then they just sayed Vampyre , to be diffrent and cool.

But im just guessing