Why Critters instead of Xeno?

[Patarack]

Is there some reason the developers use a stand in word like critter instead of Xenomorph? is there some weird legal agreement where some other company owns part of the alien franchise and they had to adjust, kinda like how Sony owns spiderman and Disney owns the rest of marvel? It's just weird to hear it over and over after a while, it sounds silly.

[Bo Cardwell]

I mean, when it's coming from the marines it makes sense:
At this point, they don't know what they're engaging. They come up with their own labels fitting with their jarhead diction (critters, drones, etc), which serves the dual purpose of identifying xenomorphs and belittling them at the same time.

[Patarack]

Yeah, but even the bad guys (the wey-yu soldiers) refer to them as that. It just seems like an iconic word like Xenomorph should have been included in an aliens game. Just have a throw away line when they hack a terminal on a mission that says something like, "We have the information...apparently they've been experimenting with these "Xenomorphs" for a while..." Boom, they now know their name. Not the end of the world or anything, its just kinda silly thats the best they could do.

[ArterialSpray1066]

Xenomorph isn't the species name, its a generic term.
"Xeno"="Alien". "Morph"="form".
Which does make it all the more weird its not mentioned a little more.

That said its clear even in Aliens that while the term is in standard usage its above the heads of the average marine.

[Bad_Lieutenant_666]

These Marines are grunts not scientists.
Also it’s there first encounter ever with them so they don’t know better.

Also, someone who says, This guns a freakin lawnmower, probably don’t know what a Xenomorph is….

[kordelas]

critter - a living creature; an animal.

[drager55891]

None of other characters know about xenomorph including they were labeled as that so why would they use it?

[ConG]

it just seems like a colloquialism to me, I've never really used xeno in normal conversation either you sound like a different kind of space marine when you over use xeno.

[ConG]

Originally posted by Acetango:

I mean, when it's coming from the marines it makes sense:
At this point, they don't know what they're engaging. They come up with their own labels fitting with their jarhead diction (critters, drones, etc), which serves the dual purpose of identifying xenomorphs and belittling them at the same time.

yeah terms like drone and warrior to me seem natural, just like referring to them as bugs or critters. I could see how you could see the Alien for the first time and ascribe Ant like qualities to its behavior especially when you factor in the queen. the only one I don't think is a natural label and more of an in universe phenomenon is the Praetorian, might aswell start calling the warriors Bellators...in my time in the ARMY Latin didn't come up a whole lot.

[Shinigami]

I don't think in any of the Movies other than in reports they are mentioned as anything other than "Bugs" or "Creature" or "Thing"

[ArterialSpray1066]

Originally posted by Shinigami:

I don't think in any of the Movies other than in reports they are mentioned as anything other than "Bugs" or "Creature" or "Thing"

Private Hudson: Is this gonna be a standup fight, sir, or another bug hunt?

Lieutenant Gorman: All we know is that there's still no contact with the colony and that a xenomorph may be involved.

Private Frost: Excuse me, sir, a-a what

Lieutenant Gorman: A xenomorph.

Corporal Hicks: It's a bug hunt.

[Dregora]

I mean, it's not really weird for soldiers, marines etc to have a name for something. It's just a broad term for the enemy.

I don't really see an issue with it, slang amongst soldiers isn't weird.

[Lava Alien 1000]

Originally posted by ArterialSpray1066:

Originally posted by Shinigami:

I don't think in any of the Movies other than in reports they are mentioned as anything other than "Bugs" or "Creature" or "Thing"

Private Hudson: Is this gonna be a standup fight, sir, or another bug hunt?

Lieutenant Gorman: All we know is that there's still no contact with the colony and that a xenomorph may be involved.

Private Frost: Excuse me, sir, a-a what

Lieutenant Gorman: A xenomorph.

Corporal Hicks: It's a bug hunt.

Bug hunt is just slang for "Wild goose chase" if i remember.

Since Officer is just using a fancy term as Reports of Alien life form.

Heck even before this scene the marines talk about Ripley like she is crazy or liar for encountering a Alien creature.