"That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind."

**ideasrule** · Dec4-09, 02:55 AM

I think the quote sounds better without the "a". Leaving it out gives the two phrases a very beautiful parallel structure:

one small step for man
one giant leap for mankind

**jimmysnyder** · Dec4-09, 08:15 AM

That's one small step for a man or woman, one giant leap for personkind.

**Andre** · Dec4-09, 08:39 AM

Or in European style

That's one small step for a human(m/f), one giant leap for personkind

**leroyjenkens** · Dec4-09, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by ideasrule

I think the quote sounds better without the "a". Leaving it out gives the two phrases a very beautiful parallel structure:

one small step for man
one giant leap for mankind

That's the thing, everyone hears it and it sounds like a good quote. Problem is, they don't realize that it doesn't really make sense.

**mgb_phys** · Dec4-09, 09:58 AM

It doesn't sound very Nasa though does it?

That's a singular primary down-scaled pedal locomotion event for a primary vehicle crew member (human) but a extreme size capabilitied dynamic locomotion event for a general population goup (human/Earthbound)

(only with some acronyms)

**Pattonias** · Dec4-09, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by mgb_phys

Why didn't they use a second take ?

I think because there would always be that conspiracy theorist who would assert that the words we heard were actually the second words said on the moon, thus proving that all the other facts he posted on his web site were true.

Originally Posted by jimmysnyder

That's one small step for a man or woman, one giant leap for personkind.

Somehow, I think that it would have been less meaningful if the grammar was perfect and the content was correct by current PC standards.

Not to mention is was still the sixties.

**mgb_phys** · Dec4-09, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Pattonias

I think because there would always be that conspiracy theorist who would assert that the words we heard were actually the second words said on the moon,

The first words said on the moon were 'contact light' - always good for trivia competitions!

thus proving that all the other facts he posted on his web site were true.

But if you listen to the tapes you can hear the words in the background - "CUT - ok, Neil we'll go again after lunch"

**Pattonias** · Dec4-09, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by mgb_phys

The first words said on the moon were 'contact light' - always good for trivia competitions!

But if you listen to the tapes you can hear the words in the background - "CUT - ok, Neil we'll go again after lunch"

LOL, ok so the Moon landing was faked. All this time I have been misled.

Sometimes I wish I believed in conspiracy theories just so I could be that much more entertained by this crazy world.

**Richard87** · Dec5-09, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by ideasrule

I think the quote sounds better without the "a". Leaving it out gives the two phrases a very beautiful parallel structure:

one small step for man
one giant leap for mankind

Except that it is a contradiction without using the "a". "man" and "mankind" mean the same thing in the context they are used in.

~~Sorry!~~ · Dec5-09, 02:44 PM

You know I always thought that when someone said 'man' it implied individual persons from all humans. Like:

'if man realized his greatest potential' implies if all individual people realized their potential.

If you say something like 'if mankind realized its greatest potential' then it implies that if humans realize their greatest potential.

If I said 'if a man realizes his greatest potential' then it implies that a male human realizes his greatest potential.

Am I wrong though?

I guess what I'm saying I take from what he said on the moon has always been that for any given indivdual from the human population it would have been a small step, but for all of mankind it's a giant leap.

**jim777** · Dec16-09, 02:33 PM

Not to be a spoilsport, but I believe the first words spoken on the moon were actually, "Houston, Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed". though, those may have only been the first words radioed back to Earth. The "That's one small step..." quote was over 6 1/2 hours later.

**Astronuc** · Dec16-09, 03:55 PM

I would have said - "Woah"

**zoobyshoe** · Dec16-09, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by edward

A British scientist named Gary Peach claims to have come up with the quote.

Mr Peach said: “I replied no technical problems, but I am concerned about the historic moment when the first man sets foot upon the Moon. In the excitement, knowing the Yanks as I do, it’ll probably be something like ‘Holy chicken s**t look at all that f***ing dust’.

I hate it when people get too OCD about stuff. I wonder if Peach sat up nights meticulously refining his own last words.