Editing 1767: US State Names

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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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[[Randall]] has taken a {{w|map}} of {{w|the United States of America}} labeled "Geography Challenge: Name all 50 States" and filled in the states with words that sound similar to the states' names. The joke is that Randall is apparently terrible at remembering states by heart, or else that he interpreted "name" as "give a name to" and is giving each state a name similar to but different from its previous name. A similar joke is also seen in [[1554: Spice Girls]]. Songs such as the [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fifty+nifty+united+states+song 50 Nifty United States] make these issues seem rarer, thus making it funnier. Below is the list.
+
[[Randall]] has taken a {{w|map}} of {{w|the United States of America}} labeled "Geography Challenge: Name all 50 States" and filled in the states with words that sound similar to the states' names. The joke is that Randall is apparently terrible at remembering states by heart, or else that he interpreted "name" as "give a name to" and is giving each state a name similar to but different from its previous name. Songs such as the [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fifty+nifty+united+states+song 50 Nifty United States] make these issues seem rarer, thus making it funnier. Below is the table.
  
 
This also may be a play on the ambiguity of the phrase "Name all 50 states".  When you are asked to "name" something, it can be a request to supply its given name or to come up with a new name for it.  Randall has apparently taken the latter interpretation.  He also may be playing with the distinction between an object's identity and its label, e.g., "The state of Texas (identity) is named Hexxus (label)", though you can argue that "Texas" is also a label.
 
This also may be a play on the ambiguity of the phrase "Name all 50 states".  When you are asked to "name" something, it can be a request to supply its given name or to come up with a new name for it.  Randall has apparently taken the latter interpretation.  He also may be playing with the distinction between an object's identity and its label, e.g., "The state of Texas (identity) is named Hexxus (label)", though you can argue that "Texas" is also a label.
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This comic is similar to [[1759: British Map]]. Also note that the text at the top of the comic is not in all caps.
 
This comic is similar to [[1759: British Map]]. Also note that the text at the top of the comic is not in all caps.
  
−
===List of States===
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===Table of States===
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Below are the Randall's fictional state names, next to the actual ones in parenthesis, and a short explanation for each one.
+
{{incomplete|Some states unfinished. Make wikipedia links.}}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 +
|-
 +
! Fictional State
 +
! Actual State
 +
! Explanation
 +
|-
 +
| Wilwheaton
 +
| {{w|Washington_State|Washington}}
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| {{w|Wil Wheaton}} is an actor and writer.
 +
|-
 +
| Organs
 +
| {{w|Oregon}}
 +
| Could refer to either {{w|Organ (anatomy)|body parts}} that perform vital functions, or large {{w|Organ (music)|musical instruments}} having rows of tuned pipes. Also a reference to {{w|Organ Trail}}, a retro survival video game that parodies {{w|The Oregon Trail (video game)|The Oregon Trail}}.
 +
|-
 +
| Cafeteria
 +
| {{w|California}}
 +
| A cafeteria is both a kind of restaurant and a name for a lunch room that serves food. California is large and diverse, offering a wide variety of choices. California also grows a large proportion of common vegetables available in the US ([http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/explainer/2013/07/california_grows_all_of_our_fruits_and_vegetables_what_would_we_eat_without.html Source]), making it a 'Cafeteria' for the country.
 +
|-
 +
| Fallout New Vegas
 +
| {{w|Nevada}}
 +
| {{w|Fallout New Vegas}} is a video game set in Nevada.
 +
|-
 +
| Idolatry
 +
| {{w|Idaho}}
 +
| {{w|Idolatry}} is the worship of a physical object as a god, forbidden in many religions.
 +
|-
 +
| mount -a
 +
| {{w|Montana}}
 +
| A command to {{w|Mount (computing)|mount}} all disk volumes in fstab (except for ones with the noauto flag).
 +
|-
 +
| Wysiwyg
 +
| {{w|Wyoming}}
 +
| Acronym for "{{w|What You See Is What You Get}}". A reference to [[Types of Editors]].
 +
|-
 +
| Uhaul
 +
| {{w|Utah}}
 +
| {{w|U-Haul}} is a company where you can rent vans.
 +
|-
 +
| Verizona
 +
| {{w|Arizona}}
 +
| {{w|Verizon}}, a telecommunications company, has the shared text "Rizon" with Arizona (Ve''rizon'', A''rizon''a).
 +
|-
 +
| Namaste
 +
| {{w|New Mexico}}
 +
| {{w|Namaste}} is a Hindu greeting.
 +
|-
 +
| Hexxus
 +
| {{w|Texas}}
 +
| The antagonist of Ferngully. {{w|FernGully:_The_Last_Rainforest|FernGully}} is said to be the model for the later film "Avatar". This is the second time Hexxus was mentioned in xkcd, the first occurrence being in [[1750: Life Goals]]. May allude to the Texas oil industry and the state's general reputation for a lack of environmental protection.
 +
|-
 +
| Okay
 +
| {{w|Oklahoma}}
 +
| OK is the state's abbreviation. Okay is a spelling of another abbreviation O.K., which means "yes" or "good", and has {{w|OK#Proposed etymologies|quite a few possible origins}}.
 +
|-
 +
| Candice
 +
| {{w|Kansas}}
 +
| Candice is a girl's name of Latin origin, meaning "clarity, whiteness" ("canditia").
 +
|-
 +
| Colocated
 +
| {{w|Colorado}}
 +
| Refers to computer servers located in a {{w|Colocation Center}}.
 +
|-
 +
| Nebrunswick
 +
| {{w|Nebraska}}
 +
| {{w|New Brunswick}}, a Canadian province.  People sometimes write "NB" as the postal abbreviation for Nebraska; in reality, Nebraska is "NE", and while there is no "NB" in the U.S. postal system, New Brunswick is "NB" in the Canadian postal system.
 +
|-
 +
| Dakota
 +
| {{w|South Dakota}}
 +
| Randall seems to have forgotten his directions, so he drops the normal "South" and "North". He may also be teasing that this doesn't matter.
 +
|-
 +
| More Dakota
 +
| {{w|North Dakota}}
 +
| Probably just reference to the fact that there are two Dakotas, but mishearing/misrepresenting "North" as "More" (leaving South Dakota as just "Dakota").  Might be a reference to [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/more-dakka "More Dakka"], a catchphrase by Orks from the Warhammer 40000 universe, though WH40K isn't a usual XKCD touchstone.
 +
|-
 +
| Minestrone
 +
| {{w|Minnesota}}
 +
| {{w|Minestrone}} is a thick vegetable soup, originating in Italy.
 +
|-
 +
| Wainscot
 +
| {{w|Wisconsin}}
 +
| {{w|Panelling#Wainscot_panelling|Wainscot}} is a type of wood {{w|panelling}} covering only the lower half of a wall.
 +
|-
 +
| Iota
 +
| {{w|Iowa}}
 +
| {{w|Iota}} is the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Yodh. Also colloquially used to mean a very small quantity.
 +
|-
 +
| Sk8rbois
 +
| {{w|Illinois}}
 +
| "Skater Boys" or just "Skater Boy" if the '-ois' is pronounced the same as it is in "Illinois". {{w|Sk8er Boi}} is a song by Avril Lavigne.
 +
|-
 +
| Mossouri
 +
| {{w|Missouri}}
 +
| The single different letter represents probably a typo (O is adjacent to I in a keyboard). This typo has about 22,000 results on Google. Alternatively, this could be an attempt to "correct" the spelling of the state name to match its non-intuitive postal abbreviation, MO, which is sometimes used as a pronounceable acronym. Or it could be a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Moussouris Katie Mossouris].
 +
|-
 +
| Arkanoids
 +
| {{w|Arkansas}}
 +
| {{w|Arkanoid}} is an arcade game, developed by Taito in 1986.
 +
|-
 +
| Louisa
 +
| {{w|Louisiana}}
 +
| Louisa, feminine of Louis, is an Old German name meaning "famous warrior". Louisiana was named after King Louis XIV when it was founded as a French colony.
 +
|-
 +
| Misstate
 +
| {{w|Mississippi}}
 +
| The word "misstate" means to state improperly.  "Mis-" is also a prefix meaning "wrong," "incorrect," or simply negating. "Misstate" could be a non-state. {{w|Mississipi State University|Miss State}} is a university in Mississippi. This may also be a joke on the fact that Mississippi is one of the most commonly misspelled state names.
 +
|-
 +
| Bandana
 +
| {{w|Alabama}}
 +
| A {{w|Kerchief|bandana}} is a large handkerchief cloth, worn either around the head or neck. Often used in Westerns.
 +
|-
 +
| Thennessy
 +
| {{w|Tennessee}}
 +
| {{w|Hennessy}} is a brand of cognac.
 +
|-
 +
| Kennedy
 +
| {{w|Kentucky}}
 +
| {{w|Kennedy Fried Chicken}} is New York City–based fast food brand that shares its initials with KFC, which was formerly (and still conventionally) Kentucky Fried Chicken.
 +
|-
 +
| That Other One
 +
| {{w|Indiana}}
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| 'That Other One' is something someone might say if they were trying to name all the states from memory, and knew where a state was but not what it was called. Appropriate for Indiana, due to being a state with relatively few distinguishing features.
 +
|-
 +
| Mishy
 +
| {{w|Michigan}}
 +
| According to the Urban Dictionary, "mishy" means "[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mishy mushy and horny at the same time]".  Or it could just be a nickname, the way a lot of people's names, often children, get shortened with a trailing y (Bobby, Becky, Johnny, Suzy, Davey, Jimmy, etc.).
 +
|-
 +
| Oh Hi
 +
| {{w|Ohio}}
 +
| Oh (expression of surprise), Hi (greeting). A common utterance upon meeting an acquaintance unexpectedly.
 +
|-
 +
| Pencilmania
 +
| {{w|Pennsylvania}}
 +
| [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151935/ Pencil Mania] is a 1932 Tom and Jerry cartoon in which they pull out a pencil and proceed to draw figures in the air.
 +
|-
 +
| Newark
 +
| {{w|New York}}
 +
| The city of Newark is a suburb of New York City, and many people who live in Newark commute the 14 miles to work in New York City, however it is actually located in the state of New Jersey rather than New York. Other references: Newark Liberty International Airport is a major flight hub serving the New York metropolitan area, the village of Newark, New York (near Lake Ontario), and Newark element14 (or simply "Newark"), the official distributor of Raspberry Pi. Possible reference to William Gibson's works.  A mispronunciation of New York.
 +
|-
 +
| Vermouth
 +
| {{w|Vermont}}
 +
| {{w|Vermouth}} is an Italian alcoholic beverage.
 +
|-
 +
| New Hamper
 +
| {{w|New Hampshire}}
 +
| A {{w|hamper}} is a large basket, often with lid, used for laundry. Also another name for a picnic basket.
 +
|-
 +
| Spanish Maine
 +
| {{w|Maine}}
 +
| The {{w|Spanish Main}} was the mainland Spanish colonial possessions around the Gulf of Mexico.  Also refers to the surrounding sea, as in the opening of the (children's?) song, "Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main, ..."
 +
|-
 +
| Masseuses
 +
| {{w|Massachusetts}}
 +
| Women who give {{w|massage}}s professionally. A contentious term in the therapeutic massage industry due to its appropriation by prostitutes.
 +
|-
 +
| Roald Dahl
 +
| {{w|Rhode Island}}
 +
| A {{w|Roald Dahl|British writer}}, famous for child novels such as {{w|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory}}.
 +
|-
 +
| Connectfour
 +
| {{w|Connecticut}}
 +
| {{w|Connect Four}} is a two-player game, in which the objective is to connect four of your checkers in a row while preventing your opponent from doing the same. It has already been mentioned in [[1002: Game AIs]].
 +
|-
 +
| Nude Juggalos
 +
| {{w|New Jersey}}
 +
| {{w|Juggalo}} is a name given to fans of the group Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group. Also shares the same initials as New Jersey.
 +
|-
 +
| Delorean
 +
| {{w|Delaware}}
 +
| A {{w|DeLorean_DMC-12|car}} made famous as the {{w|DeLorean_time_machine|time machine}} in the {{w|Back to the Future}} movies.
 +
|-
 +
| Maybelline
 +
| {{w|Maryland}}
 +
| {{w|Maybelline}} is a make-up brand.
 +
|-
 +
| District of Colubrids
 +
| {{w|District of Columbia}}
 +
| The {{w|Colubridae}} are the biggest family of snakes, accounting for about two thirds of the world's species.  As the title text mentions, the {{w|Washington,_D.C.|District of Columbia}}, although not part of any state, is technically not a state itself, but is usually labeled on the maps like the 50 others for practical reasons. Here, Randall humorously explains the reason as people not wanting to upset the aforementioned snakes by dismissing their district for this pedantic reason.
 +
|-
 +
| Wyvern
 +
| {{w|West Virginia}}
 +
| A {{w|Wyvern}} is a mythical creature.
 +
|-
 +
| Virjayjay
 +
| {{w|Virginia}}
 +
| Virginia is similar to vagina. Vajayjay is slang for vagina.
 +
|-
 +
| Sweet Caroline
 +
| {{w|North Carolina}}
 +
| A {{w|Sweet_Caroline|song}} by Neil Diamond.
 +
|-
 +
| South Caroline
 +
| {{w|South Carolina}}
 +
| A further reference to {{w|Sweet_Caroline|song 'Sweet Caroline'}} by Neil Diamond, similar to 'Dakota' and 'More Dakota.' Plays on similarity between the names 'Caroline' and 'Carolina'.
 +
|-
 +
| George
 +
| {{w|Georgia}}
 +
| Georgia was named for {{w|George II of Great Britain}}.
 +
|-
 +
| Fyoridor
 +
| {{w|Florida}}
 +
| Possibly derived from the Russian name Fyodor, as in {{w|Fyodor Dostoyevsky}}.
 +
|-
 +
| Alberta
 +
| {{w|Alaska}}
 +
| {{w|Alberta}} is a Canadian province.
 +
|-
 +
| Kawaii
 +
| {{w|Hawaii}}
 +
| A {{w|Kawaii|Japanese term}} for cute, commonly romanized similar to Hawaii. Not to be confused with {{w|Kauai}}, a Hawaiian island.
 +
|}
  
−
; Alberta ({{w|Alaska}})
+
==Transcript==
−
: {{w|Alberta}} is a Canadian province known for being parochial, politically conservative, and having a strong independence movement, similarly to Alaska.
+
 
−
; Arkanoids ({{w|Arkansas}})
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[A map of the United States, with incorrect state names. A title:]
−
: {{w|Arkanoid}} is an arcade game, developed by Taito in 1986.
+
 
−
; Bandana ({{w|Alabama}})
+
Geography challenge:
−
: A {{w|Kerchief|bandana}} is a large handkerchief cloth, worn either around the head or neck. Often used in Westerns.
+
 
−
; Cafeteria ({{w|California}})
+
'''Name all 50 States'''
−
: A {{w|cafeteria}} is both a kind of restaurant and a name for a lunch room that serves food. California is large and diverse, offering a wide variety of choices. California also grows a large proportion of common vegetables available in the US ([http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/explainer/2013/07/california_grows_all_of_our_fruits_and_vegetables_what_would_we_eat_without.html Source]), making it a 'Cafeteria' for the country.
+
 
−
; Candice ({{w|Kansas}})
+
| Alabama => Bandana |  
−
: {{w|Candice}} is an alternate spelling of the girl's name "{{w|Candace_(given name)|Candace}}", which comes from the Latinized version of "{{w|kandake}}," a title used in the {{w|Kingdom of Kush}} (an ancient African monarchy) for a reigning queen, queen consort, or queen mother; possibly used for female members of the royal family in general.
+
 
−
; Colocated ({{w|Colorado}})
+
| Alaska => Alberta |
−
: May refer to computer servers located in a {{w|colocation centre}}, or to {{w|collocation}}, a linguistic term for words or terms that appear together with a frequency greater than chance.
+
 
−
; Connectfour ({{w|Connecticut}})
+
| Arizona => Verizona |
−
: {{w|Connect Four}} is a two-player game, in which the objective is to connect four of your checkers in a row while preventing your opponent from doing the same. It has already been mentioned in [[1002: Game AIs]].
+
 
−
; Dakota ({{w|South Dakota}})
+
| Arkansas => Arkanoids |
−
: Setting up the joke in North Dakota.
+
 
−
; Delorean ({{w|Delaware}})
+
| California => Cafeteria |
−
: The {{w|DeLorean_DMC-12|DeLorean DMC-12}} is a car, made famous as the {{w|DeLorean_time_machine|time machine}} in the {{w|Back to the Future}} movies.
+
 
−
; District of Colubrids ({{w|District of Columbia}})
+
| Colorado => Colocated |
−
: The {{w|Colubridae}} are the biggest family of snakes, accounting for about two thirds of the world's species.  As the title text mentions, the District of Columbia, although not part of any state, is technically not a state itself, but is usually labeled on the maps like the 50 others for practical reasons. Here, Randall humorously explains the reason as people not wanting to upset the aforementioned snakes by dismissing their district for this pedantic reason.
+
 
−
; Fallout New Vegas ({{w|Nevada}})
+
| Connecticut => Connect Four |
−
: {{w|Fallout New Vegas}} is a video game set in post-apocalyptic Nevada.
+
 
−
; Fyoridor ({{w|Florida}})
+
| Delaware => Delorean |
−
: Possibly derived from the Russian name Fyodor, as in {{w|Fyodor Dostoyevsky}}.
+
 
−
; George ({{w|Georgia}})
+
| District of Columbia => District of Colubrids |
−
: Georgia was named for {{w|George II of Great Britain}}.
+
 
−
; Hexxus ({{w|Texas}})
+
| Florida => Fyoridor |
−
: The antagonist of {{w|FernGully:_The_Last_Rainforest|FernGully}}. Ferngully is said to be the model for the later film {{w|Avatar_(2009_film)|Avatar}}. This is the second time Hexxus was mentioned in xkcd, the first occurrence being in [[1750: Life Goals]] and the third being in [[1918: NEXUS]]. May allude to the Texas oil industry and the state's general reputation for a lack of environmental protection.
+
 
−
; Idolatry ({{w|Idaho}})
+
| Georgia => George |
−
: {{w|Idolatry}} is the worship of a physical object as a god, forbidden in the Abrahamic religions.
+
 
−
; Iota ({{w|Iowa}})
+
| Hawaii => Kawaii |
−
: {{w|Iota}} is the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iota ninth letter of the Greek alphabet]. In English, the word [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/iota#English iota] may also mean "an inconsiderable amount".
+
 
−
; Kawaii ({{w|Hawaii}})
+
| Idaho => Idolatry |
−
: A {{w|Kawaii|Japanese term}} for cute, commonly romanized similar to Hawaii. Not to be confused with {{w|Kauai}}, a Hawaiian island.
+
 
−
; Kennedy ({{w|Kentucky}})
+
| Illinois => SK8RBOIS |
−
: {{w|Kennedy Fried Chicken}} is New York City–based fast food brand that shares its initials with KFC, which was formerly (and still conventionally) Kentucky Fried Chicken.  "Kennedy" is also the name of a former US president ({{w|John_F._Kennedy|John}}) and two former US senators ({{w|Robert_F._Kennedy|Robert}} and {{w|Ted_Kennedy|Ted}}). 
+
 
−
; Louisa ({{w|Louisiana}})
+
| Indiana => That Other One |
−
: Louisa, feminine of Louis, is an Old German name meaning "famous warrior". Louisiana was named after King Louis XIV when it was founded as a French colony.
+
 
−
; Masseuses ({{w|Massachusetts}})
+
| Iowa => Iota |
−
: Women who give {{w|massage}}s professionally. A contentious term in the therapeutic massage industry due to its appropriation by prostitutes. Randall might be making fun about how difficult he thinks it is to spell Massachusetts.
+
 
−
; Maybelline ({{w|Maryland}})
+
| Kansas => Candice |
−
: {{w|Maybelline}} is a make-up brand.
+
 
−
; Minestrone ({{w|Minnesota}})
+
| Kentucky => Kennedy |
−
: {{w|Minestrone}} is a thick vegetable soup, originating in Italy.
+
 
−
; Mishy ({{w|Michigan}})
+
| Louisiana => Loisa |
−
: According to the Urban Dictionary, "mishy" means "[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mishy mushy and horny at the same time]".  Or it could just be a nickname, the way a lot of people's names, often children, get shortened with a trailing y (Bobby, Becky, Johnny, Suzy, Davey, Jimmy, etc.).
+
 
−
; Misstate ({{w|Mississippi}})
+
| Maine => Spanish Maine |
−
: The word "misstate" means to state improperly. "Mis-" is also a prefix meaning "wrong," "incorrect," or simply negating. "Misstate" could be a non-state. {{w|Mississippi State University|Miss State}} is a university in Mississippi. This may also be a joke on the fact that Mississippi is one of the most commonly misspelled state names.
+
 
−
; More Dakota ({{w|North Dakota}})
+
| Maryland => Maybelline |
−
: Might be a reference to [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/more-dakka "More Dakka"], a catchphrase by Orks from the {{w|Warhammer_40,000|Warhammer 40000}} universe which is also a page on {{tvtropes|MoreDakka|TVTropes}} referring to the large-scale use of ammunition. May also allude to the idea that North Dakota is less visible in popular culture than its Southern neighbor, owing to the fact that the latter contains Mount Rushmore but the former does not have any major landmarks.
+
 
−
; mount -a ({{w|Montana}})
+
| Massachusetts => Masseuses |
−
: A command to {{w|Mount (computing)|mount}} all disk volumes in fstab (except for ones with the noauto flag).
+
 
−
; Mossouri ({{w|Missouri}})
+
| Michigan => Mishy |
−
: The single different letter represents probably a typo (O is adjacent to I in a keyboard). This typo has about 22,000 results on Google. Alternatively, this could be an attempt to "correct" the spelling of the state name to match its non-intuitive {{w|List_of_U.S._state_abbreviations|postal abbreviation}}, MO, which is sometimes used as a pronounceable acronym. Or it could be a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Moussouris Katie Mossouris].
+
 
−
; Namaste ({{w|New Mexico}})
+
| Minnesota => Minestrone |
−
: {{w|Namaste}} is a Hindu greeting. Probably unabbreviated from NM (postal code for New Mexico).
+
 
−
; Nebrunswick ({{w|Nebraska}})
+
| Mississippi => Misstate |
−
: {{w|New Brunswick}}, a Canadian province.  New Brunswick is abbreviated "NB" in the {{w|Canadian_postal_abbreviations_for_provinces_and_territories|Canadian postal system}}, and "NB" was also as the postal abbreviation for Nebraska until 1969. It was then changed to "NE" specifically to avoid the confusion between the two. Nevertheless, people sometimes still use "NB" to refer to Nebraska.
+
 
−
; New Hamper ({{w|New Hampshire}})
+
| Missouri => Mossouri |
−
: A {{w|hamper}} is a large basket, often with lid, used for laundry. Also another name for a picnic basket.
+
 
−
; Newark ({{w|New York (state)|New York}})
+
| Montana => mount -a |
−
: The city of {{w|Newark,_New_Jersey|Newark}} is a suburb of {{w|New York City}} (NYC), and many people who live in Newark commute the 14 miles to work in NYC, however it is actually located in the state of New Jersey rather than New York. Other references: {{w|Newark Liberty International Airport}} (a major flight hub serving the {{w|New York metropolitan area}}), the village of Newark, New York (near Lake Ontario), and {{w|Newark_element14|Newark element14}} (or simply "Newark"), the official distributor of Raspberry Pi. Possible reference to William Gibson's works. A mispronunciation of New York.
+
 
−
; Nude Juggalos ({{w|New Jersey}})
+
| Nebraska => Nebrunswick |
−
: {{w|Juggalo}} is a name given to fans of the group Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group. Also shares the same initials as New Jersey.
+
 
−
; Oh Hi ({{w|Ohio}})
+
| Nevada => Fallout New Vegas |
−
: Oh (expression of surprise), Hi (greeting). A common utterance upon meeting an acquaintance unexpectedly.
+
 
−
; Okay ({{w|Oklahoma}})
+
| New Hampshire => New Hamper |
−
: OK is the {{w|List_of_U.S._state_abbreviations|state's abbreviation}}. Okay is a spelling of another abbreviation OK, which means "yes" or "good", and has {{w|OK#Proposed etymologies|quite a few possible origins}}. There's also a town in Oklahoma called Okay.
+
 
−
; Organs ({{w|Oregon}})
+
| New Jersey => Nude Juggalos |
−
: Could refer to either {{w|Organ (anatomy)|body parts}} that perform vital functions, or large {{w|Organ (music)|musical instruments}} having rows of tuned pipes. Also a possible reference to {{w|Organ Trail}}, a retro survival video game that parodies {{w|The Oregon Trail (video game)|The Oregon Trail}}.
+
 
−
; Pencilmania ({{w|Pennsylvania}})
+
| New Mexico => Namaste |
−
: [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151935/ Pencil Mania] is a 1932 {{w|Tom and Jerry}} cartoon in which they pull out a pencil and proceed to draw figures in the air. Probably joking about how the first part of Pennsylvania sounds like the word "pencil".
+
 
−
; Roald Dahl ({{w|Rhode Island}})
+
| New York => Newark |
−
: A {{w|Roald Dahl|British writer}}, famous for child novels such as {{w|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory}}. This name does not actually rhyme well with Rhode Island. Dahl used the Norwegian pronunciation of his name (roo-ahl dahl, rather than ro-ahld dahl), as he had Norwegian parents. Because of how the pronunciation of the name has not been wildly known by readers, Randall may not have been aware of this.
 
−
; Sk8rbois ({{w|Illinois}})
 
−
: "Skater Boys" or just "Skater Boy" if the '-ois' is pronounced the same as it is in "Illinois". {{w|Sk8er Boi}} is a song by {{w|Avril Lavigne}}.
 
−
; South Caroline ({{w|South Carolina}})
 
−
: A further reference to {{w|Sweet_Caroline|song 'Sweet Caroline'}} by Neil Diamond, similar to 'Dakota' and 'More Dakota.' Plays on similarity between the names 'Caroline' and 'Carolina'.
 
−
; Spanish Maine ({{w|Maine}})
 
−
: The {{w|Spanish Main}} was the mainland Spanish colonial possessions around the Gulf of Mexico.  Also refers to the surrounding sea, as in the opening of the (children's?) song, "Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main, ...". May also refer to the {{w|USS Maine (ACR-1)}}, which, upon sinking, started the Spanish-American war.
 
−
; Sweet Caroline ({{w|North Carolina}})
 
−
: A {{w|Sweet_Caroline|song}} by Neil Diamond.
 
−
; That Other One ({{w|Indiana}})
 
−
: 'That Other One' is something someone might say if they were trying to name all the states from memory, and knew where a state was but not what it was called. Appropriate for Indiana, due to being a state with relatively few distinguishing features.
 
−
; Thennessy ({{w|Tennessee}})
 
−
: {{w|Hennessy}} is a brand of cognac.
 
−
; Uhaul ({{w|Utah}})
 
−
: {{w|U-Haul}} is a company that rents moving vans which are frequently decorated with scenes from places that most people have never visited.
 
−
; Verizona ({{w|Arizona}})
 
−
: {{w|Verizon}}, a telecommunications company, has the shared text "Rizon" with Arizona (Ve''rizon'', A''rizon''a).
 
−
; Vermouth ({{w|Vermont}})
 
−
: {{w|Vermouth}} is an Italian alcoholic beverage.
 
−
; Virjayjay ({{w|Virginia}})
 
−
: Virginia is similar to {{w|vagina}}. Vajayjay is slang for vagina.
 
−
; Wainscot ({{w|Wisconsin}})
 
−
: {{w|Panelling#Wainscot_panelling|Wainscot}} is a type of wood {{w|panelling}} covering only the lower half of a wall.
 
−
; Wilwheaton ({{w|Washington_State|Washington}})
 
−
: {{w|Wil Wheaton}} is an actor and writer, famous for his role as {{w|Wesley Crusher}} on {{w|Star Trek}}.
 
−
; Wysiwyg ({{w|Wyoming}})
 
−
: Acronym for "{{w|WYSIWYG|what you see is what you get}}". A reference to [[Types of Editors]].
 
−
; Wyvern ({{w|West Virginia}})
 
−
: A {{w|Wyvern}} is a mythical creature.
 
  
−
<!-- in original order:
+
| North Carolina => Sweet Caroline |
−
; Wilwheaton ({{w|Washington_State|Washington}})
 
−
: {{w|Wil Wheaton}} is an actor and writer, famous for his role as {{w|Wesley Crusher}} on {{w|Star Trek}}.
 
−
; Organs ({{w|Oregon}})
 
−
: Could refer to either {{w|Organ (anatomy)|body parts}} that perform vital functions, or large {{w|Organ (music)|musical instruments}} having rows of tuned pipes. Also a possible reference to {{w|Organ Trail}}, a retro survival video game that parodies {{w|The Oregon Trail (video game)|The Oregon Trail}}.
 
−
; Cafeteria ({{w|California}})
 
−
: A {{w|cafeteria}} is both a kind of restaurant and a name for a lunch room that serves food. California is large and diverse, offering a wide variety of choices. California also grows a large proportion of common vegetables available in the US ([http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/explainer/2013/07/california_grows_all_of_our_fruits_and_vegetables_what_would_we_eat_without.html Source]), making it a 'Cafeteria' for the country.
 
−
; Fallout New Vegas ({{w|Nevada}})
 
−
: {{w|Fallout New Vegas}} is a video game set in post-apocalyptic Nevada.
 
−
; Idolatry ({{w|Idaho}})
 
−
: {{w|Idolatry}} is the worship of a physical object as a god, forbidden in the Abrahamic religions.
 
−
; mount -a ({{w|Montana}})
 
−
: A command to {{w|Mount (computing)|mount}} all disk volumes in fstab (except for ones with the noauto flag).
 
−
; Wysiwyg ({{w|Wyoming}})
 
−
: Acronym for "{{w|WYSIWYG|what you see is what you get}}". A reference to [[Types of Editors]].
 
−
; Uhaul ({{w|Utah}})
 
−
: {{w|U-Haul}} is a company that rents moving vans which are frequently decorated with scenes from places that most people have never visited.
 
−
; Verizona ({{w|Arizona}})
 
−
: {{w|Verizon}}, a telecommunications company, has the shared text "Rizon" with Arizona (Ve''rizon'', A''rizon''a).
 
−
; Namaste ({{w|New Mexico}})
 
−
: {{w|Namaste}} is a Hindu greeting.
 
−
; Hexxus ({{w|Texas}})
 
−
: The antagonist of Ferngully. {{w|FernGully:_The_Last_Rainforest|FernGully}} is said to be the model for the later film {{w|Avatar_(2009_film)|Avatar}}. This is the second time Hexxus was mentioned in xkcd, the first occurrence being in [[1750: Life Goals]]. May allude to the Texas oil industry and the state's general reputation for a lack of environmental protection.
 
−
; Okay ({{w|Oklahoma}})
 
−
: OK is the {{w|List_of_U.S._state_abbreviations|state's abbreviation}}. Okay is a spelling of another abbreviation O.K., which means "yes" or "good", and has {{w|OK#Proposed etymologies|quite a few possible origins}}.
 
−
; Candice ({{w|Kansas}})
 
−
: {{w|Candice}} is an alternate spelling of the girl's name "{{w|Candace_(given name)|Candace}}", which comes from the Latinized version of "{{w|kandake}}," a title used in the {{w|Kingdom of Kush}} (an ancient African monarchy) for a reigning queen, queen consort, or queen mother; possibly used for female members of the royal family in general.
 
−
; Colocated ({{w|Colorado}})
 
−
: May refer to computer servers located in a {{w|colocation centre}}, or to {{w|collocation}}, a linguistics term for words or terms that appear together with a frequency greater than chance.
 
−
; Nebrunswick ({{w|Nebraska}})
 
−
: {{w|New Brunswick}}, a Canadian province.  New Brunswick is abbreviated "NB" in the {{w|Canadian_postal_abbreviations_for_provinces_and_territories|Canadian postal system}}, and "NB" was also as the postal abbreviation for Nebraska until 1969. It was then changed to "NE" specifically to avoid the confusion between the two. Nevertheless, people sometimes still use "NB" to refer to Nebraska.
 
−
; Dakota ({{w|South Dakota}})
 
−
: Setting up the joke in North Dakota.
 
−
; More Dakota ({{w|North Dakota}})
 
−
: Might be a reference to [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/more-dakka "More Dakka"], a catchphrase by Orks from the {{w|Warhammer_40,000|Warhammer 40000}} universe which is also a page on [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MoreDakka TVTropes] referring to the large-scale use of ammunition. May also allude to the idea that North Dakota is less visible in popular culture than its Southern neighbor, owing to the fact that the latter contains Mount Rushmore but the former does not have any major landmarks.
 
−
; Minestrone ({{w|Minnesota}})
 
−
: {{w|Minestrone}} is a thick vegetable soup, originating in Italy.
 
−
; Wainscot ({{w|Wisconsin}})
 
−
: {{w|Panelling#Wainscot_panelling|Wainscot}} is a type of wood {{w|panelling}} covering only the lower half of a wall.
 
−
; Iota ({{w|Iowa}})
 
−
: {{w|Iota}} is the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iota ninth letter of the Greek alphabet]. In English, the word [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/iota#English iota] may also mean "an inconsiderable amount".
 
−
; Sk8rbois ({{w|Illinois}})
 
−
: "Skater Boys" or just "Skater Boy" if the '-ois' is pronounced the same as it is in "Illinois". {{w|Sk8er Boi}} is a song by {{w|Avril Lavigne}}.
 
−
; Mossouri ({{w|Missouri}})
 
−
: The single different letter represents probably a typo (O is adjacent to I in a keyboard). This typo has about 22,000 results on Google. Alternatively, this could be an attempt to "correct" the spelling of the state name to match its non-intuitive {{w|List_of_U.S._state_abbreviations|postal abbreviation}}, MO, which is sometimes used as a pronounceable acronym. Or it could be a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Moussouris Katie Mossouris].
 
−
; Arkanoids ({{w|Arkansas}})
 
−
: {{w|Arkanoid}} is an arcade game, developed by Taito in 1986.
 
−
; Louisa ({{w|Louisiana}})
 
−
: Louisa, feminine of Louis, is an Old German name meaning "famous warrior". Louisiana was named after King Louis XIV when it was founded as a French colony.
 
−
; Misstate ({{w|Mississippi}})
 
−
: The word "misstate" means to state improperly.  "Mis-" is also a prefix meaning "wrong," "incorrect," or simply negating. "Misstate" could be a non-state. {{w|Mississipi State University|Miss State}} is a university in Mississippi. This may also be a joke on the fact that Mississippi is one of the most commonly misspelled state names.
 
−
; Bandana ({{w|Alabama}})
 
−
: A {{w|Kerchief|bandana}} is a large handkerchief cloth, worn either around the head or neck. Often used in Westerns.
 
−
; Thennessy ({{w|Tennessee}})
 
−
: {{w|Hennessy}} is a brand of cognac.
 
−
; Kennedy ({{w|Kentucky}})
 
−
: {{w|Kennedy Fried Chicken}} is New York City–based fast food brand that shares its initials with KFC, which was formerly (and still conventionally) Kentucky Fried Chicken.  "Kennedy" is also the name of a former US president ({{w|John_F._Kennedy|John}}) and two former US senators ({{w|Robert_F._Kennedy|Robert}} and {{w|Ted_Kennedy|Ted}}). 
 
−
; That Other One ({{w|Indiana}})
 
−
: 'That Other One' is something someone might say if they were trying to name all the states from memory, and knew where a state was but not what it was called. Appropriate for Indiana, due to being a state with relatively few distinguishing features.
 
−
; Mishy ({{w|Michigan}})
 
−
: According to the Urban Dictionary, "mishy" means "[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mishy mushy and horny at the same time]".  Or it could just be a nickname, the way a lot of people's names, often children, get shortened with a trailing y (Bobby, Becky, Johnny, Suzy, Davey, Jimmy, etc.).
 
−
; Oh Hi ({{w|Ohio}})
 
−
: Oh (expression of surprise), Hi (greeting). A common utterance upon meeting an acquaintance unexpectedly.
 
−
; Pencilmania ({{w|Pennsylvania}})
 
−
: [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151935/ Pencil Mania] is a 1932 {{w|Tom and Jerry}} cartoon in which they pull out a pencil and proceed to draw figures in the air. Probably joking about how the first part of Pennsylvania sounds like the word "pencil".
 
−
; Newark ({{w|New York}})
 
−
: The city of {{w|Newark,_New_Jersey|Newark}} is a suburb of New York City, and many people who live in Newark commute the 14 miles to work in New York City, however it is actually located in the state of New Jersey rather than New York. Other references: {{w|Newark_Liberty_International_Airport|Newark Liberty International Airport}} is a major flight hub serving the New York metropolitan area, the village of Newark, New York (near Lake Ontario), and {{w|Newark_element14|Newark element14}} (or simply "Newark"), the official distributor of Raspberry Pi. Possible reference to William Gibson's works. A mispronunciation of New York.
 
−
; Vermouth ({{w|Vermont}})
 
−
: {{w|Vermouth}} is an Italian alcoholic beverage.
 
−
; New Hamper ({{w|New Hampshire}})
 
−
: A {{w|hamper}} is a large basket, often with lid, used for laundry. Also another name for a picnic basket.
 
−
; Spanish Maine ({{w|Maine}})
 
−
: The {{w|Spanish Main}} was the mainland Spanish colonial possessions around the Gulf of Mexico.  Also refers to the surrounding sea, as in the opening of the (children's?) song, "Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main, ...". May also refer to the {{w|USS Maine (ACR-1)}}, which, upon sinking, started the Spanish-American war.
 
−
; Masseuses ({{w|Massachusetts}})
 
−
: Women who give {{w|massage}}s professionally. A contentious term in the therapeutic massage industry due to its appropriation by prostitutes. Randall might be making fun about how difficult he thinks it is to spell Massachusetts.
 
−
; Roald Dahl ({{w|Rhode Island}})
 
−
: A {{w|Roald Dahl|British writer}}, famous for child novels such as {{w|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory}}. This name does not actually rhyme well with Rhode Island. Dahl used the Norwegian pronunciation of his name (roo-ahl dahl, rather than ro-ahld dahl), as he had Norwegian parents. Because of how the pronunciation of the name has not been wildly known by readers, Randall may not have been aware of this.
 
−
; Connectfour ({{w|Connecticut}})
 
−
: {{w|Connect Four}} is a two-player game, in which the objective is to connect four of your checkers in a row while preventing your opponent from doing the same. It has already been mentioned in [[1002: Game AIs]].
 
−
; Nude Juggalos ({{w|New Jersey}})
 
−
: {{w|Juggalo}} is a name given to fans of the group Insane Clown Posse or any other Psychopathic Records hip hop group. Also shares the same initials as New Jersey.
 
−
; Delorean ({{w|Delaware}})
 
−
: The {{w|DeLorean_DMC-12|DeLorean DMC-12}} is a car, made famous as the {{w|DeLorean_time_machine|time machine}} in the {{w|Back to the Future}} movies.
 
−
; Maybelline ({{w|Maryland}})
 
−
: {{w|Maybelline}} is a make-up brand.
 
−
; District of Colubrids ({{w|District of Columbia}})
 
−
: The {{w|Colubridae}} are the biggest family of snakes, accounting for about two thirds of the world's species.  As the title text mentions, the District of Columbia, although not part of any state, is technically not a state itself, but is usually labeled on the maps like the 50 others for practical reasons. Here, Randall humorously explains the reason as people not wanting to upset the aforementioned snakes by dismissing their district for this pedantic reason.
 
−
; Wyvern ({{w|West Virginia}})
 
−
: A {{w|Wyvern}} is a mythical creature.
 
−
; Virjayjay ({{w|Virginia}})
 
−
: Virginia is similar to {{w|vagina}}. Vajayjay is slang for vagina.
 
−
; Sweet Caroline ({{w|North Carolina}})
 
−
: A {{w|Sweet_Caroline|song}} by Neil Diamond.
 
−
; South Caroline ({{w|South Carolina}})
 
−
: A further reference to {{w|Sweet_Caroline|song 'Sweet Caroline'}} by Neil Diamond, similar to 'Dakota' and 'More Dakota.' Plays on similarity between the names 'Caroline' and 'Carolina'.
 
−
; George ({{w|Georgia}})
 
−
: Georgia was named for {{w|George II of Great Britain}}.
 
−
; Fyoridor ({{w|Florida}})
 
−
: Possibly derived from the Russian name Fyodor, as in {{w|Fyodor Dostoyevsky}}.
 
−
; Alberta ({{w|Alaska}})
 
−
: {{w|Alberta}} is a Canadian province.
 
−
; Kawaii ({{w|Hawaii}})
 
−
: A {{w|Kawaii|Japanese term}} for cute, commonly romanized similar to Hawaii. Not to be confused with {{w|Kauai}}, a Hawaiian island.
 
−
-->
 
  
−
==Transcript==
+
| South Carolina => South Caroline |
−
:[A political map of the United States is shown. The title reads:]
+
 
−
:Geography challenge:
+
| Ohio => Oh Hi |
−
:'''Name all 50 states'''
+
 
 +
| Oklahoma => Okay |
 +
 
 +
| Oregon => Organs |
 +
 
 +
| Pennsylvania => Pencilmania |
 +
 
 +
| Rhode Island => Roald Dahl |
 +
 
 +
| South Dakota => Dakota |
 +
 
 +
| /North Dakota => More Dakota |
 +
 
 +
| Tennessee => Thennessy |
 +
 
 +
| Texas => Hexxus |
 +
 
 +
| Utah => Uhaul |
 +
 
 +
| Vermont => Vermouth |
 +
 
 +
| Virginia => Virjayjay |
 +
 
 +
| Washington => Willwheaton |
 +
 
 +
| West Virginia => Wyvern |
 +
 
 +
| Wisconsin => Wainscot |
  
−
:[The state names in red text color are:]
+
| Wyoming => WYSIWYG |
−
:Alabama => Bandana
 
−
:Alaska => Alberta
 
−
:Arizona => Verizona
 
−
:Arkansas => Arkanoids
 
−
:California => Cafeteria
 
−
:Colorado => Colocated
 
−
:Connecticut => Connect Four
 
−
:Delaware => Delorean
 
−
:District of Columbia => District of Colubrids
 
−
:Florida => Fyoridor
 
−
:Georgia => George
 
−
:Hawaii => Kawaii
 
−
:Idaho => Idolatry
 
−
:Illinois => SK8RBOIS
 
−
:Indiana => That Other One
 
−
:Iowa => Iota
 
−
:Kansas => Candice
 
−
:Kentucky => Kennedy
 
−
:Louisiana => Loisa
 
−
:Maine => Spanish Maine
 
−
:Maryland => Maybelline
 
−
:Massachusetts => Masseuses
 
−
:Michigan => Mishy
 
−
:Minnesota => Minestrone
 
−
:Mississippi => Misstate
 
−
:Missouri => Mossouri
 
−
:Montana => mount -a
 
−
:Nebraska => Nebrunswick
 
−
:Nevada => Fallout New Vegas
 
−
:New Hampshire => New Hamper
 
−
:New Jersey => Nude Juggalos
 
−
:New Mexico => Namaste
 
−
:New York => Newark
 
−
:North Carolina => Sweet Caroline
 
−
:South Carolina => South Caroline
 
−
:Ohio => Oh Hi
 
−
:Oklahoma => Okay
 
−
:Oregon => Organs
 
−
:Pennsylvania => Pencilmania
 
−
:Rhode Island => Roald Dahl
 
−
:South Dakota => Dakota
 
−
:North Dakota => More Dakota
 
−
:Tennessee => Thennessy
 
−
:Texas => Hexxus
 
−
:Utah => Uhaul
 
−
:Vermont => Vermouth
 
−
:Virginia => Virjayjay
 
−
:Washington => Willwheaton
 
−
:West Virginia => Wyvern
 
−
:Wisconsin => Wainscot
 
−
:Wyoming => WYSIWYG
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
−
[[Category:FernGully]] <!--hexxus-->
+
 
−
[[Category:US maps]]
+
[[Category:Maps]]
−
[[Category:Video games]]
 
−
[[Category:Back to the Future]]
 
−
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
−
[[Category:Comics with lowercase text]]
 

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