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| | ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
| − | In this comic, [[Cueball]] is bragging to a [[:Category:Multiple Cueballs|Cueball-like guy]] in front of a giant statue of a {{w|squirrel}} standing on a skateboard. Cueball states that this is the largest statue of that theme in “the {{w|Northern Hemisphere}}”. The other guy then becomes intrigued, as he realizes that this seems to imply the existence of a taller one in the {{w|Southern Hemisphere}}, not to mention the existence of additional smaller one(s) in the Northern Hemisphere. A skateboarding squirrel is a peculiar enough subject that to find one example of such a statue would be a surprise, and to learn that there is at least one other would be even more surprising.
| + | {{incomplete|Created by a BOT EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI [[File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg]] Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
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| − | He quickly considers several countries in that hemisphere, {{w|Brazil}}, {{w|South Africa}}, and {{w|Australia}}. Native squirrel species are found in both {{w|Sciurus ingrami|Brazil}} and {{w|Smith's bush squirrel|South Africa}}, and people there might plausibly choose to erect statues to them. Australia, however, has no native squirrels, and introduced populations of {{w|Eastern gray squirrel|gray}} and {{w|Northern palm squirrel|palm squirrels}} [https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/palm-squirrel reportedly] have been eradicated, at considerable expense of time and money. "Confused Cueball" wonders whether Australians would know or care enough about squirrels to erect statues to them. It so happens, though, that many animals (and many entirely fictional ones) are depicted as statues in countries where they are not native, Australia is known for its many {{w|Big things (Australia)|overly large statues}}, and 1.5 m (5 foot) tall [https://natureworks.com.au/products/animals/mammals/farm-forest-animals/giant-wirral-the-enormous-squirrel-statue/ squirrel statues] are already sold there. So the existence of squirrel statues in the Southern Hemisphere that are larger than the one Cueball is bragging about is not out of the question - but the comic doesn't permit "confused Cueball" the half hour he'd need to drag out his phone and look up all these facts. The question about whether, and how many, of these putative squirrel statues are mounted on a skateboard is separate, although there is nothing in the urban cultures of the places named to preclude this possibility.
| + | In this comic, two [[Cueball]]s are admiring a giant statue of a squirrel standing on a skateboard. The first is bragging about how it is the largest statue of that theme in “the Northern Hemisphere”. The second one is visibly confused, as he realizes that this implies there is a taller one in the Southern Hemisphere; he doubts that this is the case. Squirrels aren't native to the Southern Hemisphere, so it's unlikely there would be ''any'' statues of them, let alone larger than this one. |
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| − | It's entirely possible that this qualifier is unnecessary. If the statue were the largest of its kind in the world, or even the only one in the world (which is a distinct possibility, given the very specific nature of the statue), the description would still be true. Sometimes qualifiers are added simply due to incomplete information. They've exhaustively surveyed skateboarding squirrel statues in the Northern Hemisphere and determined that this one is the largest, but since they haven't searched the Southern Hemisphere, they don't want to commit to it being the largest in the world. On the other hand, it's possible that, paradoxically, he deliberately added a needless qualifier in an attempt to make the claim sound more impressive, even though technically it limits its scope, by implying intense competition for a title that, in reality, no one else is interested in claiming. [[Randall]] states, in the caption, that he loves the mystery that such qualifiers create. Doing so could thus have been one of Randall's [[:Category:My Hobby|hobbies]], but he doesn't make that explicit.
| + | Adding a qualifier like this doesn't change the truth of the statement. But it suggests that there's a need to restrict the scope of the statement, i.e. it wouldn't be true with a less restrictive qualifier (or none at all). This will cause the listener to wonder about these other cases. |
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| − | Another example appears in the title text, where Randall uses the other example qualifier given in the caption. Here someone is expressing gratitude at the end of a date, saying that it's the loveliest evening they've ever had. This seems normal until they add the location qualifier of "east of the {{w|Mississippi River|Mississippi}}" (the river). This leaves the companion wondering what kind of great evening they had in some other location. In this case, it's unlikely that the speaker would have incomplete information about their own personal history.
| + | Sometimes qualifiers are added simply due to incomplete information. They've surveyed squirrel statues in the Northern Hemisphere and determined that this one is the largest. But since they haven't searched the Southern Hemisphere, they don't want to commit to it being the largest in the world. |
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| − | The statue may be a reference to [https://www.worldrecordacademy.org/2022/06/worlds-largest-squirrel-sculpture-cedar-creek-texas-sets-world-record-422206 Ms. Pearl], the [https://www.google.com/maps/@30.1663034,-97.5110882,3a,75y,51.89h,82.93t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shmwK8_AhUxo4gnhMZmWG5w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 giant squirrel statue] in {{w|Cedar Creek, Texas}} which, at 14 ft (4 m), is indeed the largest squirrel statue in the Western Hemisphere. In 2018, the qualifier ''was'' necessary since a [https://www.new-east-archive.org/articles/show/10477/a-giant-squirrel-has-taken-over-almat|temporary 40 ft (12 m) squirrel statue] was erected in {{w|Kazakhstan}}. (It is no longer there.) But information for tourists in Cedar Creek, Texas, doesn't include this information that would create the mystique.{{Actual citation needed}}
| + | In the title text, someone is expressing gratitude at the end of a date, saying that it's the loveliest evening they've ever had (in actuality, "loveliest" is usually hyperbole{{cn}}). This seems normal until they add a location qualifier. This leaves the companion wondering what kind of great evening they had in some other location. In this case, it's unlikely that the speaker would have incomplete information about their own dating history. |
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| − | It is perhaps thanks only to the specific phrasing "tallest statue of a skateboarding squirrel" that we need not consider tallest-statues-of-squirrels (temporarily) placed on skateboards, tallest statuesque skateboards with squirrels atop or even a rather modestly sized statuette representing a moment when [https://bigthings.vroomvroomvroom.com/listing/worlds-largest-skateboard/ a large skateboard] had sciurine visitors, in any or all hemispheres.
| + | This over 40-foot-tall (12 m) statue of a squirrel standing on a skateboard appears to be fictional.{{acn}} |
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| − | In [[1368: One Of The]], the use of the unnecessary qualifier "one of the" was portrayed as one of Randall's [[:Category:Pet Peeves|Pet Peeves]], with a reporter describing the {{w|Gateway Arch}} as "one of the most recognizable arches in St. Louis", when it could have been described as "the most recognizable arch" in the city.
| + | ==Transcript== |
| | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
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| − | ==Transcript==
| + | :[A huge statue of a squirrel on a skateboard, which is on a pedestal. Next to it on the right, are two people, presumably two Cueballs. The Cueball on the left is pointing at the statue. The Cueball on the right has a thought bubble above him. The scene is shown from afar in black silhouette on a white background.] |
| − | :[The scene in this comic is shown from afar and drawn in black silhouette on a white background. It depicts a huge statue of a squirrel standing on a skateboard, which is on a pedestal. Below and in front of the statue there are two Cueball-like guys. The Cueball on the left is pointing at the statue and speaking to his friend on the right who has a thought bubble above him.] | + | :Left Cueball: At over 40 feet, it's the tallest statue of a skateboarding squirrel in the Northern Hemisphere. |
| − | :Cueball: At over 40 feet, it's the tallest statue of a skateboarding squirrel in the Northern Hemisphere. | + | :Right Cueball (thinking): ...Wait, who in the heck...Brazil? South Africa? Australia? Squirrels aren't even native there... |
| − | :Friend [thinking]: ...Wait, who in the heck...Brazil? South Africa? Australia? Squirrels aren't even native there... | |
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| | :[Caption below the panel:] | | :[Caption below the panel:] |
| − | :I love the instant mystery created by qualifiers like "east of the Mississippi" or "in the Northern Hemisphere." | + | :I love the instant mystery created by qualifiers like "East of the Mississippi" or "In the Northern Hemisphere." |
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| | {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
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| | [[Category:Multiple Cueballs]] | | [[Category:Multiple Cueballs]] |
| | [[Category:Geography]] | | [[Category:Geography]] |
| − | [[Category:Squirrels]]
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