Editing 2901: Geographic Qualifiers

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 confused, as he realizes that this seems to imply the existence of a taller one in the {{w|Southern Hemisphere}}.  

He quickly considers different countries in that hemisphere, {{w|Brazil}}, {{w|South Africa}} and {{w|Australia}}. This last country is a place known for its many {{w|Big things (Australia)|overly large statues}}. Squirrels are, however, not native to Australia, with 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 (squirrels [https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/animals/article/squirrel-distribution-habitat do live elsewhere] in the southern hemisphere). It might be considered doubtful that there are any commemorative statues of such small pests, though {{w|Sarina, Queensland#Attractions|there is precedent}}. There are of course many animals (and many entirely fictional ones) that are depicted as statues in countries where they do not belong, such as an elephant in the Australian collection. Outsized [https://natureworks.com.au/products/animals/mammals/farm-forest-animals/giant-wirral-the-enormous-squirrel-statue/ squirrel statues] are available, but perhaps not with the additional stipulation of it riding a skateboard. Maybe [[Randall]], and/or the 'knowledgable' Cueball, does indeed know of some actual taller version of this theme somewhere in the southern hemisphere, but the confused guy certainly does not. <!-- As yet, nobody here does, either... -->

Adding what ''might be'' an unnecessary qualifier, like this, could not change the truth of the wider 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. Or, in some cases, even whether to take this statement {{tvtropes|SuspiciouslySpecificDenial|at face value}}.

Randall states, in the caption, that he loves the mystery created by adding possibly needless qualifiers. Doing so could thus have been one of Randall's [[:Category:My Hobby|hobbies]], but he doesn't make that explicit. Sometimes qualifiers are added simply due to incomplete information. They've exhaustively surveyed squirrel statues in the Northern Hemisphere and determined that this one is the largest. (Not counting any actual larger ones not ''also'' skateboarding!) But since they haven't searched the Southern Hemisphere, they don't want to commit to it being the largest in the world.

Another example appears in the title text, where 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).{{Citation needed}} 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 dating history.

 

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.