Editing 856: Trochee Fixation
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | A {{w|trochee}} is a type of | + | {{incomplete|The words she says at the end are not explained. And on top of that, who is she?}} |
+ | A {{w|trochee}} is a type of {{w|metric foot}}. A foot is a measure in poetry, it consists of stressed beats and unstressed beats. A trochee is a foot which consists of one stressed beat followed by an unstressed beat. "Trochee" itself is an example of this as you stress the first syllable and don't stress the second syllable ("TROH-kee".) In the comic, an unidentified young girl develops a fixation with words that are trochees, such as robot ("ROH-bot",) raptor ("RAP-tor",) and Jesus ("JEE-zus".) [[Megan]] explains her behaviour. She proposes a "radical trocheeotomy." [[Cueball]] misinterprets Megan's intent as a "{{w|tracheotomy}}", a removal of the girl's vocal cords, of which he is in favor. | ||
− | + | Megan proceeds with the trocheeotomy, but it sadly does not have the intended effect. Though the previous trochees have been removed, the girl immediately generates new ones: "BAN-jo," "TUR-tle," "JET-pack," "FER-ret," and so on. Megan therefore resorts to Plan B, implied to be removing the girl's trochee fixation via cranially-applied brick. | |
− | |||
− | Megan proceeds with the trocheeotomy, but | ||
There are references to {{w|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles}} and {{w|Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers}}, both of which are examples of actual, trochaic TV show titles. Additionally, there is a reference to sci/fi author {{w|Neal Stephenson}} who has written {{w|Snow Crash}}, {{w|Anathem}} and many other books. | There are references to {{w|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles}} and {{w|Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers}}, both of which are examples of actual, trochaic TV show titles. Additionally, there is a reference to sci/fi author {{w|Neal Stephenson}} who has written {{w|Snow Crash}}, {{w|Anathem}} and many other books. | ||
Line 18: | Line 17: | ||
"Jetpack ferret" could be a reference to [[20: Ferret]], although the ferret in question only had wings. | "Jetpack ferret" could be a reference to [[20: Ferret]], although the ferret in question only had wings. | ||
− | {{w|Huffman coding}} is a lossless data compression algorithm that works by | + | {{w|Huffman coding}} is a lossless data compression algorithm that works by recording a specific string and then only recording that the string is repeated a certain number of characters later on until eventually it only contains a "dictionary" of unique substrings and then mentions of where those substrings repeat. In highly repetitive data this can cut down the file size immensely, which is what Randall is implying by saying you would only end up with 30–40 bytes. Most of the "random" stuff said on the Internet has been said before. |
− | Trochee and other types of poetry "feet" is the subject of [[1383: Magic Words]] | + | Trochee and other types of poetry "feet" is the subject of [[1383: Magic Words]]. |
− | |||
− | |||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | : | + | :Girl: Robot ninja! Pirate doctor laser monkey! Narwhal zombie badger hobo bacon kitty captain penguin raptor Jesus! |
:Megan: We'd been seeing this brain damage for years, but only recently did our linguists identify the pattern behind it. | :Megan: We'd been seeing this brain damage for years, but only recently did our linguists identify the pattern behind it. | ||
Line 35: | Line 32: | ||
:The warning signs appear in childhood: | :The warning signs appear in childhood: | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Child sits in front of TV.] |
− | : | + | :Child: Yeah! Mighty teenage morphin' ninja power mutant turtle rangers! |
:Social reinforcement focuses the fixation on a few dozen words. | :Social reinforcement focuses the fixation on a few dozen words. | ||
:Cueball (off-panel): Is there a cure? | :Cueball (off-panel): Is there a cure? | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Girl is reclining under a big machine pointed at her face.] |
:Megan: We're about to try a radical trocheeotomy. | :Megan: We're about to try a radical trocheeotomy. | ||
:Cueball: Rip out her vocal chords? I'm in favor. | :Cueball: Rip out her vocal chords? I'm in favor. | ||
Line 51: | Line 48: | ||
:''kachunk bzzzZZZZZZ'' | :''kachunk bzzzZZZZZZ'' | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Girl is waking up.] |
− | : | + | :Girl: ...GzZhRmPh ... |
− | : | + | :Girl ...banjo turtle! |
− | : | + | :Girl: Jetpack ferret pizza lawyer! Dentist hamster wombat plumber turkey jester hindu cowboy hooker bobcat scrapple! |
:Megan (off-panel): Sigh. | :Megan (off-panel): Sigh. | ||
:Megan: Time for plan B. | :Megan: Time for plan B. | ||
Line 60: | Line 57: | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
− | |||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
− | |||
[[Category:Language]] | [[Category:Language]] | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− |