Editing 604: Qwertial Aphasia

{{comic
| number    = 604
| date      = July 1, 2009
| title     = Qwertial Aphasia
| image     = qwertial_aphasia.png
| titletext = If this were SMBC, the alt-text drawing thingy would be a giraffe hooker fluttering her eyelashes.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Randall]] has invented the term '''Qwertial Aphasia''' to describe the common experience of having a word, from a spoken conversation, accidentally spill over into something one is typing, often with humorous results.

The description "Qwertial" refers to the position of the top row of letters in the most common keyboard arrangement, the {{w|QWERTY}} keyboard layout, as this is only something that afflicts you while typing. {{w|Aphasia}} is a class of medical conditions which affect the production and understanding of language.

In this case [[Cueball]] is in the process of replying on the computer to his friend who just asked if they should go out to eat some food later. Cueball is about to explain why he should not, when [[Megan]] walks in and disturbs him with her stuffed toy {{w|giraffe}} which makes him say the word giraffe.

The joke set up in the comic comes from {{tvtropes|FreudianSlip|the substitution of the word 'giraffe' for the word 'frequently'}}, which changes the whole meaning of Cueball's last sentence. The original sentence would have been ''I can't afford to keep eating out this '''frequently'''.'' The unintentional replacement makes 'giraffe' the object of the sentence, and implies that Cueball is ''[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Eating+out+%28sexuality%29 eating out]'' (slang for {{w|cunnilingus}}) a giraffe. He tries to correct himself by writing that he meant ''frequently'' but the damage is done and he will be the laughing stock with his friends for a while.

The title text continues the image of a giraffe as a sexual object - in particular, one which {{w|Prostitution|costs money}}. SMBC refers to the comic {{w|Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal}}, a whimsical joke-a-day comic which comes with a second illustration, which can be seen by clicking on a button known as the "votey". This additional panel often serves as a second punchline in the same way as the title text does in xkcd. {{w|Zach Weiner}} of SMBC responded to this title text in the votey on [https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2009-07-02 July 2, 2009], the day after this comic was released.

==Transcript==
:I hate how when I'm talking while I type, sometimes I accidentally type a word I'm saying.
:[Cueball is sitting at a computer.]
:Computer: Wanna go get food later?
:[Megan runs over, holding a giraffe.]
:Megan: Check out what I found in the closet!
:''Type type''
:Cueball [typing]: Sorry, I really shouldn't.
:Cueball [talking]: Aww, what an adorable stuffed giraffe!
:''Type type''
:Cueball [typing]: I can't afford to keep eating out this giraffe.
:''Frequently!'' I meant ''"frequently"''!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Giraffes]]