Editing 1571: Car Model Names

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}}
 
}}
  
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==Explanation==
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==Explanation==
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In English, letters like X and Z are rarely used in the common vernacular. Marketers have found that names with these infrequently-appearing letters sell more products.
 
In English, letters like X and Z are rarely used in the common vernacular. Marketers have found that names with these infrequently-appearing letters sell more products.
  
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;Scores
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===Scores===
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Scores for letters and numbers are presumably taken from their frequency in car models. [[Randall]] must have used a car-name database to create the scores. It seems that Randall arbitrarily used positive and negative numbers: if a letter is very common in car models (as X) he calls it carlike. If a letter is very uncommon in car models (as O) he calls it English-like. With this nomenclature the most English-like letter is Y, but actually Y is the least carlike letter. The most common letter in ordinary English is E. Y on the other hand is just in the middle (place 13), which can't be called English-like.
  
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There are two explanations for scores. Both of them share the fact that [[Randall]] must have used a car-name database to calculate letter frequency in car models.
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There are 19 positive scores and 17 negative scores.
  
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There are 19 positive scores and 17 negative scores, which is interpreted differently in each explanation.
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===Algorithm for the index===
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;Score(x) = Frequency_in_cars(x) - Frequency_in_English(x)
 
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This formula generates a positive number if a letter is more common in car models than in typical English (as X) which Randall then calls carlike. The formula generates a negative number if a letter's relative frequency in car models is lower than in typical English (as O) and Randall calls it English-like (more suitable for readable text). The letters F and B, with scores of 5 and -5, respectively, are about as common in English as in car models. With this nomenclature, the most English-like letter is Y because, while not the most common English letter, it is apparently extremely rare in car models. The most common letter in ordinary English is E, which is (presumably) fairly common in car models.
 
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;Score(x) = Frequency_in_cars(x)
 
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It seems that Randall arbitrarily used positive and negative numbers: if a letter is very common in car models (as X) he calls it carlike. If a letter is very uncommon in car models (as O) he calls it English-like. With this nomenclature the most English-like letter is Y, but actually Y is the least carlike letter. The most common letter in ordinary English is E. Y on the other hand is just in the middle (place 13), which can't be called English-like.
 
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;Algorithm for the index
 
 
Randall devised an index for car models which is the score average divided by 10.
 
Randall devised an index for car models which is the score average divided by 10.
  
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We take 2Chainz and add the scores of its different numbers and letters: 6 +27 -44 -14 -21 -46 +83 = -9
 
We take 2Chainz and add the scores of its different numbers and letters: 6 +27 -44 -14 -21 -46 +83 = -9
  
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The average is -9/7 ≈ -1.29. Then we divide that by 10 and we get -0.129 or -0.13.
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Average is -9/7 = -1.29 and divided by 10 it's -0.129 or -0.13.
  
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;Names to avoid
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===Names to avoid===
 
*Honda '''2Chainz''' - {{w|2 Chainz}} is an American rapper
 
*Honda '''2Chainz''' - {{w|2 Chainz}} is an American rapper
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*Mitsubishi '''Fhqwhgads''' - A reference to a running joke on {{w|Homestar Runner}}.
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*Mitsubishi '''Fhqwhgads''' - A reference to a running joke on {{w|Homestar Runner}}. See http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Fhqwhgads
 
*Kia '''49andGothy''' - Gothy or gothic is a member of the {{w|goth subculture}}; most of its members are much younger than 49
 
*Kia '''49andGothy''' - Gothy or gothic is a member of the {{w|goth subculture}}; most of its members are much younger than 49
 
*Chevrolet '''Niceguy''' - A reference to the idiom "nice guys finish last".
 
*Chevrolet '''Niceguy''' - A reference to the idiom "nice guys finish last".
 
*Oldsmobile '''Goodwood''' - May be a reference to the {{w|Goodwood Festival of Speed}}
 
*Oldsmobile '''Goodwood''' - May be a reference to the {{w|Goodwood Festival of Speed}}
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*Infiniti '''Toothy69''' - "69" is slang for a sex position where two participants pleasure each other orally; for obvious reasons, many would not want teeth involved.
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*Infiniti '''Toothy69''' - Possibly a reference to the sex position where you would not want teeth involved.
 
*BMW '''Outhouse''' - Loose standing toilet, or {{w|Outhouse}}.
 
*BMW '''Outhouse''' - Loose standing toilet, or {{w|Outhouse}}.
 
*Volkswagen '''Woodpony 7oh7''' - Wood ponies are wooden constructions to give kids (and sometimes adults) the feeling of riding a horse, but don't actually move. 7oh7 is a way to pronounce 707, which could be a reference to the Boeing 707 passenger jet series.
 
*Volkswagen '''Woodpony 7oh7''' - Wood ponies are wooden constructions to give kids (and sometimes adults) the feeling of riding a horse, but don't actually move. 7oh7 is a way to pronounce 707, which could be a reference to the Boeing 707 passenger jet series.
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*Chrysler '''Uh Iono''' - When pronounced, sounds roughly like someone slurring [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=iono "Uh, I don't know"]
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*Chrysler '''Uh Iono''' - When pronounced, sounds roughly like someone slurring "Uh, I don't know" [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=iono]
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*Nissan '''Doody''' - An incredibly juvenile term meaning feces. May reference the unfortunately named {{w|Nissan Moco}}, which is Spanish for snot
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*Nissan '''Doody''' - May reference the unfortunately named {{w|Nissan Moco}}, which is Spanish for snot
  
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;Potential Hits
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===Potential Hits===
 
*Honda '''3Chainz''' - A play on 2Chainz in the previous section; according to the table the number 2 has a score of 6 and the number 3 has a higher score of 55; the index will go up by (55-6)/7/10=0.7.
 
*Honda '''3Chainz''' - A play on 2Chainz in the previous section; according to the table the number 2 has a score of 6 and the number 3 has a higher score of 55; the index will go up by (55-6)/7/10=0.7.
 
*Subaru '''Andre3000''' - {{w|André 3000}} is an American rapper
 
*Subaru '''Andre3000''' - {{w|André 3000}} is an American rapper
 
*Suzuki '''Sexism''' - Akihiro Suzuki is a Tokyo city assemblyman who made sexist remarks in June 2014.
 
*Suzuki '''Sexism''' - Akihiro Suzuki is a Tokyo city assemblyman who made sexist remarks in June 2014.
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*Lincoln '''Marxism''' - {{w|Marxism}} is a political method of societal analysis which has been used to critique {{w|Capitalism}}. There are various essays noting {{w|Karl Marx|its founder}} and {{w|Abraham Lincoln}} exchanged letters during the American civil war. Lincoln is also the marque for the {{w|Ford Motor Company}}'s luxury vehicles, capitalist status symbols throughout the late 20th century. Its juxtaposition with Marxism is thus particularly ironic.
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*Lincoln '''Marxism''' - {{w|Marxism}} is a political method of societal analysis which has been used to critique {{w|Capitalism}}. There are various essays noting {{w|Karl Marx|its founder}} and {{w|Abraham Lincoln}} exchanged letters during the American civil war.  
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*Hyundai '''Climax''' - In this context, an {{w|orgasm}}. The title text finds an excuse to add another "x" with the model '''SexClimax'''.
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*Hyundai '''Climax''' - In this context, an {{w|orgasm}}. The title text finds an excuse to add another "x" with the portmanteau '''SexClimax'''.
 
*Porsche '''Zizek9000''' - A portmanteau referencing academic {{w|Slavoj Žižek}} and the {{w|Saab 9000}}
 
*Porsche '''Zizek9000''' - A portmanteau referencing academic {{w|Slavoj Žižek}} and the {{w|Saab 9000}}
 
*Lexus '''3×3Cutrix''' - 3×3 is a play on 4×4; this car presumably has 3 wheels. "Executrix" (in {{w|leet}} "3×3Cutrix") is the female counterpart of "executor", one who administers a will.
 
*Lexus '''3×3Cutrix''' - 3×3 is a play on 4×4; this car presumably has 3 wheels. "Executrix" (in {{w|leet}} "3×3Cutrix") is the female counterpart of "executor", one who administers a will.
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:index(3×3Cutrix) = (+55 + score(×) +55 +27 -68 -18 +8 -21 +126)/9/10 = 3.22. This means that the score of the symbol × is 90×3.22 - 164 = 125.8
 
:index(3×3Cutrix) = (+55 + score(×) +55 +27 -68 -18 +8 -21 +126)/9/10 = 3.22. This means that the score of the symbol × is 90×3.22 - 164 = 125.8
  
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;Title text
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===Title text===
 
As mentioned in the comic, the index for the word "climax" is 2.48. However, applying the index to the phrase "sexclimax" yields a value of 2.72, higher than that for "climax".
 
As mentioned in the comic, the index for the word "climax" is 2.48. However, applying the index to the phrase "sexclimax" yields a value of 2.72, higher than that for "climax".
  
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| colspan="37" | '''Letter and number scores based on relative frequency in car model names'''
 
| colspan="37" | '''Letter and number scores based on relative frequency in car model names'''
 
|-
 
|-
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| style="text-align:left;" | Carlike
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| style="text-align:left;" | Carlike  
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|| 60
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|| 60  
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|| 6
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|| 6  
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|| 55
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|| 55  
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|| 35
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|| 35  
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|| 74
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|| 74  
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|| 6
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|| 27
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|| 5
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|| 27
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|| 64
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|| 32
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|| 12
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|| 12  
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|| 19
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|| 40
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|| 8
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|| 15
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|| 41
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|| 126
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|| 126  
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|| 83
 
|| 83
 
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|-
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|| '''Z'''
 
|| '''Z'''
 
|-
 
|-
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| style="text-align:left;" | English-like
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| style="text-align:left;" | English-like  
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|| -74
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|| -74  
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|| -58
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|| -58  
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|| -67
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|| -67  
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|| -37
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|| -37  
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|| -14
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|| -14  
 
|| -5  
 
|| -5  
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|| -21
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|| -21  
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|| -45
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|| -45  
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|| -44
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|| -44  
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|| -21
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|| -46
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|| -46  
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|| -80
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|| -80  
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|| -27
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|| -27  
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|| -18
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|| -18  
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|| -68
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|| -68  
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|| -20
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|| -20  
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|| -90
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|| -90  
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|}
 
|}
  
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| style="text-align:left;" | '''Uh Iono''' (-5.65)
 
| style="text-align:left;" | '''Uh Iono''' (-5.65)
 
| style="text-align:right; color:#808080;" | Ford
 
| style="text-align:right; color:#808080;" | Ford
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| style="text-align:left;" | '''SixAxle 4x4''' (3.95)
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| style="text-align:left;" | '''SixAxle''' 4x4 (3.95)
 
|-
 
|-
 
| style="text-align:right; color:#808080;" | Nissan
 
| style="text-align:right; color:#808080;" | Nissan
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| style="text-align:left;" | '''Cervixxx''' (4.85)
 
| style="text-align:left;" | '''Cervixxx''' (4.85)
 
|}
 
|}
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==Trivia==
 
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*Later after the initial release of this comic Randall added a link to this page. It's viewable in the HTML-source or here: [https://xkcd.com/1571/info.0.json https://xkcd.com/1571/info.0.json]. The text is: ''"A full explanation of THE CUNNING REFERENCES in this are at http:\n\nwww.explainxkcd.com\nwiki\nindex.php\n1571"''.
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
  
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[[Category:Bar charts]]
 
 
[[Category:Charts]]
 
[[Category:Charts]]
 
[[Category:Language]]
 
[[Category:Language]]
 
[[Category:Math]]
 
[[Category:Math]]
 
[[Category:Sex]]
 
[[Category:Sex]]

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