Editing 1932: The True Meaning of Christmas
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | This is the first of two [[:Category:Christmas|Christmas comics]] in a row | + | {{incomplete|Title text explanation: Why did Santa need a headache? Sounds absurd. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
| + | This is the first of two [[:Category:Christmas|Christmas comics]] in a row. It is making fun of the common trope in popular media that the {{tvtropes|TrueMeaningOfChristmas|true meaning of Christmas}} is about family, friends, and sharing the Christmas Spirit. It subverts the trope by suggesting that once the stories of the "True Meaning of Christmas" become sufficiently common, the real true meaning becomes to spread those stories. Thus the search for the "True Meaning of Christmas" is itself the meaning of Christmas, in a sort of "the journey is the reward" discovery. | ||
| − | + | In the last panel and title text, "Autometalogolex" can be broken down to its various prefixes and the root: | |
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| − | In the last panel and title text, "Autometalogolex" | ||
:"Auto-" - Greek meaning "self." | :"Auto-" - Greek meaning "self." | ||
:"Meta-" - Greek meaning "after," "beyond," or "in reference to." | :"Meta-" - Greek meaning "after," "beyond," or "in reference to." | ||
:"Logo-" - Greek meaning "word" or "speech." | :"Logo-" - Greek meaning "word" or "speech." | ||
:"Lex" - "lexis" is another Greek word meaning "word"; but in this case it is more likely to be a shortening of "lexicon" (another word for dictionary), or perhaps a reference to the process of "lexing" (lexical analysis), part of the process of computer analysis of text. | :"Lex" - "lexis" is another Greek word meaning "word"; but in this case it is more likely to be a shortening of "lexicon" (another word for dictionary), or perhaps a reference to the process of "lexing" (lexical analysis), part of the process of computer analysis of text. | ||
| − | Thus, "Autometalogolex" | + | Thus, "Autometalogolex" literally means "A word that refers to itself in the dictionary." Or more precise it is "the act of looking up the definition of autometalogolex" which leads to a recursion as all ''meaning of Christmas'' stories do. Recursion and self-reference is a [[:Category:Self-reference|recurring theme]] in xkcd. |
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| + | The term Autometalogolex might also refer to autological words, words that refer to a property of the word itself. ("noun" is a noun, "pentasyllabic" is pentasyllabic [has 5 syllables]). "Autometalogolex" is a a 'meta' version of the looking up (lex) of an autological word. | ||
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| + | [[Cueball]] finally states that Autometalogolex is his least favorite {{w|Santa Claus's reindeer}} in addition to the common eight names ''Dasher'', ''Dancer'', ''Prancer'', ''Vixen'', ''Comet'', ''Cupid'', ''Donner'', and ''Blitzen''. | ||
| − | + | As the title text reveals this ninth reindeer could be a reference to {{w|Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer}} which was not accepted by the others until Santa had problems and asked it to lead the other reindeer pulling the sleigh. | |
| − | + | The title text may also imply the only effective outcome of Autometalogolex (or the newly defined Christmas) is giving headaches as with many self-referential concepts. As headaches generally are bad, Autometalogolex is not accepted, but - as in a typical Christmas story, here driven into the absurd realm - Santa needed a headache, and Autometalogolex was there to save the day. | |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
*At the time this comic was released the expression ''Autometalogolex'' did not exist. But only a few hours later at {{w|Urban Dictionary}} this phrase got its first entries: [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Autometalogolex Urbandictionary Autometalogolex]. | *At the time this comic was released the expression ''Autometalogolex'' did not exist. But only a few hours later at {{w|Urban Dictionary}} this phrase got its first entries: [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Autometalogolex Urbandictionary Autometalogolex]. | ||
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*Some believe that the Santa Hat character is actually [[Black Hat]], owing to the Santa hat in question being black (the character's behavior, and [[Cueball]]'s comment that Santa Hat doesn't seem to be the type to enjoy Christmas match Black Hat's personality perfectly). However, the Santa hat may actually be meant to be red but rendered as black because the comic is in black-and-white (although it's worth nothing that in [[361: Christmas Back Home]] and [[838: Incident]], Christmas clothing was shown as red, not black). Santa Hat's identity is therefore unclear. But that was of course [[:Category:Comics with color|Comics with color]] which is not the norm in xkcd, which is why there is a category for those. In black and white comics it makes no sense to discuss that a black Santa hat must be black. | *Some believe that the Santa Hat character is actually [[Black Hat]], owing to the Santa hat in question being black (the character's behavior, and [[Cueball]]'s comment that Santa Hat doesn't seem to be the type to enjoy Christmas match Black Hat's personality perfectly). However, the Santa hat may actually be meant to be red but rendered as black because the comic is in black-and-white (although it's worth nothing that in [[361: Christmas Back Home]] and [[838: Incident]], Christmas clothing was shown as red, not black). Santa Hat's identity is therefore unclear. But that was of course [[:Category:Comics with color|Comics with color]] which is not the norm in xkcd, which is why there is a category for those. In black and white comics it makes no sense to discuss that a black Santa hat must be black. | ||
**But already in the next comic where the "real" Santa is described his red Santa Hat is drawn black, thus proving that it is not a black hat because it is black in the comic. | **But already in the next comic where the "real" Santa is described his red Santa Hat is drawn black, thus proving that it is not a black hat because it is black in the comic. | ||
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[[Category:Christmas]] | [[Category:Christmas]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
| − | [[Category:Characters with | + | [[Category:Characters with Hats]] |
[[Category:Animals]] | [[Category:Animals]] | ||
[[Category:Self-reference]] | [[Category:Self-reference]] | ||
[[Category:Language]] | [[Category:Language]] | ||
