Editing 1108: Cautionary Ghost
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | The usage of a ghost from the past or future to deliver a message in fiction was most famously used in {{w|Charles Dickens}}'s ''{{w|A Christmas Carol}}'', in which the main character is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future during his sleep to show him the negative effects of his selfish and uncharitable behaviour. This comic is a comment on the futility of arguing over trivial matters, such as the usage of the word "literally" to mean "figuratively, with great emphasis" as mentioned in the comic. This also refers to [[725: Literally]]. | |
− | + | After the apparition appears the man is presented to an idyllic scene of the future, then is shown an identical scene and told that it is the future if he gives up arguing over the incorrect use of the word "literally". The comparison is meant to demonstrate that the argument will have no meaningful effect on the world, and suggest that the man stop wasting time on the argument. At the transcript [[Randall]] is joking about this copy and paste. | |
− | The | + | The title text is a reversal on this, indicating that the man met a second apparition who encouraged him to continue with his argument against an equally trivial language issue: the misuse of the phrase "if it were". '{{w|English subjunctive|Subjunctive}}' is a verbal mood in English that is used when expressing "necessity, desire, purpose, suggestion and similar ideas, or a counterfactual condition". 'Subjunctive past tense' is most commonly used in a counterfactual condition - when discussing what would have happened under different circumstances, such as in the case of "if it were". The prescribed usage is something like "I wouldn't have been late if it were Tuesday today." Many people would say "I wouldn't have been late if it was Tuesday today", which while sounding fine, violates some prescriptive rules of grammatical correctness. As a result, "if it were" has been falling out of use in favor of "if it was", and thus the subjunctive form in this example is near extinction. [http://sesquiotic.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/if-i-were-using-the-subjunctive/ here] is a blog post on the subject. |
− | + | The comic appears to be sarcasm of the comic strips [http://www.explosm.net/comics/2923/ Cyanide & Happiness] and [http://www.theoatmeal.com/comics/literally Oatmeal], which have commented upon using the word Literally. | |
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[A man wakes up to an apparition hovering over | + | :[A man wakes up to an apparition hovering over their bed.] |
− | :Apparition: | + | :Apparition: OOOOOOOOOOOOooooo |
:Man: A ghost!? | :Man: A ghost!? | ||
− | :Apparition: | + | :Apparition: I bring a cautionary vision of things to come! |
− | |||
:Apparition: This is the future: | :Apparition: This is the future: | ||
:[Two people are standing between a pair of houses. There is a tree. An airplane flies past.] | :[Two people are standing between a pair of houses. There is a tree. An airplane flies past.] | ||
− | + | :Apparition: And this is the future if you give up the fight over the word "literally": | |
− | :Apparition: And | ||
:[Two people are standing between a pair of houses. There is a tree. An airplane flies past. The cynical might suggest the panel is copy pasted.] | :[Two people are standing between a pair of houses. There is a tree. An airplane flies past. The cynical might suggest the panel is copy pasted.] | ||
− | + | :[Back to the man in bed. ] | |
− | :[Back to the man in bed.] | ||
:Man: They looked exactly the same. | :Man: They looked exactly the same. | ||
− | :Apparition: | + | :Apparition: OOOOOOOOOOOooooo |
:Man: Ok, I get it. | :Man: Ok, I get it. | ||
− | :Apparition: Seriously, this is duuuuumb. | + | :Apparition: Seriously, this is duuuuumb . |
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
[[Category:Language]] | [[Category:Language]] | ||
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