Editing 1602: Linguistics Club
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | A " | + | A "[[wiktionary:sesquiannual|sesquiannual]]" meeting is one that occurs one and a half times every year; equivalently, 3 times every 2 years, or once every 8 months. It comes from the Latin prefix "[[wiktionary:sesqui|sesqui-]]", which means "one and a half times", and "[[wiktionary:annual|annual]]", which means "happening once every year". This is not to be confused with [[wiktionary:sesquiennial|sesquiennial]], which means every one and a half years, or 18 months. A linguist or Latin scholar, the joke suggests, should be able to figure sesquiannual out as "half-and-one every year". This is an extension of the common confusion between "biannual," meaning "twice a year", and "biennial", meaning "once every two years". Compare with the {{w|Sesquicentennial Exposition}} celebrating the first 1½ centuries of the United States. |
− | + | This confusion is related to the distinction between 'biweekly' (which paradoxically means either twice per week or once every two weeks) and 'semiweekly' (once every half-week, i.e., twice a week), and bimonthly (twice a month or every two months). 'Biannual' and 'biennial' only furthers this confusion (as in this case, 'biannual' and 'semiannual' are synonymous when the prefixes usually are not). Outside of the US, the term fortnightly [once every two weeks] is used, clearing up any confusion over the term biweekly. | |
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Regarding the title text, a {{w|tautology (rhetoric)|tautology}} is a statement that is true (or self-evident) because of its logical form, such as "all birds are birds" or "A = A." As such, the statement "the Tautology Club meets on the date of the Tautology Club's meeting" is itself tautological. | Regarding the title text, a {{w|tautology (rhetoric)|tautology}} is a statement that is true (or self-evident) because of its logical form, such as "all birds are birds" or "A = A." As such, the statement "the Tautology Club meets on the date of the Tautology Club's meeting" is itself tautological. | ||
− | While the membership requirement for the | + | While the membership requirement for the original club is merely to know the intended frequency, with the applicant presumably being told at least one meeting date in the cycle so that an attendance can be made, Tautology Club's stipulation appears to require an eligible member to derive a valid meeting date from thin air without any clue at all (and no indication that there is even a regular cycle of any kind). This would definitely be more of a challenge. |
− | The title text has a connection to [[703: Honor Societies]] in which Cueball | + | The title text has a connection to [[703: Honor Societies]] in which Cueball announces that "the first rule of Tautology Club is the first rule of Tautology Club." |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | + | Megan: You should come to our Linguistic Club's sesquiannual meeting. Membership is open to anyone who can figure out how often we meet. | |
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | ||
[[Category:Language]] | [[Category:Language]] |