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| {{comic | | {{comic |
| | number = 2602 | | | number = 2602 |
− | | date = April 4, 2022 | + | | date = April 5, 2022 |
| | title = Linguistics Degree | | | title = Linguistics Degree |
| | image = linguistics_degree.png | | | image = linguistics_degree.png |
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| ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
− | | + | {{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
− | [[Hairbun]] hands [[Megan]] a linguistics degree, and informs her she is now "in charge of" the word '{{wiktionary|bassoon}}.' Watching this, [[Ponytail]] and [[Cueball]] compare the words they were assigned when ''they'' got their linguistics degrees, '{{wiktionary|jackalope}}' and '{{wiktionary|slurp}}' respectively. Ponytail thinks bassoon is a cool word but thinks her own is better, whereas Cueball is not satisfied with his word. A bassoon is a woodwind musical instrument with a double reed, while a jackalope is a mythical creature, a ''jackrabbit'' crossed with an ''antelope''. "Slurp" is an onomatopoeia associated with eating or drinking loudly.
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− | It is never clarified what being "in charge of" a word entails. It could mean being in charge of keeping track of the word, or having actual authority over the use of the word, which is unlikely as normally [[1726|language use cannot be dictated by a single person]]. Also, no specific university has control over all of linguistics as far as we know, so it would require every university capable of giving people linguistics degrees to co-operate, so nobody is assigned the same word. Any well-educated member of the linguistic community will know what is being suggested is impossible hence why they are the only ones aware of how important it is.
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− | The title text merely furthers how seemingly random the entire situation is. The word "linguistics" was assigned to a "random student in Ohio who barely graduated and then went into automotive marketing", who we can assume isn't very important to the field of linguistics.{{Citation needed}} But this means that no one is actually taking care of this important word, since it must be assumed that the student is no longer interested in linguistics.
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− | The idea of individuals having a guardianship of an idea or concept has appeared in science fiction. For example, in ''{{w|Fahrenheit 451}}'' characters have memorized books to save them from book-burning and... spoiler-stuff.
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− | It also exists in reality. Members of the {{w|Royal Spanish Academy}}, the institution that defines the official dictionary of the Spanish language, are symbolically put in charge of one letter of the dictionary each to take care of it.
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| ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
− | :[Megan, who is wearing a graduation cap, receives a degree which is handed to her by Hairbun. They are standing on a podium with Ponytail and Cueball standing below as onlookers.]
| + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
− | :Hairbun: Congratulations on the degree! Your word is "Bassoon."
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− | :Ponytail: Oh nice! Not as cool as my "Jackalope," but still not bad.
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− | :Cueball: You all are lucky. I'm stuck with "Slurp."
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− | :[Caption below panel:]
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− | :Every linguistics degree comes with one word that you're put in charge of.
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| {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
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| [[Category:Language]] | | [[Category:Language]] |
| [[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]] |
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| [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] |
| [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] |
− | [[Category:Characters with hats]]
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