Re: [linux-audio-user] [OT - Apostrophe]

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] [OT - Apostrophe]
From: Jos Laake (jos_AT_radiks.net)
Date: Wed Jun 30 2004 - 12:31:58 EEST


RickTaylor_AT_speakeasy.net wrote:
> On 29-Jun-2004 luis jure wrote:
> } Jos Laake <jos_AT_radiks.net> escribió:
>
> } > I believe it's a reference from the Frank Zappa song "Apostrophe", no?
> } > From the album of the same name.
> } >
> } > I belive the line goes:
> } > "The crux of the biscuit is the Apostrophe." - FZ
> }
> } right. "it should be easy to see..."
>
> } > What it means? I have no idea. Random silliness from the Master
> } > is my guess. ;-)
> }
> } i don't see it as random. i'm not a native speaker of english, but i think i
> } can follow how zappa developed a funny variant of the idioms that use the
> } word"crux" (meaning of course "decisive point", and not "cross"), mainly
> } "the crux of the matter", but also "the crux of the problem/conflict", "the
> } crux of the discussion/debate", etc.
> }
> } it's very probable that zappa himself invented the expression (can anyone
> } trace it to a predating source?), perhaps melding "crux of the matter" and
> } "crust of the biscuit".
> }
> } it appeared first in the song "stink foot", which was included in the album
> } "apostrophe" from 1974. zappa also used the expression in conversation, i
> } remember reading interviews where he used this peculiar idiom.
>
> I think you've got to look at that one in context... It is the dog explaining
> "conceptual continuity" after all. Maybe it means that the "important bits" of
> his biscuit are missing and therefore must be filled in by the imagination or
> out of habit like we use an apostrophe to fill in the missing bits of words or
> contractions. Whether the actual important bits of the biscuit are the ends or
> perhaps the dog has begun his biscuit fest by biting the biscuit middle is
> something, I think, that Frank has left up to the listener to determine... the
> actual import of the statement being that the bits are missing thus breaking
> the biscuit continuity and that we've filled things in with one of the above
> mentioned devices. ...Like the apostrophe.
>
> I'm thinking this represents Franks tribute to mans imagination. ...The idea
> that we, as humans, are capable of imagining things like talking dogs ...maybe
> it's a contrast with the stark reality of stinky feet... which Frank may use
> to illustrate the "street" or the baser human elements.
>
> So... Frank basically is contrasting the sublime with the human here...
> telling us that what's important lies in the mind and not in the physical.
>
> It's just so typically Frank.

"The poodle bites. (Come on Frenchie.)
  The poodle chews it. (Snap it!)" - FZ

<sigh> Such GENius!

~Jos~


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