Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] [OT - Apostrophe]
From: RickTaylor_AT_speakeasy.net
Date: Thu Jul 01 2004 - 03:14:33 EEST
On 30-Jun-2004 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.
}
} } excuse the OT, but the artists and groups usually mentioned on this list
} are
} } completely unknown to me, for once i wanted to talk a musician i _do_
} know.
} } er... not very probable an OT about duke ellington or thelonious monk, is
}
} You've heard the Yellow Orchestra stuff?
}
} ----------------------------------
} E-Mail: RickTaylor_AT_Speakeasy.Net
} Date: 30-Jun-2004
} Time: 01:37:24
}
} This message was sent by XFMail
} ----------------------------------
On 30-Jun-2004 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.
}
} } excuse the OT, but the artists and groups usually mentioned on this list
} are
} } completely unknown to me, for once i wanted to talk a musician i _do_
} know.
} } er... not very probable an OT about duke ellington or thelonious monk, is
}
} You've heard the Yellow Orchestra stuff?
}
} ----------------------------------
} E-Mail: RickTaylor_AT_Speakeasy.Net
} Date: 30-Jun-2004
} Time: 01:37:24
}
} This message was sent by XFMail
} ----------------------------------
by the way:
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story?id=6217364&pageid=rs.Home&pageregion=sing
le1
http://www.zappa.com/cheezoid/
----------------------------------
E-Mail: RickTaylor_AT_Speakeasy.Net
Date: 30-Jun-2004
Time: 19:11:59
This message was sent by XFMail
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