Thursday, March 09, 2006
All your snowclones are belong to us (TM)
If Eskimos have 120 words for snow, then surely cats have 1,121 words for tuna.
Today is my official birthday, and to keep myself amused while I'm waiting for the treats, I'm looking into the peculiar human phenomenon of snowclones. A snowclone is a variation on a cliché, and many humans think that snowclones are funny. Humans also say that snowclones are overused by lazy writers. I can't think of a writer who is lazier than I am. What other great author can afford to spend all day rolled up in his comforter while his amanuensis slaves away to amuse him and his ever-expanding audience of ailurophiles?
Meow is the new woof.Snowclones hit the big time last December, according to Language Log, when a columnist took note of them in the Times. Sometime before that, the humans at Language Log began referring to their blog as "Language Log Plaza." Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Dammit, Geoffrey! I'm a cat, not an etymologist! Thank you, Mark, for your tasty goodness.
To nap, or not to nap? Mother, can you spare a tuna? Is that a box of catnip in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me? Spam is the greatest thing since sliced mousie paws. This is my ailurophile. There are many like it, but this one is mine. Herding cats for fun and profit. The Yule Cat is like Garfield on steroids. Papers? We don't need no stinkin' papers. I'm not a jaguar, but I drive one on TV.
Update: Thanks for the birthday wish from Modulator, at Friday Ark .
On Sunday, get furry at the Carnival of the Cats, at Justin's Random Thoughts.
Wednesday March 15: The Ides of March edition of the Carnival of the Vanities is up at Forward Biased. I'm honored to be included.
Thursday, March 16: Check out this week's Carnival of Satire at The Squib.
Tags: catymology cats etymology
5 Old Comments:
Happy Birthday Aloysius! May many cans of tuna be bestowed on you!
The Troll is a foul exploiter of snowclones. But we must forgive those shallow humans. As they say, to err is human, to forgive feline!
By 
Gigolo Kitty, at
4:58 PM
Thank you for the birthday wish. I admit that while amanuensis was talking to some friend on the phone--for the last hour!--I induldge in Cat Olympics with my new toy. She complained that she couldn't see all the action. //////////////////////////////
My God... it's full of catnip! Mom says that's from 2001. Happy purrthday. I just found your nice blog.
By Victor Tabbycat, at
10:30 PM
...Full of catnip! That's a good one. Thanks for the snowclone.
Have a good birthday. Hope you get some yummy goodness treats.
http://ilovecatnip.blogspot.com
