What Is This X You Speak Of?: Difference between revisions

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A [[Stock Phrase]] that today is used in conversation to express a [[Sarcasm Mode|sarcastic dismissal]] of a concept that another person takes for granted, or to imply that the topic of the sentence -- X -- is unknown in context of the discussion. For example:

{{'''Alice:''' Surely the NSA's spying program is limited by the Constitution.<br />

{{quote|'''Alice:''' Surely the NSA's spying program is limited by the Constitution.<br />

'''Bob:''' What is this Constitution of which you speak?}}

Which implies that NSA is ignoring or ignorant of the Constitution and its limits on government power.

The origins of this phrase are obscure; it appears to be rooted in a [[Beam Me Up Scotty|generalized memory of cliched lines]] from bad SF movies from the middle of the 20th Century. The prototypical scene involves [[Aliens Speaking English|aliens who speak English perfectly]], yet still need a handy Earthman to explain ordinary concepts to them -- even concepts one would expect would have obvious counterparts in their own culture or biology. It also seems to be related to the archetypal [[Jungle Princess]]'s inquiry, "Kiss? What is 'kiss'?" However, examples of the usage can be found at least as far back as the 18th Century.

The origins of this phrase are obscure; it appears to be rooted in a [[Beam Me Up Scotty|generalized memory of cliched lines]] from bad SF movies from the middle of the 20th Century. The prototypical scene involves [[Aliens Speaking English|aliens who speak English perfectly]], yet still need a handy Earthman to explain ordinary concepts to them -- even concepts one would expect would have obvious counterparts in their own culture or biology. It also seems to be related to the archetypal [[Jungle Princess]]'s inquiry, [[What Is This Thing You Call Love|"Kiss? What is 'kiss'?"]] However, examples of the usage can be found at least as far back as the 18th Century.

It is really in this context that All The Tropes is interested in the phrase. Since its explosion into the memesphere as a sarcastic [[Snowclone]] the modern use of the phrase can be found just about anywhere -- we're ~~far~~ ~~more~~ ~~interested~~ in the original use of the phrase and its variants. (If you've got a particularly humorous example of the modern use that you still want to share, though, put it on the Quotes subpage.)

It is really in this context that All The Tropes is interested in the phrase. Since its explosion into the memesphere as a sarcastic [[Snowclone]] the modern use of the phrase can be found just about anywhere -- we'd really rather see instances of the original use of the phrase and its variants. (If you've got a particularly humorous example of the modern use that you still want to share, though, put it on the Quotes subpage.)

Not to be confused with "[[What Is This, X?]]"

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== Literature ==

* ''[[The ~~Hitchhiker's~~ Guide to ~~the~~ Galaxy]]'' has a variant instance, which [http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002289.html at least one linguistics blogger] suspects may be the trigger for modern (over-)usage of the phrase:

* ''[[The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy]]'' has a variant instance, which [http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002289.html at least one linguistics blogger] suspects may be the trigger for modern (over-)usage of the phrase:

{{quote|"Look, sorry, are we talking about the little white furry things with the cheese fixation and women standing on tables screaming in early sixties sitcoms?"<br />

Slartibartfast coughed politely.<br />