Wednesday, June 25, 2008

And the Answer Is . . . !

Yesterday this question was posed:

Which of the following episode titles is correctly written, as shown at the start of the episode itself?
  1. The Lawndale Files
  2. Speed Trapped
  3. The Road Worrier
  4. Dye! Dye! My Darling!
  5. That was Then, This is Dumb
  6. Aunt Nauseum
  7. Through a Lens, Darkly
  8. Café Disaffecto
The answer is . . .

. . . none of them are correct. All answers above contain at least one spelling or punctuation error each. The following is how each title actually appears at the start of the corresponding episode. (I checked every one only moments ago.)
  1. The Lawndale File (no plural for "File")
  2. Speedtrapped (one word)
  3. Road Worrier (no "The")
  4. Dye! Dye! My Darling (no exclamation mark)
  5. That Was Then, This is Dumb (capitalized "W" but not, for some reason, capitalized "i" —which is an error!)
  6. Aunt Nauseam ("-am," not "-um")
  7. Through A Lens Darkly (no comma, "A" is capitalized though it shouldn't be)
  8. Cafe Disaffecto (no accent mark)
In case you were wondering, the correct as-shown title for episode 201 is: "Arts 'N Crass" (capitalized "N" and one apostrophe coming immediately before it). I was quite surprised that two titles were incorrectly written, but these things happen even in a show about smart people. Alas.

And, yeah, this quiz is very obsessive-compulsive (I don't like calling it "anal"), but that's what editing is all about. It is interesting just how many different ways I have seen these titles written by fans. I've screwed them up, too, so I'm no better. It pays to check the facts, and check them often, even if you are POSITIVE you have it right. I do this all the time (screw up, I mean). Don't do like I do.

FF.net
  • The Lawndale Manifesto, by Smileyfax (Part 1): Now, this is one meeting I've never heard of before. MOAR PLZ!!!!
PPMB
  • Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Part 13): The turtle sniffed the air. "I think we're not in Kansas anymore."
  • Falling Into College 63: Broken Star, by Richard Lobinske (Part 4): Daria closed her phone and slipped it back into her pocket. It's going to happen one way or the other, so I'd better make it happen under the best terms I can get and I better do it now.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Trick question! Not fair!

Anonymous said...

I don't think "The Lawndale File" was an error. I know it's supposed to be a play on "The X Files" but this was only one episode about one instance of supposed alien activity in Lawndale. So, there was only one "file." If it was a whole series about it, it would be plural. So there! Take that, grammar nazi!

Yes, I realize calling someone a nazi means I automatically lose the argument, but I don't care! :-P

The Angst Guy said...

"The Lawndale File" is correct. "The Lawndale Files" is incorrect. The two titles that were not correct as they appeared on TV were "That Was Then, This is Dumb" ("is" should have the "i" capitalized because it is a verb, and "Was" has a capital letter) and "Through A Lens Darkly" (the article "A" should not be capitalized).

And it's okay that you called me a grammar nazi because you lost anyway, neener neener neener neener. And trick questions are too fair, neener to the hundredth power cubed.

Anonymous said...

The question was not fair, for two reasons. First, the question indicated that one title listed was correct. Second, the question was not whether the titles given were correct grammatically speaking, but whether they accurately reflected what was shown for each episode.

It wasn't fair, and you suck!

The Angst Guy said...

How immature.






neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener neener

I'm making the L sign on my forehead and looking at you.

pphhhphphphphpppbgphpdfgdpfgp

Anonymous said...

No, I meant that I don't think spelling it without the 'S' was a spelling error on their part. You said the correct episode titles all contained spelling or punctuation errors, but I think the spelling of that one was intentional.

But yes, you are correct...I did lose. The only one I knew was incorrect in your original list was "Speed Trapped." I did remember that being one word instead of two, but the rest? Nope. There's just no room in my brain for that information. Or, much of anything else. :-)