h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A572447

Interesting theory, it needs to be elaborated on and developed to become a guide entry though.

Some points: Using the term 'catchphrase' is a bit misleading as it's usually related to tv shows. You could invent a new term (preferably not one that becomes an acronym), or look at other research. The idea you've hit upon is the concept of using phatic utterances; the purpose of which is not to communicate information, but for social interaction.

Try the Writers Workshop for some more ideas: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Writing-Workshop

Of course there *are* TV-based SSCs - the one that springs horribly to mind is Barrymore's "Aw-wight?"

This is the start of an interesting thesis - but Frankie's right, it needs a fair bit of fleshing out, and perhaps more insight into the phenomenon, before it could be an Edited Guide entry.

yeah - fun stuff - though perhaps replace "the difference between" with "a key difference between"? And perhaps an "in general" should be thrown in there to satisfy the political correctness lobby...

I saw the tilte on PR and it made me curious.

"Interesting, what is a shouted stupid catchphrase?" I thought. "Hmm let's go have a look."

I read through it and...... I didn't get it. Maybe it's because I am not living in America or in Britain?

What the heck is a 'Shouted Stupid Catchphrase'?

Like this, I am afraid the entry cannot get MY recommendation.

HELL

Okay,

what I am trying to do with this aritcal is add a bit a flavor to H2G2 and have attempted to write it in a chatty, irreverant style.

That not everyone gets it is the whole point of the artical in my opinion the more quirky h2g2 is the better much like Douglas's work that is the inspiration behind this whole thing.

I personally would love to see for example different spoken languages used, more quirky articals just more texture in general.

Plus of course I am trying to go with the big h2g2 "in joke" here, thats is that the articals are written in a obviously personal, opinionated, quirky way but presented in a neutral voice for example you don't tend to see in the articals "in my opinion" even though when you read the text it obviously is only their opinion!

I hope my little lump of text here has helped you understand where I am coming from.

Yea, OK, nothing wrong with quirkyness and joking, but:

WHAT IS a shouted stupid catchphrase?

I tend to like more factual entries for the edited guide, but I - obviously - also like joking chatty styles. That is not the point here. I just thought entries for the edited guide should be somehow 'informative', and I didn't get this one - it's way too fuzzy for me to understand. So... That is just me then. I was just asking more out of curiosity. No criticism intended - at least until I understand what the entry is about.


Bye,

HELL

Do you have anything you shout at your friends to invoke a similar response, for example "wassssuuuppp" or seen others doing it?

That, is stupid shouted catchphrase.

It is a fact that a large number of people (mostly men) enjoy shouting silly things at each other I'm sure anthropologists would have more insight into it but I thought in worth documenting in H2G2 style following the worldwide phenomenon of "WASSSSAPP"

Worldwide? I don't think so....

But thank you for clarifying this for me.

I still think that this kind of behaviour must be (if so) predominant among american men, or people inclined to the american tv-series lifestyle (which is probably an artifact generated by the soft-drink and chewing-gum insdustry lobby - this happened before: with cigarettes).

Probably it is not as general as you think it is. Or - in the worst case - it is not as rare as I think it is...

Anyways, thanks for the explanation.

HELL

I'm not american though I have visited it I have also been to the netherlands, italy, france and switzerland where I have personally seen this phenomenom.

My spies have seen it in Spain and Australia.

Does that qualify as worldwide?

Hmmmm. An article on catchphrases is a good idea but I'm convinced about this one.
One of the most important criteria for article going into the edited guide is that they must be factual. Quirky is fine but there must be some element of fact. I'm afraid the sentence saying *the difference between men and women is the shouted stupid catchphrase* takes it out of this category in my opinion.
Also, a lot of expansion of the article is needed I think.

I would suggest that the origin of the shouted stupid catchphrase goes back to theatre - particularly the music hall days of the 19th century when various artistes had a catchphrase that made them immediately known to their audience. This transferred to comedians both on radio and TV when they appeared and is still apparent to some small degree with people like Michael Barrymore and Bruce Forsyth (nice to see you, to see you nice ).

I think this is a good idea but it needs a lot more expansion to be suitable for the edited guide I'm afraid.

Orcus

It would be nice to see a reply from you, Back_Ache!

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'Peer Review' to 'The Flea Market'.

The author appears to have 'left the building'.

No, I havn't left the building, I was locked out of it! I had a problem with logging in and dispite repeated emails to them, H2G2 turned it's back on me, through trial and error I've eventually managed to get back in.

Now, what where we talking about?

Glad you're back in Back-Ache. What would you like to do with this entry?



Anna

In deference to what H2G2 is becoming rather than perhaps what it was meant to be or what I would like it to be, lets leave the article cut-loose.

It's good to be back.

'cut-loose'? Do you mean that you don't mind if someone else takes it on? (Having a slow morning!)

Anna

If someone would like to take it on they are more than welcome, in fact, a would take it as a compliment.

okay I'll leave it in here then!



Anna

I’d like to propose Back to Entry
I recognise the existence of the phenomenon, but this article is very short and doesn’t really explain much about it. (Or why many unrelated strangers, both male and female, often decide to shout out ‘Your wheels are going round!’ when I cycle along on my bike.)

<BB<