‘Mutley Cruh! Mutley Cruh!’
February 18, 2018 6:51 AM Subscribe
The one in Moottörin is unnecessary and just placed there for fun, but the one in Jyrinä is part of how that word is spelled in Finnish. Oh, for Christ’s sake.
This is the best response to heavy metal umlauts, my book.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:08 AM on February 18, 2018 [4 favorites]
This is the best response to heavy metal umlauts, my book.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:08 AM on February 18, 2018 [4 favorites]
2 paragraphs in:
posted by Spathe Cadet at 7:09 AM on February 18, 2018 [35 favorites]
Technically speaking, the word umlaut only refers to the dots when they’re in a German word, when they perform pretty much the same function as an E coming after the letter (like the cat scientist Schrödinger, also known as Schroedinger).The . . . cat scientist? Schrödinger?
posted by Spathe Cadet at 7:09 AM on February 18, 2018 [35 favorites]
Not many people know that the apostrophe in "Schrödinger's cat" is not possessive, but rather a contraction of "Schrödinger is cat".
posted by howfar at 7:21 AM on February 18, 2018 [27 favorites]
posted by howfar at 7:21 AM on February 18, 2018 [27 favorites]
The . . . cat scientist?
small brain: "We cannot know the truth of cause and effect"
planet brain: "A quantum event has only happened once it's been observed"
galaxy brain: "Cats hold the true reasons behind everything"
posted by ambrosen at 7:34 AM on February 18, 2018 [8 favorites]
small brain: "We cannot know the truth of cause and effect"
planet brain: "A quantum event has only happened once it's been observed"
galaxy brain: "Cats hold the true reasons behind everything"
posted by ambrosen at 7:34 AM on February 18, 2018 [8 favorites]
multiverse cat brain: "Ah, fuck it..." *bats orthogonal universe off the table into a pocket dimension with its paw*
posted by glonous keming at 7:48 AM on February 18, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by glonous keming at 7:48 AM on February 18, 2018 [6 favorites]
Well, actually, Schrödinger was the name of the cat.
posted by stevil at 8:25 AM on February 18, 2018 [13 favorites]
posted by stevil at 8:25 AM on February 18, 2018 [13 favorites]
Schrödinger was classmates with Frankenstein, that monster.
posted by ardgedee at 8:28 AM on February 18, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by ardgedee at 8:28 AM on February 18, 2018 [4 favorites]
> Over a non-German word, it’s a diaresis, which doesn’t sound as metal, but specifies that the second of two vowels needs to be pronounced...
> ...Björk
posted by ardgedee at 8:35 AM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
> ...Björk
posted by ardgedee at 8:35 AM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
Heisenberg and Schrödinger get pulled over for speeding. The cop asks Heisenberg "Do you know how fast you were going?" Heisenberg replies, "No, but we know exactly where we are!"
The officer looks at him confused and says "you were going 108 miles per hour!" Heisenberg throws his arms up and cries, "Great! Now we're lost!"
The officer looks over the car and asks Schrödinger if the two men have anything in the trunk. "A cat," Schrödinger replies. The cop opens the trunk and yells "Hey! This cat is dead."
Schrödinger angrily replies, "Well he is now."
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:36 AM on February 18, 2018 [41 favorites]
The officer looks at him confused and says "you were going 108 miles per hour!" Heisenberg throws his arms up and cries, "Great! Now we're lost!"
The officer looks over the car and asks Schrödinger if the two men have anything in the trunk. "A cat," Schrödinger replies. The cop opens the trunk and yells "Hey! This cat is dead."
Schrödinger angrily replies, "Well he is now."
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:36 AM on February 18, 2018 [41 favorites]
Not many people know that the apostrophe in "Schrödinger's cat" is not possessive, but rather a contraction of "Schrödinger is cat".
I prefer to see it as an example of the "greengrocer's apostrophe", as in "the two Schrödinger's had an unknown number of cats."
The real question, though, is why does an article about heavy metal have an entry for Hüsker Dü?
posted by Dip Flash at 8:41 AM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
I prefer to see it as an example of the "greengrocer's apostrophe", as in "the two Schrödinger's had an unknown number of cats."
The real question, though, is why does an article about heavy metal have an entry for Hüsker Dü?
posted by Dip Flash at 8:41 AM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
> stevil:
"Well, actually, Schrödinger was the name of the cat."
No, Schrödinger is the princess, the cat is Zelda.
posted by signal at 8:48 AM on February 18, 2018 [12 favorites]
"Well, actually, Schrödinger was the name of the cat."
No, Schrödinger is the princess, the cat is Zelda.
posted by signal at 8:48 AM on February 18, 2018 [12 favorites]
but the walrus is still paul, right?
posted by pyramid termite at 9:04 AM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by pyramid termite at 9:04 AM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
See, as things stand now, the guy is/is not a cat scientist. We're never really gonna know one way or another unless someone looks in the böx.
posted by mwhybark at 9:21 AM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by mwhybark at 9:21 AM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
> The . . . cat scientist?
The author seems to be a superposition of an idiot and someone who made a pithy comment about S. being known much more for the stupid overused cat thing than for his contributions to science...
posted by kleinsteradikaleminderheit at 10:13 AM on February 18, 2018
The author seems to be a superposition of an idiot and someone who made a pithy comment about S. being known much more for the stupid overused cat thing than for his contributions to science...
posted by kleinsteradikaleminderheit at 10:13 AM on February 18, 2018
Cät.
posted by Gin and Broadband at 11:04 AM on February 18, 2018
posted by Gin and Broadband at 11:04 AM on February 18, 2018
Thïs wäs vërÿ ëdücätïönäl.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 11:11 AM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 11:11 AM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
The takeway I'm getting from all this is that Schrödinger's Cät would be a good name for a metal band.
posted by wanderingmind at 11:24 AM on February 18, 2018 [17 favorites]
posted by wanderingmind at 11:24 AM on February 18, 2018 [17 favorites]
That umlauts and diereses are two different things is one of my hobby horses, and pretty much nobody else seems to care, so I was prepared to get angry reading this, but they did a good job. My hat* is off the author!
* aka circumflex
posted by aubilenon at 11:32 AM on February 18, 2018 [10 favorites]
* aka circumflex
posted by aubilenon at 11:32 AM on February 18, 2018 [10 favorites]
The takeway I'm getting from all this is that Schrödinger's Cät would be a good name for a metal band.
An even better name would be Ümŀäüŧ or Đïäŗëšïş
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 11:40 AM on February 18, 2018
An even better name would be Ümŀäüŧ or Đïäŗëšïş
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 11:40 AM on February 18, 2018
Superfluous heavy metal umlauts always make band names look and sound hilarious to me. Every time I see a band use them I take it as an invitation to mangle the pronounciation of the rest of their name too.
I always pronounce Motörhead as if it had two ös (of my native language, obviously) instead of one and mangle the ea on "head" so it basically becomes "mötörhöd". I enjoy this greatly.
Of course, the best use of the heavy metal umlaut is on the back cover of Hawkwind's album In Search of Space where it reads:
TECHNICIÄNS ÖF SPÅCE SHIP EÅRTH THIS IS YÖÜR CÄPTÅIN SPEÄKING YÖÜR ØÅPTÅIN IS DEAD
I'm not kidding either. The A on the word DEAD should have a double acute accent but I really don't know how to type it properly.
posted by Soi-hah at 12:19 PM on February 18, 2018 [8 favorites]
I always pronounce Motörhead as if it had two ös (of my native language, obviously) instead of one and mangle the ea on "head" so it basically becomes "mötörhöd". I enjoy this greatly.
Of course, the best use of the heavy metal umlaut is on the back cover of Hawkwind's album In Search of Space where it reads:
TECHNICIÄNS ÖF SPÅCE SHIP EÅRTH THIS IS YÖÜR CÄPTÅIN SPEÄKING YÖÜR ØÅPTÅIN IS DEAD
I'm not kidding either. The A on the word DEAD should have a double acute accent but I really don't know how to type it properly.
posted by Soi-hah at 12:19 PM on February 18, 2018 [8 favorites]
Also so as to not abuse the edit window I will take this additional post to note that Moottörin jyrinä is a great name for a metal band, but especially for one that does covers for children. Unfortunately most of the greatness is lost in translation.
(The closest I can get to translating the name is Rumble of an Engine, but this completely ignores how good of a word "jyrinä" is here to indicate the sound said engine makes)
posted by Soi-hah at 12:31 PM on February 18, 2018 [6 favorites]
(The closest I can get to translating the name is Rumble of an Engine, but this completely ignores how good of a word "jyrinä" is here to indicate the sound said engine makes)
posted by Soi-hah at 12:31 PM on February 18, 2018 [6 favorites]
Mëtäfïltër?
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 1:08 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 1:08 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
Ugh. There needs to be some kind of fï ligature, that's awful. Hmm. what if ... fï ... nope that's not right.
posted by aubilenon at 1:14 PM on February 18, 2018
posted by aubilenon at 1:14 PM on February 18, 2018
> No, Schrödinger is the princess, the cat is Zelda.
Actually, Zelda is the scientist. I believe you're thinking of Mary Shelley.
posted by sourcequench at 1:36 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
Actually, Zelda is the scientist. I believe you're thinking of Mary Shelley.
posted by sourcequench at 1:36 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
Sakamoto is the scientist. The Professor is the cat.
posted by glonous keming at 1:50 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by glonous keming at 1:50 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
And here is an analysis of the edit history of the Wikipedia article on the Heavy Metal Umlaut.
posted by adamrice at 1:53 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by adamrice at 1:53 PM on February 18, 2018 [2 favorites]
The construction workers at work have a porta-John called "Gotugo" with double dots over the "u". I took a picture of it and sent it to a German friend just to torture her.
posted by acrasis at 3:30 PM on February 18, 2018
posted by acrasis at 3:30 PM on February 18, 2018
Sakamoto is the scientist. The Professor is the cat.
That's Sakamoto-sän to you.
posted by J.K. Seazer at 5:18 PM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
That's Sakamoto-sän to you.
posted by J.K. Seazer at 5:18 PM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
The officer looks over the car and asks Schrödinger if the two men have anything in the trunk. "A cat," Schrödinger replies. The cop opens the trunk and yells "Hey! This cat is dead."
Frau Schrödinger bursts angrily into her husband’s lab. “Ervin, what on earth have you been doing with the cat?!? He looks half-dead!”
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:03 PM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
Frau Schrödinger bursts angrily into her husband’s lab. “Ervin, what on earth have you been doing with the cat?!? He looks half-dead!”
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:03 PM on February 18, 2018 [3 favorites]
The construction workers at work have a porta-John called "Gotugo" with double dots over the "u".
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 7:09 PM on February 18, 2018
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 7:09 PM on February 18, 2018
Although mentioned in the article, nobody here has mentioned the rare triplex umlaut used in official branding for the best band in the world
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 7:27 PM on February 18, 2018
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 7:27 PM on February 18, 2018
oh, i thought you meant blöödhag, but then I realized, no ä.
posted by mwhybark at 7:44 PM on February 18, 2018
posted by mwhybark at 7:44 PM on February 18, 2018
You people must not have Macs.
Here, cut and paste: äb̈c̈d̈ëf̈g̈ḧïj̈k̈l̈m̈n̈öp̈q̈r̈s̈ẗüv̈ẅẍÿz̈
posted by zompist at 2:11 AM on February 19, 2018
Here, cut and paste: äb̈c̈d̈ëf̈g̈ḧïj̈k̈l̈m̈n̈öp̈q̈r̈s̈ẗüv̈ẅẍÿz̈
posted by zompist at 2:11 AM on February 19, 2018
I got married recently and my wife has decided to take my last name, so I’m in her in the care and feeding of the umlaut. (Don’t use it in any online forms you care about, but use it whenever you can otherwise, or else it gets sad. Also, feel free to jump in with the pronounciation when people look at it and get a panicked expression.)
posted by lore at 11:13 AM on February 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by lore at 11:13 AM on February 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
The most ridiculous use of accents in popular music is probably Christian Vander's Kobaian language, most famously used on Magma's Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh album from 1972 (and all the other Magma albums, of course, but that's probably the best known). The sleeve notes to the album itself demonstrate an even more baroque and expansive use of odd characters and diacritics, possibly the result of some very stoned people getting their hands on a lot of Letraset. There's also the more worrying possibility they did it while they weren't stoned.
(Magma are my very favourites in the short list of Musicians I Like a Great Deal Despite the Fact They're Probably At Least A Little Bit Fascist.)
posted by Grangousier at 12:11 PM on February 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
(Magma are my very favourites in the short list of Musicians I Like a Great Deal Despite the Fact They're Probably At Least A Little Bit Fascist.)
posted by Grangousier at 12:11 PM on February 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
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