# Superheroes' useless tics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117 "2011-04-12T17:22:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/41 "2011-04-14T20:32:29Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > For those who missed, _I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream_ is the name of a short story (and subsequent collection) by Harlan Ellison. > > That’s easy for college-boys, but what about us morons? > > You mean a “j” sound? Yes. If I’d written _j sound_, some wiseacre would’ve gotten all IPA on me, and I’m low on bullets right now. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/42 "2011-04-14T20:58:05Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Who would you rather see in a wet t-shit contest? Jocasta or Rogue? Random character: _\_: “They…jiggle?!” Jocasta:\* \\*: “They’re made of liquid metal.” ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/43 "2011-04-14T21:13:40Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Random character: _\_: “They…jiggle?!” > > Jocasta:\* \\*: “They’re made of liquid metal.” Fool of a synthezoid! _Liquid metal_ could simply be mercury or cesium. (Or any molten metal, but the lack of crap around being on fire would militate against that.) If Jocasta’s bosom bounces, it will be _living_ metal. On other matters, Jocasta (WHICH IS PRONOUNCED WITH A Y SOUND, GODDESS DAMN IT!) was constructed to be Ultron’s bride. One wonders, then, if she has any hidden orifices, and if Ultron (that year’s model, anyway) had any hidden, um, extensibles. Yes, I know that’s insane. But that’s kinda my point. Ultron is made of crazy. He’s Hank Pym times a zillion, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/44 "2011-04-14T21:22:55Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > He’s Hank Pym times a zillion, after all. Man’s got an insect fetish. Different strokes. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/45 "2011-04-14T21:30:36Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > If I’d written _j sound_, some wiseacre would’ve gotten all IPA on me, and I’m low on bullets right now. The way you did it isn’t any less of a target for IPA proponents. Believe me, I’m one of them. For one, _y sound_ isn’t significantly less ambiguous than _j sound_. _Soft_ is also ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/46 "2011-04-14T21:39:18Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > The way you did it isn’t any less of a target for IPA proponents. Believe me, I’m one of them. For one, _y sound_ isn’t significantly less ambiguous than _j sound_. _Soft_ is also ambiguous. Well, I was mostly being a wiseacre my ownself. But “soft g” seemed the best combo of likely to be understand, brief, and correct. Yes, I could have written ʤ or dzh. But in my experience, people who haven’t studied phonetics since 5th grade are likely to have heard the terms hard & soft g, as well as hard & soft c. So that’s brief and to the point. I agree that there’s no reason to think of the voiced stop of _ghost_ and the voiced fricatives of \*judge \*as being variations as one another, but at least people know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/47 "2011-04-14T22:20:59Z")
I pronounce it like I would Javier - “Hocasta”, only guttral. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/48 "2011-04-14T23:08:00Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’m fairly sure that Jocasta’s tits are an exact match (in shape only, of course) for Janet Van Dyne’s. Maybe they are an EXACT match. Might explain Hankie’s frequent mad-on. No little yellow-jacket larvae. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/49 "2011-04-14T23:27:51Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > Maybe they are an EXACT match. Might explain Hankie’s frequent mad-on. No little yellow-jacket larvae. :eek: :mad: Filthy Quesada-lover! This affront shall not be forgotten! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/50 "2011-04-14T23:34:54Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > How glass managed to metabolize solar radiation was not explaine.d I have this horrible suspicion that the spaceship was alive and immortal and screaming all the while, only without a mouth. 😃 At least it didn’t vocalize a melody with lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/51 "2011-04-14T23:38:33Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I pronounce it like I would Javier - “Hocasta”, only guttral. Well, referring to another person of a similar name, Professor Schickele translated the name in Oedipus Tex as Betty Jo Casta. So, soft g for me. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/52 "2011-04-15T04:53:07Z")
I’ve always been confused which is hard g and which is soft. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/53 "2011-04-15T06:26:43Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > _Liquid metal_ could simply be mercury or cesium. (Or any molten metal, but the lack of crap around being on fire would militate against that.) If Jocasta’s bosom bounces, it will be _living_ metal. Doesn’t have to be actual metal. Any strong flexible shiny compound would do. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/54 "2011-04-15T15:53:44Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I’ve always been confused which is hard g and which is soft. Fine. Next time I will write /g/, /j/ & /ʤ/, so 75% of the board can then go, “What?” ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/55 "2011-04-15T16:13:19Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Fine. Next time I will write /g/, /j/ & /ʤ/, so 75% of the board can then go, “What?” Hooked on Phonics didn’t do jack shit for me. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/56 "2011-04-15T16:14:34Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Hooked on Phonics didn’t do jack shit for me. That’s ONE. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/57 "2011-04-15T16:39:50Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Fine. Next time I will write /g/, /j/ & /ʤ/, so 75% of the board can then go, “What?” Well, that’s how ignorance is fought! ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/58 "2011-04-15T19:16:11Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Fine. Next time I will write /g/, /j/ & /ʤ/, so 75% of the board can then go, “What?” You could always include a link: > **[The sounds of English and the International Phonetic Alphabet | Antimoon](https://www.antimoon.com/how/pronunc-soundsipa.htm)** > > All the sounds used in the English language with sound recordings and symbols in the International Phonetic Alphabet ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/59 "2011-04-15T19:24:43Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > You could always include a link: > > [The sounds of English and the International Phonetic Alphabet | Antimoon](http://www.antimoon.com/how/pronunc-soundsipa.htm) Or I could have simply written “j as in jerry versus j as in Hallejujah,” thus avoiding information overload. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117/60 "2011-04-15T20:05:11Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Or I could have simply written “j as in jerry versus j as in Hallejujah,” thus avoiding information overload. That’s pronounced _hollyhooha_, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-useless-tics/578117.md?page=4)