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The Snowclone (Otago) Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

stegan: .

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Hidden : 12/17/2011
Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   other (other)

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Geocache Description:


Snowclones are well-known phrases that have been adapted by a user to apply to a new situation or purpose. Since they use instantly recogniseable templates a person can carry the intent or relationships of the original saying to the new phrase even though the new phrase refers to different things and is, to some degree, novel.

The term snowclone was coined in 2004 in response to English professor Geoffrey Pullum's observation on the Language Log blog that lazy journalists overuse the template phrase "If Eskimos have N words for snow, X surely have Y words for Z." The implication being that cultural group X has reason to spend a great deal of time thinking about the specific idea Z. For example the British have 56 words for rain... This is all despite the basic rationale being wrong - Eskimos or Inuit as they are more appropriately known don't have an oddly large number of words for snow.

A couple (weakly) adapted for geocaching: To cache or not to cache? Evil, thy name is nanocache. In New Zealand you might find a geocaching party, in Soviet Russia the Party finds you!

Please feel free to offer your own (either humorous or caching related) in your online log. Eternal fame and glory if you pick the origins of the three I've just suggested.

Note also that you will almost certainly encounter a snowclone while hunting this cache and that is the only extra hint at this stage! Feel free to PM me the origin of that snow clone and you'll get credit on the cache page.

Further Reading:

The Snowclones Database

Wikipedia Snowclones article

The Language Log Blog on bleached conditionals
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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Onfr bs gerr va gur 'gerr vfynaq'

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)