Re: Gaffa

[chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (Chris Williams)]

>I can't let Chris's somewhat far-fetched linguistic assertions go by
>without comment, however; I'm quite prepared to entertain the notion
>that the word "gaffe" may have been in Kate's mind, whether conscious
>or unconscious, but it seems quite preposterous to discount Kate's own
>statement that the superficial meaning is gaffer tape.

   Do you really believe that a song that Kate has described as
being about struggling with personal limitations is *more* about
tape than mistakes? 

>You can't go and say (in effect) "Kate's lying because she doesn't
>agree with me," certainly not without some sort of supporting logic.

   Kate lies and simplifies. Read a bunch of interviews and that will 
become obvious. She also has a somewhat impish sense of humor. Here's a 
couple of examples: Asked "What kind of make-up do you use" she replied 
"I don't use make-up any more, I use latex!" Her answer to the question 
"What is you favorite cover of one of your songs" she replied "Poor Old 
Flea by Madame Maria Nanky."

   She exaggerates her height, claiming to be 5' 3". Does this make her
5' 3"? Not, as Merideth once said even in "high-heeled rollerblades."

   When asked about the identity of her boyfriend, long before her
relationship with Del was public, she wouldn't say. But she said that
"...he's *not* a musician" in the "Company" interview.

   She claimed, in an interview in a kids magazine, that she did not
smoke.

   Are all of these things true because Kate once said them?

>I know this is an old, old argument.  The crux of it in the past seems
>to have been "well I've never heard anyone call it gaffer tape".

   No, that was *not* the crux. Gaffer's tape is not the same as "gaffa" 
tape. I have heard heard hundreds of people refer to it as "gaffer's 
tape" including many gaffers. I have never heard anyone refer to it as
"gaffa" tape. The "gaffa tape" thing was an explanation to be able to 
give a quick answer to a complex question.

>I fail to see what can be done about such narrow-mindedness, except
>to say that when I went in to a music shop in Leamington Spa quite
>a few years ago, and asked for a roll of "duct tape", the muso behind
>the counter replied "oh, you mean gaffer tape?".  QED, as far as I'm
>concerned.

   Narrowmindedness, in this case, is insisting that only one of Kate's
various explanations of "gaffa" is the correct.

   BTW, what we refer to as "gaffer's" tape and what we refer to as 
"duct" tape are a bit different. "Gaffer's" tape is a lot less sticky, 
and is designed to come off of surfaces easier.


                          Chris Williams of
                             Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago
                               chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (his)
                                 vickie@njin.rutgers.edu      (hers)