So close...

[farla]

I randomly clicked on a new OT story, The Original. I skim down and note the professor is called Yew.

Yew? I think. That's unusual. Wonderful.

Then I realize Professor Yew is basically a fancy version of Professor Pine. It's a coniferous tree name that can refer to a specific tree, a number of related tree species, or a number of families.

Why do you mock me, fanfiction gods?

Comments

[wintersheir]

I now feel somewhat silly since I thought that yews were deciduous trees all this time, even after reading a book that featured them, being about remarkable trees and yews tending to qualify... *dense* @_@

[farla.livejournal.com]

For some reason I thought they were something willow/birch/etclike, honestly. But then, I realize I tend to picture all trees as deciduous smooth-bark things when I hear about them. I just don't like conifers for some reason.

[negrek.livejournal.com]

Dangit, I think I actually recommended yew to somebody a while ago... *jams foot in mouth*

Thanks for pointing that out.

[farla.livejournal.com]

Well, it's not technically wrong, just vexing.

[actonthat.livejournal.com]

Uh... there's an intended pattern to the Pokemon professor's names?

x.x

[farla.livejournal.com]

Death to you, infidel!

[actonthat.livejournal.com]

Somehow I have to feel like any relationship is sort of coincidental... this is a child's game, whether we like it or not. And Gamefreak... well, azurill is a normal type, for starters...

*shrug* I'm not too hot on the 'Professor Tree gives Susan pokemon' thing anyway, so I've never had the chance to cross you on that point and probably never will.

[actonthat.livejournal.com]

and probably never will.

Aside from right now, I guess.

[farla.livejournal.com]

Eh. I'm not so much militant on the tree thing as I am militant on the not-screwing-up the tree thing. Professors given normal surnames are tolerable, professors given halfassed attempts at following the rules (Professor Stone, Professor Gum, Professor Pine, and, of course, the five thousand geniuses who were clever with a Professor Tree) are more my issue.

[farla.livejournal.com]

As I recall, back in the early days it was explicitly stated that Ash and Oak's names came from the trees, because they were both strong trees. At some other point the Professor = Tree thing was stated. I honestly can't remember the particular details of that, though. I think it had to do with the strength metaphor.

While a guy named Oak isn't a pattern, and Oak and Elm could always be a coincidence...once we get to Birch, it's pretty solid. It's a bit like the towns being named after colors and the hometown being Pallet.

[(Anonymous)]

But then what about Professor Ivy? 0_o That's canon and it's not even a tree...

[farla.livejournal.com]

As my mother pointed out indignantly while I was watching that episode, "That's just sexist."

The men are trees. The woman is a weak, clingy vine that needs a man's tree's support.

Get revenge by writing about women professors who are named after the crushing death vines.

[lil-ida.livejournal.com]

I couldn't help but laugh at that comment, especially this:

As my mother pointed out indignantly while I was watching that episode, "That's just sexist."

Sorry. I'm just easily amused. :-p

[dioschorium.livejournal.com]

Such as Professor Kudzu, perhaps?

[farla.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. Kudzu would be the highly prolific professor who has written a minimum of five papers in each scientific publication across all disciplines and specialties - and that was only what she did last week. Despite this, Kudzu isn't held in high regard by her colleges, who feel she's going for quantity over quality - and also that she's burying their papers under a mountain of her own.