Changes: Ode to Spot

Revision as of 23:41, 18 March 2016

"Ode to Spot" was a poem composed by Data, addressed to his pet cat, Spot. It was written in the iambic heptameter mode. (TNG: "Schisms")

Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature,
An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature;
Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.

I find myself intrigued by your subvocal oscillations,
A singular development of cat communications
That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.

A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion,
It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.

O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display
Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.

In 2369, the content of the poem replaced some files on the USS Enterprise-D's main computer when Data's personal files were accidentally uploaded to the computer during an experimental interface between it and his neural net. One of the files replaced was the text of the play Something for Breakfast. A progressive memory purge eventually corrected the problem. (TNG: "A Fistful of Datas")

Background information

While the episodes' scripts – and the meaning of the words – indicate the first line to be a self-contained statement, both Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes misread it as part of a question:

Felis catus: is your taxonomic nomenclature

An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature?

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''"Ode to Spot"''' was a poem composed by [[Data]], addressed to his pet cat, [[Spot]].  It was written in the iambic heptameter mode. ({{TNG|Schisms}})
+'''"Ode to Spot"''' was a poem composed by [[Data]], addressed to his pet cat, [[Spot]]. It was written in the iambic heptameter mode. ({{TNG|Schisms}})
 <poem>
-:''Felis catus'' is your taxonomic nomenclature,
+:''Felis catus'' is your [[taxonomy|taxonomic]] nomenclature,
-:An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature;
+:An endothermic [[quadruped]], [[carnivore|carnivorous]] by nature;
-:Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
+:Your [[eye|visual]], olfactory, and [[hearing|auditory]] senses
-:Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.<br>
+:Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.<br />
-:I find myself intrigued by your sub-vocal oscillations,
+:I find myself intrigued by your [[purr|subvocal oscillation]]s,
 :A singular development of cat communications
 :That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
-:For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.<br>
+:For a rhythmic stroking of your [[fur]] to demonstrate affection.<br />
-:A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents,
+:A [[tail]] is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
 :You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
-:And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion
+:And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion,
-:It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.<br>
+:It often serves to illustrate the state of your [[emotion]].<br />
-:Oh Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display
+:O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display
-:Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array;
+:Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
-:And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,
+:And though you are not [[sentient]], Spot, and do not comprehend,
 :I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.</poem>
-In [[2369]], the content of the poem replaced some files on the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|''Enterprise'']]'s main computer when Data's personal files were accidentally uploaded to the computer during an experimental interface between it and his [[neural net]].  One of the files replaced was the text of the play ''[[Something for Breakfast]]''.  A [[progressive memory purge]] eventually corrected the problem. ({{TNG|A Fistful of Datas}})
+In [[2369]], the content of the poem replaced some files on the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}'s main computer when Data's personal files were accidentally uploaded to the computer during an experimental interface between it and his [[neural net]]. One of the files replaced was the text of the play ''[[Something for Breakfast]]''. A [[progressive memory purge]] eventually corrected the problem. ({{TNG|A Fistful of Datas}})
-== Background ==
+== Background information ==
-While the episodes' scripts - and the meaning of the words - indicate the first line to be a self-contained statement, both [[Brent Spiner]] and [[Jonathan Frakes]] misread it as part of a question:
+While the episodes' scripts &ndash; and the meaning of the words &ndash; indicate the first line to be a self-contained statement, both [[Brent Spiner]] and [[Jonathan Frakes]] misread it as part of a question:
+:'''''Felis catus'': is your taxonomic nomenclature'''<br />
+:'''An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature?'''
-:'''''Felis catus'': is your taxonomic nomenclature'''<br/>
-:'''An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature?'''<br/>
-The writers show the pitfalls of Humans writing lines for androids: The word "obviate" is used in the sense many people believe to be its proper usage from the way it sounds ("to make obvious"), although the word is actually defined as "to make unnecessary." The word "sentient" is also used incorrectly here.  "Sapient" would have been the correct term to describe Spot's lack of comprehension and/or self-awareness.  Data would presumably not make these mistakes, but, then again, he might believe invocation of poetic license would make him more Human.
+[[de:Ode an Spot]]
+[[it:Ode per Spot]]
 [[Category:Literature]]
-[[de:Ode an Spot]]