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Deadlock Clock: Oct 22nd 2012 at 11:59:00 PM
Wulf Gotta trope, dood! from Louisiana Since: Jan, 2001
Gotta trope, dood!
#1: Aug 14th 2012 at 5:53:04 AM

The problem's actually with it and its sister article, Tastes Like Feet. Tastes Like Purple claims examples such as "it tastes like death" or "it tastes like blue" belong at It Tastes Like Feet, and that Tastes Like Purple's only for synesthesia-type situations, such as a character literally being able to taste purple, or see sound or what have you. Meanwhile It Tastes Like Feet states that examples such as "it tastes like blue" belong on the former page.

So, what, if anything should be done?

edited 14th Aug '12 1:53:58 PM by Wulf

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AnotherDuck No, the other one. from Stockholm Since: Jul, 2012 Relationship Status: Mu
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#2: Aug 14th 2012 at 8:03:08 AM

If I understand it right, Tastes Like Purple is what you cannot taste, and Tastes Like Feet is what you shouldn't know the taste of.

The descriptions could be clearer, but the definitions don't seem that bad. If I'm correct.

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Wulf Gotta trope, dood! from Louisiana Since: Jan, 2001
Gotta trope, dood!
#3: Aug 14th 2012 at 8:22:33 AM

That's the impression I get, but this hottipped paragraph in Tastes Like Purple:

Doesn't cover characters just speaking metaphorically.* A key difference between this trope and Tastes Like Feet is that normally it would be impossible for people to taste or hear colors, but it is quite possible for people to taste things like feet and motor oil. The exception of course is those with the condition synesthesia. And most of the color examples at Tastes Like Feet are metaphors: a food with color X is described as tasting like color X. Those don't belong here. Only include examples where a character is made to taste (or hear or see, but taste is most common) something which rightfully does not have a taste at all.
(bolded for emphasis)

Explicitly disallows quite a few examples from Tastes Like Feet that don't belong on that page either. Assuming, of course, we want to consider those examples of either at all.

They lost me. Forgot me. Made you from parts of me. If you're the One, my father's son, what am I supposed to be?
Osmium from Germany Since: Dec, 2010
#4: Aug 14th 2012 at 12:29:58 PM

The problem is not It Tastes Like Feet. This trope is clearly about comparing the taste of something to a existing taste you shouldn't know. And most of the examples fit the description.

The problem is more how far Tastes Like Purple is limited. Quit a lot of the examples on the page are metaphorical and not about synesthesia.

I suggest changing the link of the thread to the page with problems and not the one which is fine.

Wulf Gotta trope, dood! from Louisiana Since: Jan, 2001
Gotta trope, dood!
#5: Aug 14th 2012 at 1:51:04 PM

Very well. Editing the OP as well

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lu127 Paper Master from 異界 Since: Sep, 2011 Relationship Status: Crazy Cat Lady
#6: Oct 19th 2012 at 11:59:49 AM

Clocking.

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Xtifr World's Toughest Milkman Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
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#7: Oct 19th 2012 at 2:34:41 PM

Hmm, I think metaphor should be allowed when it refers to synesthesia-like experiences. Someone saying "smells like starlight" would count, even though it may be poetic rather than actual synesthesia, because it's suggesting a sort of synesthesia. On the other hand, someone saying "tastes like brown" to suggest that the taste is similar to dirt or excrement would not, and should go under Tastes Like Feet. And saying something "tastes like purple" to mean "tastes like grape" would not be an example of either trope.

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Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
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#8: Oct 19th 2012 at 2:38:07 PM

You know, I'd almost support renaming this to Synesthesia, were the term not a bit obscure.

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ArcadesSabboth from Mother Earth Since: Oct, 2011
#9: Oct 19th 2012 at 3:33:59 PM

I've seen colors used to describe non-visual experiences. For example, I think one of the Narnia books mentions a "dim, purple sort of smell." It isn't always clear from context whether it's synaesthesia or bizarre metaphors or things that smell or taste like abstract things that shouldn't have a smell, but do anyway because A Wizard Did It.

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Xtifr World's Toughest Milkman Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
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#10: Oct 19th 2012 at 7:46:39 PM

[up]Right; "it isn't always clear" is an excellent reason to not limit this to actual synesthesia.

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RJSavoy Reymmã from Edinburgh Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
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#11: Oct 20th 2012 at 6:10:59 AM

But isn't clinical synesthesia a more extreme form of this? It's normal to cross-reference the senses for something we aren't familiar with or just lack the vocabulary.

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ArcadesSabboth from Mother Earth Since: Oct, 2011
#12: Oct 20th 2012 at 9:11:18 AM

[up]But synesthesia isn't a metaphor. Folks with that actually do taste purple.

[up][up]Another reason is that actual examples of real synesthesia are probably very rare in media.

edited 20th Oct '12 9:12:00 AM by ArcadesSabboth

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DoktorvonEurotrash Since: Jan, 2001
#13: Oct 20th 2012 at 10:29:01 AM

Another reason is that actual examples of real synesthesia are probably very rare in media.

Seconded.

lu127 Paper Master from 異界 Since: Sep, 2011 Relationship Status: Crazy Cat Lady
#14: Dec 22nd 2012 at 2:44:55 PM

Stale with expired clock, sending to the morgue.

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