Rename (alt titles 8/31): Skippy Rules

First line in the description is "A rule or regulation is mentioned, and somebody pipes up that it's also known as "The (insert name) rule"." The name doesn't indicate that at all. Worse, the Trope Namer, Skippys List, doesn't even have anything to do with the trope, and the name seems like a redirect to that page.

And it's not thriving, at 9 wicks and 1 inbound.

Knowing what the actual Skippy rules are about, it's a terrible trope name. Those rules are about the consequence of abusing Ain't No Rule. There will be.

This is just about naming a rule after someone who broke it.

I think a better name could help. I don't think it's a terribly common trope, but probably more common than what it appears looking at the page and its usage.

edited 21st Mar '12 3:46:49 PM by Feather7603

I support a rename. If the trope were actually applied to Skippy's list, there would be like forty rules named after Skippy, which would make them hard to tell apart.

Real life trivia: I've met Skippy. He's a friend of a friend.

edited 23rd Mar '12 12:34:00 AM by pawsplay

"Skippy Rules" sounds like the kind of rules that people skip (or houserule away) for whatever reason.

That the trope page needs to point out that it's about this Skippy and not that other Skippy indicates that the name is not very good. There are also several other things named Skippy, including an (unrelated) film and comic strip.

So I support a rename.

There ought be more examples of this than those listed.

There are a ton from the sports world.

But, yeah, definetly needs a rename.

edited 23rd Mar '12 2:32:29 AM by Godnat

Whether we rename or not, it might be a good idea to put this on YKTTW for a few weeks to see if we can scrounge up more examples.

We could just kick it back there entirely.

It should be kicked back, yes. I know it's a trope (I can name several Real Life examples from various sports leagues), but it's terrible as-is. Nobody would find it under the name (particularly when the Trope Namer isn't an example... opaque Trope Namers that make even less sense when you are familiar with the source material are the worst). It needs more examples. And it needs a much better name.

After checking, while closely related to Person as Verb, it is distinct. I'd be tempted to go with Eponymous Rule, but the cynic in me wonders if enough people would know what "eponymous" means. Person Named Rule or Character Named Rule would probably work better.

If it gets kicked back, if anyone remembers any more of this example than I, they can add it:

• In Phil Of The Future, the extensive, yet subtle, screwing around the Diffy's have done while being stuck in the past have resulted in the establishment of the Diffy Law, prohibiting backwards time travel, and apparently ending the time tourism industry.

Eponymous Rule. I think it can be considered a reasonable personal obligation to learn what "eponymous" means at some point if you're going to be a troper.

Agree.

"I think it can be considered a reasonable personal obligation to learn what "eponymous" means at some point if you're going to be a troper."

BTW, would "eponymous" make a valid trope?

We already have Title Drop and Self-Titled Album.

Not the same thing. This is when you name a work after a specific thing.

We have The Namesake, which has eponym as a redirect.

I recognize that the title is not the definition, but would a title focusing on the fact that the rule is named after a person and not specifying why it's named after that person invite wicking things like Megan's Law? Would that even constitute misuse?

Ok, so my concern stands: laws like that are not examples; if the title only indicates the eponym aspect, would it attract that sort of misuse?

edited 5th Apr '12 9:58:26 PM by HersheleOstropoler

That would be misuse - this trope is for naming rules and the like after someone who is known for doing the kind of act which required the rule in the first place. Laws are not examples in 99% of cases because they either get named for the people who passed them or in memory of the victims that the law is required to protect.

In other words, the non-wiki, in-universe analogue to a Trope Namer?

It's a fair concern, but to approach it from the other direction - what name could we give it that's easy to use and wouldn't cause misuse? I'm not emotionally attached to any of the names that I suggested, but I have no idea what would work better.

The Violator Rule?

Ok, that's really stupid, but maybe it's a starting point?

Clocking due to lack of activity.

We never really came to a conclusion on a new name. The Violator Rule (or maybe Violator's Rule) would probably work well. Should we have a crowner?

edited 9th May '12 8:41:37 AM by 32_Footsteps

Did we come to a conclusion on whether to rename in the first place? Just for form's sake, I realize it's probably fairly straightforward.

I made a crowner, tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/Skippy Rules?open=all#7isudyn6

Actually, I think the thread was leaning towards kicking everything back to YKTTW to get a better name and more examples.