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A thread discussing similar tropes.

Note that two tropes being distinct in theory does that mean they are distinct in practice. If participants agree that two (or more) tropes really don't seem distinct enough to be separate, one can start a thread in the Trope Repair Shop for further discussion. A a wick check demonstrating redundancy will likely be required, though.

Before asking "What's the difference between these tropes?", check the Canonical List of Subtle Trope Distinctions and Laconical List of Subtle Trope Distinctions lists. They may contain the answer. Feel free to contribute to them, too.


    Original OP 

I've decided to start a new cleanup thread dealing with trope similarities. This thread is for discussing tropes that appear to be a duplicate of another trope, and if it's agreed upon that the two tropes talked about are similar enough, one should start a thread about it in the Trope Repair Shop.

I'll start with my issue...


Asian Hooker Stereotype and Mighty Whitey and Mellow Yellow are pretty much the same trope—they both involve a white man and an Asian woman.

Edited by Synchronicity on Aug 8th 2024 at 5:29:57 AM

Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Malady (X-Troper)
#277: Oct 18th 2019 at 3:51:11 AM

Used to Be a Tomboy seems to be needing the change to be plot / history based, while Girliness Upgrade is an Adaptation type trope?

Used to Be a Tomboy could be clearer about that difference in its description.

Edited by Malady on Oct 18th 2019 at 3:52:46 AM

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Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#278: Oct 18th 2019 at 8:04:08 PM

[up]Really? Because the examples listed in Girliness Upgrade has characters who start as a tomboy at the beginning of the series, and gradually becomes more feminine over time, with no mention of adaptational differences.

Malady (X-Troper)
#279: Oct 18th 2019 at 8:09:47 PM

I based my thoughts on these from Girliness Upgrade:

Our heroine is a tomboy — rough and tumble, as interested in fashion as she is interested in watching paint dry. However, come the reboot, sequel series, or merchandise, she becomes a girly girl.

[...]

Overlaps with Used to Be a Tomboy, which is where a Girly Girl character is revealed to have undergone this prior to the events of the story, with her previous tomboy-self being alluded to in dialogue and flashback.

Edited by Malady on Oct 18th 2019 at 8:10:46 AM

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eroock Since: Sep, 2012
#280: Oct 19th 2019 at 5:39:36 AM

My 2ct: Used to Be a Tomboy is more of a backstory info (comment, flashback or part of a Kidroduction) and basically happened prior to the timeline of the story (same as Used to Be a Sweet Kid). Girliness Upgrade is when we follow the tomboy character for a good portion before the switch happens. This scenario lends itself to be employed for series works rather than within a stand-alone work. I would have expected for such things in adaptations to fall under Adaptation Personality Change.

4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#281: Oct 19th 2019 at 4:18:45 PM

[up] Now that's a good distinction.

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#282: Oct 24th 2019 at 5:39:50 PM

[up][up]Ah, that makes sense. Thanks

Now, what's the difference between Lack of Empathy and No Sympathy?

Pichu-kun ... Since: Jan, 2001
wingedcatgirl mys. minty from the silly dimension from lurking (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Oh my word! I'm gay!
mys. minty from the silly dimension
#284: Oct 24th 2019 at 6:10:50 PM

[up][up] Lack of Empathy is a character trait (Bob does not care about other people); No Sympathy is an event (Alice has suffered horrible misfortune today but Charlie ignores all that to yell at her for being late).

[up] As far as I can tell, Last of His Kind is one person, while Racial Remnant is a group, but I can't really find anything beyond that.

Suddenly I'm... still rotating Fallen London in my mind even though I've stopped actively playing it.
4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#285: Oct 25th 2019 at 5:57:13 PM

What's the difference of Law Enforcement, Inc. and Heroes "R" Us?

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
Malady (X-Troper)
#286: Oct 25th 2019 at 6:22:00 PM

Former says the latter is an actual government agency, presumably meaning the latter are bound by government regulations.

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HighCrate Since: Mar, 2015
#287: Oct 25th 2019 at 6:41:59 PM

Latter says it can be either governmental or not.

4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#288: Oct 26th 2019 at 12:06:35 AM

Maybe it's like this?

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#289: Nov 3rd 2019 at 9:57:45 PM

What is And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt about and how is it different from And Your Reward Is Clothes?

Edited by Adept on Nov 15th 2019 at 5:35:43 PM

Tabs Since: Jan, 2001
#290: Nov 3rd 2019 at 10:15:26 PM

Lousy t-shirt can be a specific, goofy type of clothes reward?

Edited by Tabs on Nov 5th 2019 at 10:24:37 AM

Malady (X-Troper)
#291: Nov 4th 2019 at 1:17:38 AM

[up][up] - Lousy is a specific type of joke with the T-shirt.

Reward is actually about being rewarded.

Edited by Malady on Nov 4th 2019 at 1:19:21 AM

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Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#292: Nov 5th 2019 at 12:01:37 AM

So one is a trope about getting clothes as a reward, and the other is joking about the former? Is the latter even trope-worthy? because that sounds more like a meme rather than an actual trope.

Malady (X-Troper)
#293: Nov 5th 2019 at 4:46:04 AM

[up] - "Lousy" is a T-shirt with that specific kind of phrasing on it. It doesn't matter how the T-shirt is acquired.

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Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#294: Nov 5th 2019 at 6:41:13 PM

So it's a stock phrase, then?

Malady (X-Troper)
#295: Nov 5th 2019 at 6:47:50 PM

I guess so? I'd want more people to contribute.

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Tabs Since: Jan, 2001
#296: Nov 5th 2019 at 10:23:38 PM

A jokey stock phrase on a (usually) Fun T-Shirt, so common and recognizable that it's an easy-to-make, maybe even an Obligatory Joke onna-wearable-souvenir. It's usually not a reward. It might say something about the kind of sense of humor the owner/buyer has. The description on the page is barebones and fails to describe the narrative significance, so I can see where the dislike is coming from.

Also, the image is not helping separate lousy and clothes reward, even if it is an example.

Edited by Tabs on Nov 5th 2019 at 10:28:08 AM

Adept (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#297: Nov 12th 2019 at 11:03:04 PM

[up]I brought it up in the Trope Description Improvement Drive thread. Hopefully someone can help clarify the trope.

Also Translation Trainwreck is described by its own page as pretty much "Blind Idiot" Translation, taken Up To Eleven. That sounds like The Same, but More, but perhaps there's some other, subtler distinctions between the two?

Malady (X-Troper)
#298: Nov 13th 2019 at 1:57:35 AM

Translation Trainwreck seems like it has to have basically no relation to the source, while "Blind Idiot" Translation has at least some relation?

Trainwreck's image involves an elephant where there was none...

Idiot's image has an explanation in one of its subpages, IIRC, that should become the caption once shortened?

In Real Life:

As pictured on the main page, we have a fire extinguisher that was labeled as "hand grenade", which is clearly wrong. What's interesting is that fire extinguishers can actually function as a hand grenade (though they won't create a fiery explosion like a real grenade would and will put out fire instead).

... Okay, not as helpful. Well, the Chinese has the Fire character... What's the translation for Hand Grenade?

Nothing similar. Okay, I say scrap the image.

Although it could've been translated as Destroy Fire Bottle...

Edited by Malady on Nov 13th 2019 at 2:11:08 AM

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4tell0life4 Since: Mar, 2018 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
#299: Nov 16th 2019 at 6:28:08 AM

How are Go Out with a Smile and Dying Smirk any different?

We can never truly eradicate the coronavirus, but we can suppress its threat like influenza
wingedcatgirl mys. minty from the silly dimension from lurking (Holding A Herring) Relationship Status: Oh my word! I'm gay!
mys. minty from the silly dimension
#300: Nov 16th 2019 at 6:36:40 AM

Dying Smirk was specifically split from Go Out with a Smile because the latter is intended to indicate serenity or acceptance, while the former is meant to be smug.

Suddenly I'm... still rotating Fallen London in my mind even though I've stopped actively playing it.

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