Quote Originally Posted by Trent View Post
Thanks but I’ll take the worldwide accepted definition of obscure over that fanfic headcannon you referenced.

Google’s dictionary, which is far more credible, states one of the definitions of obscure as “not important or well known”. And that sums up Greenlight perfectly.
You mean "canon" (since we're quoting dictionaries )

Also, I don't and have never run the Obscure Transformers Website. It was made by two TF fans, our own Jhiaxus and an American bloke known as Monzo. I've got nothing to do with it. Also, I did explicitly disclaim "for the purposes of this thread," not as in saying that it's a new definition of the word "obscure" (from Latin). Note that I've always typed it as Obscure; note the capital "O" instead of a lower case "O." That's not an accident. I'm deliberately using "Obscure" as a proper noun, not a common noun. The definition you've cited is the definition for its common usage, but I have capitalised the "O" in every instance of "Obscure" because I am using it as a proper noun.

It's the same reason why I always capitalise the "T" in "Transformers." Google's definition of "transformer" is:
1. an apparatus for reducing or increasing the voltage of an alternating current.
2. a person or thing that transforms something.
But I am not using the word "transformer" to mean either of those things. I am using to explicitly refer to the trademarked Transformers brand and affiliated characters from Hasbro, hence why I always spell "Transformers" with a capital "T", unless I'm using it in its common noun context.
e.g.
I purchased a transformer for my Japanese hairdryer.
I purchased a Transformer from Mandarake.

I am not attempting to redefine the word "obscure" or "transformer" for the English language in general, I am only using these words in a special context as per the parameters of this particular discussion. And it's a definition that I've taken from a website that was established nearly 2 decades ago. FWIW I did question them on this definition of "obscure," but it's what they went with. <shrugs>
I'd be inclined to agree with the dictionary definition too, but it wasn't my call. And I suppose they made this call because they needed some definitive measure of obscurity, because otherwise what people might consider obscure or not would be incredibly subjective and variable.
e.g. some people think that any Transformer that doesn't appear in the first 2 seasons of the G1 cartoon are "obscure" (e.g. Hardhead, Horri-Bull etc.)
We all have different standards and definitions of what is obscure to us depending on our own levels of knowledge (since the literal definition of "obscure" is what is the unknown or uncertain), so I guess that Jhiaxus and Monzo made this call for the purposes of their website, and that's just what I'm running with.

As I said in my opening statement, it's the definition of "Obscure" for the purposes of this discussion. Not for the purposes of the English language in general. If this bothers you then feel free to walk away from this thread. If you feel that I have violated board rules then file a report with administrative staff, otherwise I would kindly ask you not to further derail this discussion. Thank you.