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I was listening to a Tripod song, an Australian comedy band, and they used the 'name' dax ipsa (spelled phonetically). It was obviously some sort of joke, but I have no clue what it actually means? Is this something specific to Australia?

Edit:

Adding some context from Russell's answer:

Gatesy: I'm Batman.
Scod: Really?
Gatesy: No, I impersonate Batman, for photos and that, you know.
Scod: I don't really get it. What's your real name?
Gatesy: I can't tell you that. People used to tease me at school.
Scod: Oh, come on.
Gatesy: Okay. It's "Dax Ipsa".
Scod: Do you mind if I call you "Batman"?
Gatesy: Yeah, sure.

Edit 2:

Found the song on youtube, and linked to the start of the dialog in question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrlEWc72LWY&t=2m25s

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It hasn't got anything to do with English. Ask the band. – coleopterist Oct 4 '12 at 5:28
@coleopterist: From the context of the song the name had more meaning than merely being name. It was an obvious reference to something. Its relation to English is that it is possible Australian slang of some sort. – grieve Oct 4 '12 at 5:31
It isn't Aussie slang. Even if it is, you are not providing the context that makes you believe that it is. – coleopterist Oct 4 '12 at 5:34
A little more googling, and I found "daks" is Australian slang for trousers, still not sure about the ipsa portion. – grieve Oct 4 '12 at 6:14
1  
This is very much too localised. Dax Ipsa has no meaning in English. From a short Google search I can see the Dax Ipsa was an Australian student who used to maintain a Live Journal called "Fear of Scod". There is no great mystery, just some internet handle. – Matt Эллен Oct 4 '12 at 7:42
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closed as too localized by coleopterist, Matt Эллен, Andrew Leach, FumbleFingers, tchrist Oct 5 '12 at 0:10

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3 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

Lyrics at the end - they don't make sense to me - and I'm an antipodean "just across the pond" in New Zealand. I doubt that this would make much sense to most Australians either.

DAX & IPSA are two stock indexes used in world finacial markets.
If the song had anything to do with capitalism or investment or money or societal issue or ... that could relate

IPSA here

DAX here - Deutsche Borse AG German Stock Index DAX

If there are references to any others in the list:
DAX IPSA IBEX ATX OBX BEL MIB BSI KLCI KOSPI PSI RTS IBC WIG
that would be a positive indication.

Here's the Tripod original. It's in a musical.

Surfers Paradise The Musical Part 1

This makes no apparent sense :-) :

Gatesy: I'm Batman.
Scod: Really?
Gatesy: No, I impersonate Batman, for photos and that, you know.
Scod: I don't really get it. What's your real name?
Gatesy: I can't tell you that. People used to tease me at school.
Scod: Oh, come on.
Gatesy: Okay. It's "Dax Ipsa".

Scod: Do you mind if I call you "Batman"?
Gatesy: Yeah, sure.

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+1 For finding the lyrics online. – grieve Oct 4 '12 at 5:46
Incidentally, the reference here is not to stock indices. Nor do the words appear in allcaps in the dialog. – Kris Oct 4 '12 at 7:52
The joke does not depend on capitalization. The joke is that the person's parents named him for two stock indexes. – MετάEd Oct 4 '12 at 8:14
@Kris - Your 'res ipsa loquitur' sounds pretty good. But, "is not" is such a strong expression :-). You may well be right - but as the name is spoken and the parents may have de-capped the expression when they used it as his name and as ... {other lame reasons} it may be a subtle mix. eg There are many "Etaion Shardlu"s on web, but few "ETAOIN SHARDLU"s or "etaoin shardlu"s. Linotype keyboard – Russell McMahon Oct 4 '12 at 10:00
up vote 1 down vote

The name means nothing, and it's not intended to mean anything. Just because it happens to use two Latin-sounding words does not make it Latin.

The point is that it is simply a ridiculous name and its wearer prefers something less ridiculous, like "Batman". Even having explained what the real name is, Scod thinks Batman less ridiculous and easier to use.

The rather weak joke is that something which initially appears inappropriate is in fact the better option.

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This is my theory as well. Substitute any "ridiculous-sounding" name for Dax Ipsa, and the joke has the same meaning. Incidentally, the "Latin" here reminds me of the Latin quip: Civile, si ergo! Forte carsis en ero. O nobile – dieser trux. Civats inem? Causen dux. (Translation: See, Willie, see 'er go! Forty cars is in a row. Oh, no, Billy, these are trucks. See what's in 'em? Cows and ducks.) – J.R. Oct 4 '12 at 8:25
@J.R. - It's been a few decades since I've heard the "Cows & Ducks" quote. Something my father quoted on occasion. – Russell McMahon Oct 4 '12 at 9:50
up vote -1 down vote

L. "the thing speaks for itself"

Res ipsa loquitur (Wikipedia) the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur (Latin for "the thing speaks for itself") states that the elements of duty of care and breach can be sometimes inferred from the very nature of an accident or other outcome, even without direct evidence of how any defendant behaved.

In the context,

Gatesy: Okay. It's "Dax Ipsa".

suggests that the speaker says it is self-explanatory. Needs no explanation (or, I can't offer you any) for my calling myself Batman (because my real name made people tease me).

share|improve this answer
Kris - Your 'res ipsa loquitur' sounds pretty good. But, "is not" is such a strong expression :-). You may well be right - but as the name is spoken and the parents may have de-capped the expression when they used it as his name and as ... {other lame reasons} it may be a subtle mix. eg There are many "Etaion Shardlu"s on web, but few "ETAOIN SHARDLU"s or "etaoin shardlu"s. Linotype keyboard – Russell McMahon Oct 4 '12 at 10:01

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