A rose by any other name

[madscout96]

There's been alot of discussion on DCP lately about terminology, or semantics, or whatever. Drum and Bugle corps vs. Marching Music Ensemble. Faculty and Students vs. Staff and Members. Trumpets and Tubas vs. Soprano and Contrabass Bugles. And these aren't new issues either. They've been around since before I got involved in the activity.

People have strong feelings on these issues. Some people feel strongly about using the terms a certain way, that they help us and outsiders discern between one thing and another. Other people feel strongly that the terms don't matter because they describe the same thing anyway.

What's your view?

I think what we call things is important. It's important for the identity of our activity. I think there was a t-shirt once that said "Drum Corps: for those who know, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't know, no explanation is possible!" I think this is true. You can't explain drum corps to anyone who doesn't know about it. No altering of terms will help them understand what it is. The only thing that can help them understand what it is is for them to actually experience it. They need to see it and hear it. Then they'll begin to understand.

Have you ever tried to explain football to someone who's never really watched it at all? You can't do it! It's too complex, you can explain basic things but then that raises more question for the novice viewer. They need to just watch it and/or experience it!

In the English language, there's only one word for snow: snow. In the Inuit (Eskimo) language there's something like 34 words for what we call snow. Why? Because in their culture they needed all those terms, since all snow isn't the same to them. We didn't need more than one term, because we don't THINK of snow in more than one way.

[Dir_en_X]

Well, in the case of soprano/trumpet, I think it's important for tradition and history's sake. Plus IMO contra just sounds better. ^OO^

As far as the rest, I think most is interchangeable, it's just different people/corps have different way of saying things.

"You say caterpillar, and we say caterpillar. You say bay-sil, and we say basil, you say 'erb, and we say herb, because there's a freaking 'h' in it."

[oldtimedrummer]

There's been alot of discussion on DCP lately about terminology, or semantics, or whatever. Drum and Bugle corps vs. Marching Music Ensemble. Faculty and Students vs. Staff and Members. Trumpets and Tubas vs. Soprano and Contrabass Bugles. And these aren't new issues either. They've been around since before I got involved in the activity.

People have strong feelings on these issues. Some people feel strongly about using the terms a certain way, that they help us and outsiders discern between one thing and another. Other people feel strongly that the terms don't matter because they describe the same thing anyway.

What's your view?

I think what we call things is important. It's important for the identity of our activity. I think there was a t-shirt once that said "Drum Corps: for those who know, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't know, no explanation is possible!" I think this is true. You can't explain drum corps to anyone who doesn't know about it. No altering of terms will help them understand what it is. The only thing that can help them understand what it is is for them to actually experience it. They need to see it and hear it. Then they'll begin to understand.

Have you ever tried to explain football to someone who's never really watched it at all? You can't do it! It's too complex, you can explain basic things but then that raises more question for the novice viewer. They need to just watch it and/or experience it!

In the English language, there's only one word for snow: snow. In the Inuit (Eskimo) language there's something like 34 words for what we call snow. Why? Because in their culture they needed all those terms, since all snow isn't the same to them. We didn't need more than one term, because we don't THINK of snow in more than one way.

I'm in full agreement with you here. Well thought out post.

[X DM]

A reporter once asked Louis Armstrong backstage right after he saw and heard his show ......." Mr. Armstrong, you play a variety of styles of music,... from Jazz to Big Band, to Blues, to Contemporary, Folk, Ragtime, Southern Spiritual, Doo Wopp, Pop, Rock n' Roll, etc...... What should I tell the readers that best derfines you as a musician in your mind, what exactly do you see yourself playing mostly that our readers should know ? Is is Jazz, is it Big Band, or what ?

Louis Armstrong responded to the reporter .... "You want me to define for you what it is I play" ?

The reporter replied .... "yes ". If you would . That BEST defines you "

Armstrong......." for your readers " ?

Reporter..........." yes "

Armstrong......."tell them I play trumpet "

(" some chuckles in the room ")

Armstrong........" and I play it very well "

( more laughter in the room ")

Armstrong........." the best you ever heard " ( Armstrong smiled )

( the room broke out in laughs, then applause )

Edited March 15, 2007 by X DM

[Michael Boo]

Well, in the case of soprano/trumpet, I think it's important for tradition and history's sake. Plus IMO contra just sounds better. ^OO^

As far as the rest, I think most is interchangeable, it's just different people/corps have different way of saying things.

"You say caterpillar, and we say caterpillar. You say bay-sil, and we say basil, you say 'erb, and we say herb, because there's a freaking 'h' in it."

Off topic, but you reminded me of something a friend working in a foreign country told me about. A school choir performed Gershwin's "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" song from "Shall We Dance." They sang it as "You like potato and I like potato. You like tomato and I like tomato. Potato, potato, tomato, tomato..." for the whole song.

[Michael Boo]

...

In the English language, there's only one word for snow: snow. In the Inuit (Eskimo) language there's something like 34 words for what we call snow. Why? Because in their culture they needed all those terms, since all snow isn't the same to them. We didn't need more than one term, because we don't THINK of snow in more than one way.

Urban legend about Inuit words for snow

[madscout96]

Urban legend about Inuit words for snow

Stop ruining my analogies!!!

I first heard the story about the inuits from my anthropology professor in college, so I figured there was some truth to it.

Anyway, how about a different analogy. In English there's only one word for "you": "you". But in romance languages there are several words for "you". In Castillian Spanish there's Tu (familiar singlular), Vosotros (familiar plural), Usted (formal singular), and Ustedes (formal plural). They needed all those words, we didn't! Although southern people do have 2 words for "you". You (singular) and Y'all (plural).

[JimF-LowBari]

Less worried about what it is called than losing the things that make DC unique from any other musical activity. And that line is getting thinner every passing year. :(

[sburstall]

I think what we call things is important. It's important for the identity of our activity. I think there was a t-shirt once that said "Drum Corps: for those who know, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't know, no explanation is possible!" I think this is true. You can't explain drum corps to anyone who doesn't know about it. No altering of terms will help them understand what it is. The only thing that can help them understand what it is is for them to actually experience it. They need to see it and hear it. Then they'll begin to understand.

Have you ever tried to explain football to someone who's never really watched it at all? You can't do it! It's too complex, you can explain basic things but then that raises more question for the novice viewer. They need to just watch it and/or experience it!

Not only are you trying to explain football, one needs to think what kind of football? American rules, Canadian rules, Austrialian rules and football that the world knows (soccer).

[tommytimp]

Don't forget Gaelic football and Rugby football. In fact, Did You Know, that Rugby School is the reason we call it "soccer"-to distinguish the "Ruggers" who played their football game, with the scrum and the using of the hands, from the "Soccers" who played asSOCiation football, the one where you kick the ball into the net.