A rose by any other name

[madscout96]

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).

Well at least American football doens't have to worry about de-evolving back into soccer. Although if more people did what that guy who invented rugby did (playing soccer and then picking up the ball and running with it), then maybe soccer would die out. ^0^

[shawn craig]

Perhaps an anology closer to what we're talking about.

Sting trio

Sting orchestra

Symphony orchestra

All are very connected types of ensembles primarily made up of strings. Yet they each sound very different. A full string section sounds different than a trio or quartet. A trio can interact and perform in ways a large ensemble cannot. A full symphony with winds and percussion has yet another sound. I happen to enjoy each. But the terms are important because they give you both the obvious and more subtle differences between these very similar ensembles.

Marching Music Ensemble is a broad catagory that could include fife and drum corps, bag pipe bands, HS marching bands, college marching bands, and Drum & Bugle Corps. While all similar, there are differences to each. I have yet to see a good BOA band march onto the field with the same swagger and attitude as any corps, including most Div II/III corps. While a top BOA band may play better than a Div II/III corps, almost all corps have an attitude and persona that is different than a band.

If some terms help to explain, fine, but don't buy into the "dummying down" of education and society. Please still refer to and call them drum and bugle corps. I'm VERY proud that I marched in a drum and bugle corps, more so than my HS or college marching bands (both of which were good).

[UTAmello]

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."

"We play football, which your country calls.....bananas. And you're reluctant to play..."

[drumcat]

To the OP - yes, it's important to call things the right name. I don't mind hearing trumpet, though even just a few years ago, it was a dig at a soprano line. Same with contra-tuba. It would seem however that it makes sense to not only call them what they are, but using friendlier names that potential members understand is important.

On the concept of MME, I think it's critical to maintain the "drum and bugle corps" name. MME is indicative of a wide variety of options, and by changing the paradigm of what we call teams, we invite very controversial changes. The name itself will not usher in electronics, but distinguishing teams as something no longer drum and bugle corps will remove the rightly-earned stigma of using electronics.

I would like the stigma to remain in place to underscore the gravity of the situation. I want the Directors to understand that they would be violating their own namesake with these proposed electronics changes, and that by doing so, they are making a real and defined break with what has made this activity so unique. In this case, I think the name is extremely important.

[MikeD]

On the concept of MME, I think it's critical to maintain the "drum and bugle corps" name. MME is indicative of a wide variety of options, and by changing the paradigm of what we call teams, we invite very controversial changes. The name itself will not usher in electronics, but distinguishing teams as something no longer drum and bugle corps will remove the rightly-earned stigma of using electronics.

Not all that controversial...just adding WW and electronics primarily.

^0^

[PRAng]

Although southern people do have 2 words for "you". You (singular) and Y'all (plural).

Actually, I believe "Y'all" is singular and "All Y'all" is plural. :P

[madscout96]

Actually, I believe "Y'all" is singular and "All Y'all" is plural. :P

"Y'all" is a contraction of "You all" (plural of "you", for when the 2nd person is 2 or more). Example: Y'all some b**ches!

"All Y'all" is a contraction of "All of you all" (plural of "you", but specifically meant for when the 2nd person is 3 or more). Example: All y'all some b**ches!

Thus concludes the southern/ebonic lesson for the day. :)

[Lance]

No, no, no. Calling that green stuff that members have to pay "tuition" instead of "dues" causes the green stuff to transsubstantiate when it goes from the student/member/person-who-marches-or-plays-or-waves-stuff-for-eleven-minutes to the corps. It's not clear what that green stuff transsubtantiates into, but my theory is that it's the body and blood of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

[Martybucs]

='madscout96' date='Mar 15 2007, 12:17 AM' post='1781812'

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.

If I said it snowed and you're from the north somewhere and I said it was granular, powder, slushy, wet, "perfect" snowball snow, etc. You'd know what I meant. Pity we only have one word for snow. Sorry, couldn't resist :)

However, what you call something shouldn't really matter if everyone has the same reference. If you're at drum corps rehearsal and someone calls the sopranos, "trumpets" and you're using G sopranos it can be annoying, but you know what the person means so you should let it go.

For most situations it is not a matter of life and death. In legalese semantics is very important because you have to discern exactly what the language must say in precise terms.

It can be an enlightening discussion to argue over semantics. If you get angry over someone's use of a different word than you would use to describe something, then you have some issues. Discussing semantics should lead to agreement, if it leads to anger and hate - it is no longer a discussion about semantics.

Edited March 15, 2007 by Martybucs

[CourtOfHonorMember]

Yep, DCI is ruining drum corps. That's why I march DCA.