"Song" v. work, or piece, etc., Does this bother you?

[scsigurl2020]

Does it bother you when people call a piece of music a "song"? That
is, if it's *not* a song -- if it's *not* an aria, or art song, or
country song, or pop song, etc. Granted, the pieces in the Suzuki book
are "songs" up to but not including the first Minuets. And I can
accept that. But why call a symphony or sonata or even an opera a
"song?"

I have this odd prejudice that the use of language precisely is an
indication of intellectual development. And I will be the first to
admit my own use of language is far from perfect. But this bothers me.

Anyone else?

[Paul Magnussen]

Funny you should mention that: I've started a discussion about it on the
Amazon reviewers discussion list.

Yes, it drives me crazy. But it seems only to be American usage.

Paul Magnussen

[Jethro Van Thuyne]

On Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:35:34 -0700, Paul Magnussen wrote:

scsigurl2020 wrote:
>> I have this odd prejudice that the use of language precisely is an
>> indication of intellectual development. And I will be the first to
>> admit my own use of language is far from perfect. But this bothers me.

Why shouldn't it bother you? A lot of people are using incorrect words,
day after day, without realizing what they are saying. I cannot see any
reason not to correct them. There is nothing wrong with accurate
terminology.

Paul Magnussen wrote:
> Yes, it drives me crazy. But it seems only to be American usage.

In Dutch and Flemish, the exact same thing occurs. A lot of people
(mostly young people) use the word "liedje" (= song) for any piece of
music. I think there might be a certain shyness holding them back from
using the correct word, if they are vaguely familiar with the terminology.

Jethro.

[erilar]

In article
<4ce7dc1a-22d2-4d7e...@k33g2000yqa.googlegroups.com>,
scsigurl2020 <sunmusi...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Does it bother you when people call a piece of music a "song"? That
> is, if it's *not* a song -- if it's *not* an aria, or art song, or
> country song, or pop song, etc. Granted, the pieces in the Suzuki book
> are "songs" up to but not including the first Minuets. And I can
> accept that. But why call a symphony or sonata or even an opera a
> "song?"

There are people who do that? How infantile!

>
> I have this odd prejudice that the use of language precisely is an
> indication of intellectual development. And I will be the first to
> admit my own use of language is far from perfect. But this bothers me.
>
> Anyone else?

I've never encountered it, but I would likely laugh in the person's
face if I did.

--
Erilar, biblioholic

bib-li-o-hol-ism [<Gr biblion] n. [BIBLIO + HOLISM] books, of books:
habitual longing to purchase, read, store, admire, and consume books in excess.

http://www.chibardun.net/~erilarlo

[scsigurl2020]

>> Amazon reviewers discussion list

URL?

[Alain Naigeon]

ff9891...@a21g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...>>> Amazon reviewers discussion
list
>
> URL?

URL, ... please ?

Just to help you getting the answer (that I haven't) ;-)

--

Fran�ais *==> "Musique renaissance" <==* English
midi - facsimiles - ligatures - mensuration
http://anaigeon.free.fr | http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/anaigeon/
Alain Naigeon - anai...@free.fr - Oberhoffen/Moder, France
http://fr.youtube.com/user/AlainNaigeon

[mikea]

Yes, rather. I've been involved in early music for a long time, and was
an early promoter of it in a group that IIRC Erilar and I both belong
to. I'm also a late-middle-aged fuddy-duddy, and was a young fuddy-duddy
when I started, and have hated that usage all this time.

"Tune" I will accept. "Song"? No, thanks very much.

--
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mi...@mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin

[Paul Magnussen]

scsigurl2020 wrote:
>>> Amazon reviewers discussion list

> URL?

http://www.amazon.com/tag/top%20reviewers/forum/ref=cm_cd_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx2Z5LRXMSUDQH2&cdThread=Tx2IZXUWORPDQ1T&displayType=tagsDetail

Paul Magnussen

[Oliver Webber]

I'm pretty sure it would bother me, too - but I've never heard it! Is
it a US thing? Or do I mix with the wrong types...?

Oliver

On 2 Oct, 00:53, mikea <mi...@mikea.ath.cx> wrote:

[scsigurl2020]

Here's the kind of stuff I'm talking about (see below). You have to
think this is funny; if you don't, you have no sense of humor:

• Open Question: What is the name of this violin music? I don't know
where it's from or how to explain it but it sounds dramatic. Any
guesses you might have would be helpful. =] (Ed. note: no link
included in question)

• Open Question: need a new classical violin song to learn. any
suggestions? Just for background: ive been playing for 12 years. some
songs im learning are : bach partita III, bruch concerto, mozart
concerto V, rode caprices

• Open Question: songs for the violin? ok well i dont take violin
lessons any more cuz my skool doesnt have them so i was wondering if
anyone new any websites with songs on them but no too hard ons and not
too easy thx!!!!!

from Humorous Questions
http://beststudentviolins.com/Quik_FAQ.html#Humor

Note: In case anyone cares to suggest that these are anecdotal
examples, that would be true if these examples were evident only a few
times in every few days. But let me disabuse you of that notion.
YahooAnswers has a function whereby you can request an RSS feed on a
word or phrase. I have RSS feeds on violin, viola, piano, orchestra
and musicology. There are hundreds of such ill-conceived missives,
every single day.

Does it bother me that most people appear not to be able to spell,
follow simple rules of grammar, or think logically? There's not much
I can about it, so no.

Does it bother you?

[Alain Naigeon]

"scsigurl2020" <sunmusi...@gmail.com> a �crit dans le message de news:
83d0de7f-979d-4cf5...@m33g2000vbi.googlegroups.com...

Does it bother me that most people appear not to be able to spell,
follow simple rules of grammar, or think logically? There's not much
I can about it, so no.

Does it bother you?

In deade eat doz.