On Tue, 6 Mar 2007, Stewart McCoy wrote: > Dear Peter, > > The word "repeat" is often used incorrectly, but I wouldn't say that > Americans misuse it any more than anyone else. If you repeat > something, you do it again, so if you repeat a piece of music, you > play it twice. That means that if you repeat it twice, you will play > it three times. The trouble is, when a piece is played through a lot > of times, such that there are many repeats, some people use the word > "repeat" carelessly for the number of times the music is played. To > put correct usage into a formula, "repeat n times = play (n+1) > times". > > In rehearsal I tend to keep my council over this particular quirk of > language, but my experience is, that, when someone uses the word > "repeat" incorrectly, and the mistake is pointed out to them, they > accept they were wrong, and correct it next time - on the repeat, as > it were. > > Best wishes, > > Stewart McCoy. Stewart,
I fully support you in your battle: the first time is the peat, after that follow the repeats. To those few in your council who have trouble adding/subtracting one you might suggest the alternative: "iterate n times= play n times" which, I would argue, is consistent with current usage, even though "iterum" originally meant "again" in Latin. If you disagree, try to think about "reiterate." :-) Peter. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peter Nightingale" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 4:04 AM > Subject: [LUTE] Fuenllana Tan que vivray > > >> (Do I remember >> correctly that "repeat n times" in the USA is the same as "repeat > n+1 >> times" in GB?) > >> Thanks, >> Peter. > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > the next auto-quote is: A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin. (H. L. Mencken) /\/\ Peter Nightingale Telephone (401) 874-5882 Department of Physics, East Hall Fax (401) 874-2380 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI 02881
