h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Ocarinas - A1081324
Author: Gnomon - U151503

A short and sweet entry about a short and sweet musical instrument.

And it seems like everyone but me has a short and sweet FA to say about it!

Anyhow, I liked the entry a lot. I have one of these at home from years ago which my missus bought me as a present from Greece. I always wondered why the fingering was so iffy. Now I know.

Are you sure that it's 'goose' and not 'duck'? I thought that 'ocarina' was derived from 'duck', but now I'm not so sure.

FM

I'm sure it is 'goose'.

'Oca' is definitely Italian for goose... io parlo un poco d'Italiano.
The plural is 'oche', which of course in English is where you stand to throw at a dartboard. Pronunciations differ, though. By the way, the Italians use 'silly goose' as an insult much in the same way that the British use 'silly cow'.

Enough of this philological claptrap!

I like the entry, although how about mentioning the most famous example of an ocarina solo in popular music? 'Wild Thing', by the Troggs.

Well, I never knew all that Nice entry Gnomon


Scout

Duck is 'anatra', by the way. Or in the case of the white farmyard ones, 'papera'. Donald Duck is called 'Paperino' over there.

So if someone shouts out 'Anatra!', it means 'dive for cover'?

I've added a short section on 'Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time', the Nintendo game, since this is where many people will have heard of ocarinas.

Ah!

I caught this Entry in the mid-writing stage, where it terminated with a heading: "Where Can I Get an Ocarina", and then promptly forgot all about it, which is a shame, as I would really like to know where I can get an ocarina. Any chance of putting that heading back in?

B

There are a number of people who sell beautiful new Peruvian ocarinas on ebaY. Hobgoblin is a music shop which sells tiny four-hole ocarinas. I don't know where you can get Italian ones at the moment, although I bought on many years ago in Venice.

I'd only want a cheap one for experimental purposes.

I've grown tired of having to buy a new harmonica every time our guitarist learns a different key.

B

I used to have a book which included a design to make a paper ocarina. It involved lots of thick cardboard and cutting out using a craft knife and stencils so we never quite got around to it (we made the bull whirrer instead) but if there was something similar on the web it would make a nice link here's a similar kit http://www.brainstemdowry.com/work/playbug/arcr_kits.html

My grandad had 2, always loved that I could play it better than my sister because she was crap at hearing the notes . Thanks for this - must ask my gradma where they are...

'He waits....tick follows tock follows tick follows tock....'

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Jolly good show.

*wonders if a campaign for an smiley will take off*

B

Well done!

Well done


Scout

Another great entry, Gnomon.

Wahoo!

Thanks, everybody!

I wonder who might have been responsible for that?!

Cheers matey, a great article. But no less than we have come to expect.....