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

A55545348

Serious correction needed to my Entry!

The sentences just above the second subheader (Shakespeare's Woollen Bagpipe) need to be changed. Instead of:

This instrument became known in the 19th Century as the 'union pipes', a name which may or may not have something to do with the political union of those three countries, effected in 1801. The earliest appearance of the name 'union pipes' in print is O'Farrell's Collection of National Irish Music for the Union Pipes, London c1804 [Footnote 4]. Antagonism against Union prompted a chauvinistic Irish musicologist of the early 20th Century, William Henry Grattan Flood, to Gaelicise 'union pipes' into 'uilleann pipes', leaning on Shakespeare to lend credibility to an otherwise unconvincing transliteration.

We need to say:

This instrument was given the name 'union pipes' by an Irish piper advertising his performance in London in 1788Denis Courtney, 1760–1794, seems to have described his bellows-blown pipes as representing a union between the Scottish and Irish pipes. In terms of the instrument this makes no sense, as both mouth-blown and bellows-blown pipes were extant in both countries. Courtney, however, famously played Scottish tunes, and dressed himself up in Highland costume.. After the 1801 Act of Union that annexed Ireland to the UK, hints were dropped that the name 'union pipes' celebrated this political event, which it seriously predates. Eventually antagonism against the Act of Union prompted an Irish musicologist of the early 20th Century, William Henry Grattan Flood, to Gaelicise 'union pipes' into 'uilleann pipes', borrowing a suggestion from two Irish historians who had not heard the term 'union pipes', but leant on Shakespeare to lend credibility to an otherwise unconvincing narrativeSee the an excellent article on the subject by Nicholas Carolan of the Irish Traditional Music Archive..

Darn Pliny has removed my < FOOTNOTE > after 1788 and < /FOOTNOTE > after costume dot Also < FOOTNOTE > after narrative Also the subsequent sentence should read See the < LINK HREF="http://www.itma.ie/digital-library/text/courtneys-union-pipes-and-the-terminology-of-irish-bellows-blown-bagpipes-b" >excellent article on the subject < /LINK >by Nicholas Carolan of the Irish Traditional Music Archive.< /FOOTNOTE >.

With a fullstop and space before 'See' please.

No it was right as it stood in my first post! 'See' is the beginning of the footnote. Sorry, getting late.

Viewing this conversation in Brunel, the first post is correct and can be pasted from.

or better, use this:

This instrument was given the name 'union pipes' by an Irish piper advertising his performance in London in 1788Denis Courtney, 1760&ndash;1794, seems to have described his bellows-blown pipes as representing a union between the Scottish and Irish pipes. In terms of the instrument this makes no sense, as both mouth-blown and bellows-blown pipes were extant in both countries. Courtney, however, famously played Scottish tunes, and dressed himself up in Highland costume.. After the 1801 Act of Union that annexed Ireland to the UK, hints were dropped that the name 'union pipes' celebrated this political event, but Courtney's dates disprove that claim. Eventually antagonism against the Act of Union prompted an Irish musicologist of the early 20th Century, William Henry Grattan Flood, to Gaelicise 'union pipes' into 'uilleann pipes', borrowing a suggestion from two eighteenth-century Irish chauvinists who had not heard the term 'union pipes', but who wrenched Shakespeare's words in order to make an unlikely point.See the an excellent article on the subject by Nicholas Carolan of the Irish Traditional Music Archive..

Gah, misplaced a fullstop. This should be it:

This instrument was given the name 'union pipes' by an Irish piper advertising his performance in London in 1788Denis Courtney, 1760&ndash;1794, seems to have described his bellows-blown pipes as representing a union between the Scottish and Irish pipes. In terms of the instrument this makes no sense, as both mouth-blown and bellows-blown pipes were extant in both countries. Courtney, however, was famous for playing Scottish tunes, and even dressed himself up in Highland costume.. After the 1801 Act of Union that annexed Ireland to the UK, hints were dropped that the name 'union pipes' celebrated this political event, but Courtney's dates disprove that claim. Eventually antagonism against the Act of Union prompted an Irish musicologist of the early 20th Century, William Henry Grattan Flood, to Gaelicise 'union pipes' into 'uilleann pipes', borrowing a suggestion from two eighteenth-century Irish chauvinists who had not heard the term 'union pipes', but who wrenched Shakespeare's words in order to make an unlikely pointSee the an excellent article on the subject by Nicholas Carolan of the Irish Traditional Music Archive..

This by the way is an important update. I was made aware last Monday of an earlier use of the term 'union pipes', which changes the story substantially.

Hello

I've now changed:
This instrument became known in the 19th Century as the 'union pipes', a name which may or may not have something to do with the political union of those three countries, effected in 1801. The earliest appearance of the name 'union pipes' in print is O'Farrell's Collection of National Irish Music for the Union Pipes, London c1804 [Footnote 4]. Antagonism against Union prompted a chauvinistic Irish musicologist of the early 20th Century, William Henry Grattan Flood, to Gaelicise 'union pipes' into 'uilleann pipes', leaning on Shakespeare to lend credibility to an otherwise unconvincing transliteration.

To:

This instrument was given the name 'union pipes' by an Irish piper advertising his performance in London in 1788Denis Courtney, 1760&ndash;1794, seems to have described his bellows-blown pipes as representing a union between the Scottish and Irish pipes. In terms of the instrument this makes no sense, as both mouth-blown and bellows-blown pipes were extant in both countries. Courtney, however, was famous for playing Scottish tunes, and even dressed himself up in Highland costume.. After the 1801 Act of Union that annexed Ireland to the UK, hints were dropped that the name 'union pipes' celebrated this political event, but Courtney's dates disprove that claim. Eventually antagonism against the Act of Union prompted an Irish musicologist of the early 20th Century, William Henry Grattan Flood, to Gaelicise 'union pipes' into 'uilleann pipes', borrowing a suggestion from two eighteenth-century Irish chauvinists who had not heard the term 'union pipes', but who wrenched Shakespeare's words in order to make an unlikely pointSee the excellent article on the subject by Nicholas Carolan of the Irish Traditional Music Archive..

(Essentially what you provided, but ensuring the link works and changing 'the an article' to 'the article')

<BB<

Thank you BB! Curiously, leaving the https is what makes links fail in conversation threads, but perhaps the s can be left in links...

If I could beg further indulgence...

I see now that I refer to Courtney's dates in the main text having only introduced him in a footnote. Perhaps it would be more courteous to say

This instrument was given the name 'union pipes' by an Irish piper, Denis Courtney. The first appearance of the name 'union pipes' in print was in a newspaper advertisement for a concert in London in 1788

And while I have you, there's something else I have just found out...

Could we change the last sentences above the subheader "Wrists and Elbows" from

Other countries, including England and Scotland, use covers woven from wool, complete with fringes. If that tradition is 400 years old – and it may well be – then there is your 'woollen bagpipe'.

To

Other countries, including England and Scotland, use covers woven from wool, complete with fringes, and some use a whole sheepskin for the bag, with the woolly side out. There surely is your 'woollen bagpipe'.

Tweaked as requested.

<BB<

Many thanks!

Alas, I have more. I am now doing a disservice to the musician's bible, Grove. This

Grove... prosaically suggests that Shakespeare may have meant a pipe with a sheepskin bag having the fleece turned outwards. On the other hand a case could be made that he invoked the phenomenon of synesthesia,

must be corrected to

A case could be made that he invoked the phenomenon of synesthesia,

and the end of the paragraph must now read

and some use a whole sheepskin for the bag, with the woolly side out. Indeed GroveThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980, 'Bagpipe' entry. (the musician's bible) suggests this explanation: there, surely, is your 'woollen bagpipe'.

Sorry, not doing awfully well here. That footnote needs italics, as in

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980, 'Bagpipe' entry.

Okay, so before I make any changes, can we clarify the exact changes being made?

It currently says:

GroveThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980, 'Bagpipe' entry. prosaically suggests that Shakespeare may have meant a pipe with a sheepskin bag having the fleece turned outwards. On the other hand a case could be made that he invoked the phenomenon of synesthesia, in which the sufferer's reaction goes beyond the sense proper to the stimulating source.
What sets off the unfortunate listener's bladder is the bagpipe singing 'in the nose' &ndash; which could describe both the nasal tone of the instrumentThe bagpipe singing 'in the nose' could alternatively refer to the comical look of the instrument, with the chanter emerging from the bag like a long nose. and also the itchy feeling it might induce. 'Woollen' may describe a similar itchy feeling; the sound of the pipes might irritate the nerves like the feel of scratchy wool next to the skin.

There is a much simpler solution, however. It is traditional in Spain to cover the whole bag with a decorative knitted cosy. Other countries, including England and Scotland, use covers woven from wool, complete with fringes, and some use a whole sheepskin for the bag, with the woolly side out. There surely is your 'woollen bagpipe'.


So can you confirm you wish this changed to:


GroveThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980, 'Bagpipe' entry. prosaically suggests that Shakespeare may have meant a pipe with a sheepskin bag having the fleece turned outwards. A case could be made that he invoked the phenomenon of synesthesia, in which the sufferer's reaction goes beyond the sense proper to the stimulating source. What sets off the unfortunate listener's bladder is the bagpipe singing 'in the nose' &ndash; which could describe both the nasal tone of the instrumentThe bagpipe singing 'in the nose' could alternatively refer to the comical look of the instrument, with the chanter emerging from the bag like a long nose. and also the itchy feeling it might induce. 'Woollen' may describe a similar itchy feeling; the sound of the pipes might irritate the nerves like the feel of scratchy wool next to the skin.

There is a much simpler solution, however. It is traditional in Spain to cover the whole bag with a decorative knitted cosy. Other countries, including England and Scotland, use covers woven from wool, complete with fringes, and some use a whole sheepskin for the bag, with the woolly side out. Indeed GroveThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980, 'Bagpipe' entry. (the musician's bible) suggests this explanation: there, surely, is your 'woollen bagpipe'.

<BB<

Sorry, the first mention of Grove is to be left out and replaced by the later one. So please cut out

GroveThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980, 'Bagpipe' entry. prosaically suggests that Shakespeare may have meant a pipe with a sheepskin bag having the fleece turned outwards.

And instead start the paragraph with

A case ...

(The footnote is transposed to a later point.)

Would you like to check now?

<BB<

Thanks, you're a star.

I think we really should say:

A case could be made that Shakespeare is invoking the phenomenon of synesthesia, in which

Sorry to be such a picky reviser. But it's for the good of the Guide.

I do have one favour more to ask, which you may or may not choose to allow. I am a believer in the em dash in cases like the next sentence:

What sets off the unfortunate listener's bladder is the bagpipe singing 'in the nose'&mdash;which

like that without spaces.

And another thing...

The last link in the Footnotes no longer works (to the Dowland Memorial Park) and should be replaced with http://www.dalkeyhomepage.ie/gladysgreen.html