Because a singular line is a stave and the plural is staves. :-) Cheers,
Lawrence (in England) Sent from my iPhone On 14 Jun 2012, at 07:46 PM, "David H. Bailey" <dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com> wrote: > On 6/14/2012 1:59 PM, John Howell wrote: >> At 8:14 AM -0400 6/14/12, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz wrote: >>> On Thu, June 14, 2012 7:36 am, Florence + Michael wrote: >>>> Here's what Elaine Gould writes >>>> "To keep the stave as uncluttered as possible >>> >>> Just curious: Do you use 'stave' for the singular form? It sounds odd to me, >>> even though it's apparently correct. I hadn't heard this singular form until >>> recently, and wondered if it's regional? >> >> >> It may well be a cross-the-pond difference, as >> some seem to think that a choice between "bar" >> and "measure" is. (I've always used both terms >> interchangeably.) >> >> To me it's always been obvious that a single >> staff is a staff, and the plural is staves. >> "Stave" as a singular feels like an incorrect >> derivation. But that's just me. I'm also >> careful to use "medium" as the singular of >> "media"; "datum" as the singular of "data"; and >> "timpano" as the singular of "timpani." >> > > On the other hand, if there are multiple groups of people working for an > organization, they are pluralized to be "staffs." Again for the use of > the word "staff" as a wooden stick, the plural is "staffs." So why, if > the singular for a line of music is a "staff" isn't the plural "staffs?" > > And thinking about the plural for those pieces of wood shaped to form a > barrel, they are called "staves" and the singular is called "stave" as > in "a barrel stave." > > I think that somewhere long ago in history words got mistranslated out > of the Italian and then misused in different English speaking areas. > > Since we're on lexicography, can anybody explain why sharps, flats and > naturals are called "accidentals?" > > -- > David H. Bailey > dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > Finale@shsu.edu > http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
