Re: [Harp-L] Why is C not named A?

["Brandon Zarzoza" <bzarzoza@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Isn't cantus 'song' in latin?
Short answer:
Yes.

Long answer:
The Latin root is cant- and can pertain to one of many different things. You
could be talking about singing, playing an instrument, performing an
incantation, conversational banter, or even nagging about something. Cantus
generally refers to any sort of spoken or musical art form but it's exact
meaning is determined in context.

> It may be that it came from "cantus", the name of a 2" organ pipe.
This may be. But not the Latin name. The Latin name of a organ pipe would be
cannus. A two inch pipe would be cannum bidigitum.

I'm not attacking any ones Latin here, just clarifying it. A lot of the
resources that cite Latin are wrong much of the time.


On 9/22/06, Paul Anderson <wackyvorlon@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 9/21/06, Vern Smith <jevern@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >
> > It should be sufficient to explain that the name of the note "C" is
> > arbitrary.  It may be that it came from "cantus", the name of a 2" organ
> > pipe.  With his mind set, he will probably ask "Why was a 2" organ pipe
> > called a cantus?"  And away you go, chasing your tail.
> >
> Isn't cantus 'song' in latin?
>
> --
> Paul Anderson
> VE3HOP
> wackyvorlon@xxxxxxxxx
> "I'll bet my drunken cat on that!"
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