[Smt-talk] FW: Gender Terminology in Music Theory

[Walter Everett]

I once knew someone who wore a swastika emblem.  To all who asked, he'd
say, "This is not a Nazi symbol.  It's a Navajo symbol.  Look, it runs in
the reverse direction from the Nazi swastika."  I believe he was sincere,
but he probably offended everyone who saw it.  He remained convinced he was
in the right to wear it, could rationalize his decision, and apparently
lacked empathy for the pain it caused others.

When talking about accented and unaccented events in relation to metric
placement, the effects of which can be easily conveyed with such clear
terms, what's the reason for using other language that offends a large
number of people?   best to all, walt everett




On Tue, Apr 29, 2014 at 10:23 PM, Michael Morse <mwmorse at bell.net> wrote:

>
> May I trust that this repulsive and witless ad hominem will not see
> dissemination? Thank you.
>
> MWM
> ------------------------------
> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 22:17:31 -0400
> Subject: Re: [Smt-talk] Gender Terminology in Music Theory
> From: psheehan251 at gmail.com
> To: mwmorse at bell.net
> CC: smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org
>
> Dear Readers (and Trolls):
> Of course "feminine cadence" and "masculine cadence" are examples of
> sexist usage.  Ascribe, describe, Ockham?  It's sexist.
>
> In addition to Paul's utterly reasonable alternative (crusis, etc.), one
> could simply distinguish between "metrically emphasized" and "metrically
> non-emphasized" events.
>
> All the best,
> Paul Sheehan
> Nassau Community College
> Garden City, New York
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 29, 2014 at 4:10 PM, Michael Morse <mwmorse at bell.net> wrote:
>
> Like "sexist," the attributions "masculine" and "feminine" are ascriptive,
> not descriptive. Adjectives have no direct prescriptive power in reality,
> despite their undeniable if merely occasional affective influence; *that *matter
> was sorted out in 1324 by William of Ockham. Today, 1991 is every bit as
> much ancient history as 1324.
>
> MW Morse
> z. Zeit freier Kunstler
>
> > From: Jennifer.Bain at Dal.Ca
>
> > So to refer to a cadence that ends on a strong metric position as
> > masculine and one that ends on a weak metric position as feminine is not
> > sexist...? Didn't we sort this out in 1991?
> >
> > Jennifer
>
>
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-- 
*Walter Everett*
*Professor of Music*
*Department of Music Theory*
*The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance*
*1100 Baits Dr.*
*Ann Arbor, MI  48109-2085*

*weverett at umich.edu <weverett at umich.edu>*
*voice: 734-763-2039*
*fax: 734-763-5097*
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