Cato's Grammar Grumble

[Cato]

In a review of Jarvi's recording of Suppe's overtures Rob Barnett writes:

He had a knack for a good tune and was no slouch with catchy melodies either

Now, my question is: what is the difference between a good tune and a catchy melody?

Well, a good tune not necessarily is catchy, and a catchy melody is not necessarily good. My two cents worth, YMMV, and all that...

Good evening to you, Andrei.

An example might be the "Baby Shark" jingle, which tortured most of the planet a few years ago.

An example of a great melody, but given its contrapuntal/harmonic aspects, one would probably not consider it "catchy," is the opening of Grieg's Ballade for Piano:

But could one still call it a tune?   

Well, one might as well argue that a catchy tune is not necessarily good and a good melody is not necessarily catchy. 

Actually, it all boils down to what is the difference between a tune and a melody? AFAIK, they are synonymous.

That could be: there are all kinds of debates on the Internet about this.  Some say that they are synonyms...except "melody" can refer to more complex things e.g. the opening to Bruckner's Symphony #7.

Or not! 

[DavidW]

"Yeah, you need to enter your soash!"     

I hate how, instead of elaborating with "social security number", she assumes she is dealing with an idiot and starts talking down to her. If you ever wonder why so many of these administrative assistants provide a rote speech of "I will need a copy of your insurance, form of identification, including social security..." no matter what, this story is why!

[Mandryka]

Here's a catchy melody which is not a good tune

 

[Florestan]

Here's a catchy melody which is not a good tune

Great! Now give us a catchy tune which is not a good melody. 

[Mandryka]

Great! Now give us a catchy tune which is not a good melody. 

Well here's a good melody which is not  catchy tune

 

[Karl Henning]

Grumbling at ads circulating on the internet/one's phone is like shooting sunnies in a barrel. Especially as the source may be non-native anglophones (or downstream AI.) Still, I barely suppressed laughter at "No Ad."

[Cato]

Possibly this could only happen in Florida*, into which we recently tip-toed to see our grandchildren...

A sign on a street corner:

UNADVERTIZED HOUSES FOR SALE - FROM THE $300,000

In one sense, the "z" and the number problems ($300,000's would be correct) are minor errors.

It reminded me of The Treachery of Images by Rene Magritte, which shows a pipe with the caption "This is not a pipe!" underneath it.

i.e. If you advertise a house for sale, is it not therefore advertised?

We assumed that the seller meant perhaps "Previously unadvertised houses" are now available, get 'em while they last!

* An Ohio D.J. has a program about "Dumb Criminals in Flori-duh," which apparently attracts criminals who have not thought everything through!

https://rock929rocks.com/2025/01/31/idiot-criminal-florida-mancurfew/

[DavidW]

I was reading a thread on another forum about page numbers in ebooks. For something so pedantic, the arguments were surprisingly heated. The core question ended up being "Do ebooks even have pages?" I read a post that made me think of this thread (mostly because I think some of you resemble this!)

Reading this thread does make me wonder how the vernacular police get through their day. They must be in a constant state of outrage, what with dialing a phone number, rolling down a car window and so forth.

Even as I type this message, I wonder, "Where's the type?" Shh! I don't want them to come after me.

[Florestan]

Today I received an official alert on my phone about bad weather, both in written form and spoken by AI. It was written "wind speed 70-90 kmph" and the AI voice read "70 minus 90 kmph". 

[Kalevala]

Today I received an official alert on my phone about bad weather, both in written form and spoken by AI. It was written "wind speed 70-90 kmph" and the AI voice read "70 minus 90 kmph". 

Oh, boy! 

There's a certain chef whose videos that I like to watch on youtube.  I keep getting these horrible ads about diet tricks--some of which have images of Oprah and another which has Whoopi Goldberg--both with the same dialogue.  It's amazing what they can do with AI these days though, besides the nature of the ads (one dead giveaway), in the Oprah one, one could see signs for Weight Watchers in the background (She was addressing an audience) which also totally negates her endorsement for this snake oil ad.  I click through them as fast as I can.

K

[JBS]

Today I received an official alert on my phone about bad weather, both in written form and spoken by AI. It was written "wind speed 70-90 kmph" and the AI voice read "70 minus 90 kmph". 

But it's simple. A -20 kmph north wind is actually a +20 kmph south wind.

[JBS]

I ordered this from Arkivmusic--but their listing gave no clear description of the contents.


Amazon's listing of the Japanese issue of the CD did have one, more or less. It left me wondering how many levels of AI were involved in translating and posting it.

Description
By the Bamberg Symphonic Orchestra led by Yakubu Frushia.
"Death" themed concept album
Love and Death ~ Wagner, Mala and R. Straus

Product Number: KKC-6680; Original Product Number: ACC-30599CD; CD; Import; Japanese Belt and Explanation Included

Love and Death ~ Wagner, Mala and R. Straus

From Wagner: Tristan and Isolde
1. Prep song (10'46)
2. Death of Love (7'24)

Mala:
3. (Funerals) (23'12)
4. Symphonic Song No. 5 4 Insignia "Adjet" (9'51)

Richart Straus:
5. Symphony Poem "Death and Dispersion (Death and Purify)" (25'28)

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Yakubu Fursha (Conductor)

Recording: July & September 2022, Joseph Kylebert Zahar, Conzert Halle Bamberg

★ The newest release by the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra led by Yakubu Frusha is a concept album featuring Wagner that changed music from the 19th century and Mala and Richart Strauss who fell the end of the 19th century. The contents are singing by Isolde, who chase after Tristan and Isolde, at the end of Wagner's ultimate love and sensual drama "Tristan and Isolde" that fallen in the sword, and his own extinct life. And the Symphony Song No. 2 "Resurrection", a symbol of Mala known as the first eption of the first episode of the episode of the episode of the first episode of the episode of the episode. The fourth song (Adaget) has become popular as the theme song of Lucino Visconti's masterpiece "Death in Venice". Finally, a symphony verse that is said to be a contracted work of the young Straus of their 20s (death and purification). Frucha is said to have a piece of work that felt that not "death" cannot be oriented without regreting, but it was a battle against life and death. In addition, by playing these pieces together, composers interaction was born on this recording and their music inscribed on the DNA of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra will inspire you to hear what you listen.

[DavidW]

The episode of the episode of the episode... *MALFUNCTION!*

[Cato]

I ordered this from Arkivmusic--but their listing gave no clear description of the contents.


Amazon's listing of the Japanese issue of the CD did have one, more or less. It left me wondering how many levels of AI were involved in translating and posting it.

Wow, Bob, WOW!

This is why "Artificial Intelligence" should never be trusted with much of anything!      

Recently I drove past a sign company, which had placed 6 signs along the edge of their property by the street.  The signs are typical of the size used for real estate signs (i.e. 3 feet wide and 2 feet high).

All 6 proudly (and I do not know why) proclaimed:

10 YARDS SIGNS - $10.00!

Now, if the company meant "10 Yards of signs," that would be a fantastic bargain!   

As it is, 10 Yard Signs for a dollar each is still a pretty good deal!  😇

But check for misprints before you pay!