[CAUT] Semantics

David Love davidlovepianos at comcast.net
Sat May 9 14:46:43 PDT 2009


At this point I think everyone understands that a soundboard is not an
amplifier.  However, why can't one say "the volume of sound produced
formerly limited by the inconsequential mass of the vibrating string alone
is increased when the energy is transduced to the soundboard whose greater
mass and area allow for the greater movement of air".  Substitute the
colloquial meaning of amplified for increased and I don't think the physical
world as we have come to know it will cease to exist or all soundboard
science will be endangered.  Precision in language is all well and good and
important, at least in most cases--after all we made the first tools and
fire (a significant step in the history of science) only being able to
grunt.  This rather inconsequential transgression will hardly cause the
seeds planted to not grow or put guns in all our pockets, as someone has
suggested.  I'm not sure which side is more guilty of the ad hominem
attacks. Point made, time to move on.   

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com





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