To "A" or not to "A" Revelations from ex

[Mark]

But tubist? Not anymore for me, baby. I play the tuba, not the tube. I KNOW "tubist" is "wrong" now, and will continue to use "tubaist", even at the expense of pissing off a lot of close friends. Sorry guys, I've got to defer to the experts on this one.

The problem in relying soley on etymology is this: We don't play large war trumpets. Which is the definition of the Latin word, tuba. And every dictionary I own, including the Oxford dictionary, says the modern tuba's name is derived from the Latin.

So, I understand when one uses tubaist, I will agree that the official ITEA sanctioned term is tubist and I will say tuba player. When I tell some one that I am a tuba player, they never ask me "What's that?". (They do almost universally think I mean the sousaphone though.)

[tubeast]

All I can say is that I´ve never come across anything but "Tubist" and "Bassist" in Germany. The latter I´ve most commonly heard in rural community bands.
"Tubaspieler" would be considered most uncommon, I believe.

Of course I humbly defer any authority concerning American or British language. On the other hand - why shold there be different versions of the term depending on them being used in speech or writing ? I don´t think the term "Tuba player" can be considered colloquial or even abusive language, which would ban it from the concert program.

As to the dubiosity of so called "experts": Many years ago a group of experts was appointed to develop concepts to faciliate German spelling. In the 90s, they finally came up with something that sounded (and read) as if it made sense, so legislation VOTED to accept these rules and establish them both in printed media and primary schools.
The outcome is hilarious: since the school system is completely in the hands of the German Bundesländer (Bavaria being one of them), the new spelling rules were inforced at different timesover a period of several years. There was a total confusion as to what rules were to apply.

Some of the rules themselves are less than helpful, too:
Praise the Lord we still have capitalised nouns. Otherwise, there´d be several possible meanings to a given sentence now that certain words that were combined as one got separated in the process.

Always distrust groups of experts. Where EVERYBODY is concerned (as in language), rather stick with the WHOLE crowd.

[Haugan]

Hans, when I lived in Germany in the early 1970s Tubablaeser (tubablaser) (sorry no umlaut on my keyboard)was still in wide usage. Does the same hold today, or do connotations surrounding the word "blasen" tend to limit usage? I recall an incident when I was 18 and hadn't been in Germany long, I was in a new "Lokale" and was somewhat green to the ways of the world, and a friendly stranger sitting next to me asked what I did for a living. "Ich bin Tubablaser beim Opernhaus" I replied. "Ach schoen, Du!" He cooed back "Blaeser!.... und was fuer Schoene Lippen hast du!" I don't remember if I finished my Beer or not, but I bid the bar a friendly farewell and have always thought twice about using the term since!

[tuba kitchen]

the word "blasen" (to blow) is still used here, even though a bit old-fashioned. I have a student who uses it all the time: "how would you blow this passage?"

blechbläser and holzbläser are brass blowers and woodwind blowers.

one must be careful not to use "einen blasen", that means something completely different! [/i]

[tubeast]

Haugan,

just as tuba kitchen wrote. The term "blasen" is, of course, appropriately used in musical context, that is, doing brass-talk with other musicians. At other occasions (especially in bars with plush furniture) the mentioned term is more than appropriate as well, as long as you know what you´re up to ...

[Rick Denney]

Gee Rick, sorry you failed at that bloviate thing. Why didn't they demote you?

They did. I'm now the Windbag In Perpetuitas Est. The position of Bloviator Unicus Rectionis Nomine is open, however, if your interested, I mean, seeing your prediliction for that sort of thing.

Rick "who really didn't have time for a leadership role anyway" Denney

[Dan Schultz]

Although I've seen it both ways, I've never given it a whole lot of thought. Now... however, having now seen what appears to be all the arguments, I have to go with tubaist. I can't even imagine what a tub-ist might be! Could this be someone who is an expert on tubs?... or perhaps a specialist on tubes? Yea... even though tubaist doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily as tubist... I think I could get used to it.

Hey!... I think I've got it ... Just pronounce it closely to tubist (with a softened 'A')... but spell it tubAist. That ought to satisfy everyone!

[SplatterTone]

In Boston, I think it's tuberist.
I played a tuber in Cuber while miss Loler danced with a hooler hoop.

[tuba kitchen]

in berlin: tu-"beer"-ist

[tubatooter1940]

As I idiotically stated before, if you're looking for a one word definition, farthornist may be more accurate but is much less acceptable for polite company. We do a Bronx cheer into a mouthpiece led into a giant bugle which at certain volume and range has folks in any language shouting, "Move downwind,quickly, if you're going to do that."

[Mark]

In Boston, I think it's tuberist.

They play potatos in Boston?

[JB]

Although I've seen it both ways, I've never given it a whole lot of thought. Now... however, after see what appear to be all the arguments, I have to go with tubaist.

Never gave much thought to it either. But, dropping the "a" (or final vowel) does have a precedent, for example, in cello = cellist. (Thus a close parallel to tuba = tubist.)

Back to the warm up...

[iiipopes]

Yes! They've "bean" doing that for years!

[Haugan]

As members of the tuba community, we can relate to how the Ephonium player is sometimes referred to among collegues in Asia and the far east: Euphoniest pronounced "You, Phonyest!", or sometimes "Hey you,- Phonyest" (also pronounced phoneyist) and yes Rick, I am interested in the position, though not necessarly honored.

[Lew]

Albeit a nephyte player of the euphonium, nevertheless I understand it is pronounced "Euponiumist" but actually spelled "show-off."

Actually, I believe it's spelled "unemployed."

[tubatooter1940]

It's another case of musicians being a pain in the butt. We wonder why D.J. rigs are selling like hotcakes.

[SplatterTone]

If a suffix obliterates the root word, is the suffix useful?

Pianist.

[SplatterTone]

There seems to be a trend to eliminate the "ist" entirely and just list the instrument:
Phredd Phartt, Tuba
Ivorine Tinkler, Piano
Billy Bob, Tire Iron Chimes

Authoritative opinion ascribes this to the increasing popularity of bongos, the clumsy nature of the word "bongoist", and the incriminating nature of the word "bongist".

Oh hey dude, I'm the bongist for the group.

[SplatterTone]

pian_ (no other common English language word that begins "pian..."

Ummm ... "Piano" does. But we don't say pianoist.

Actually, typani and accompany do count. Your suggestion that smashing the "ist" into those makes sense from a pronunciation standpoint (if I get your point), is no different than what was stated as the reason for using "tubist".

By the way, I don't use tubist or tubaist. I play tuba.

[GC]

Consider obist, banjist. Then, consider pianoist, singist, bassooner.