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

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:34 pm

The reason pianist is used is because pianoist is clumsy. In the normal context of which the words tubist or tubaist would be used, there would be no confusion either.

However, back to the original point: There do exist useful examples of an ending syllable being replaced by the suffix.

Z-Tuba Dude · Post by **Z-Tuba Dude** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:41 pm

Pianist.
Accompanist.
Tympanist.

To recap some of the others on the list:

Cellist
Violist
Oboist
Marimbist

It seems that an instrument ending in a vowel, drops the vowel when refering to it's practitioner.

If that instrument name happens to end with an "e", the resultant sound doesn't change (i.e. - Flute=Flutist, Saxophone=Saxophonist).

Does this theory hold water?

If so, it would seem to support the idea of "Tubist".

Or.....to follow the example of the trumpeter: Tubaer

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:58 pm

bloke wrote:
SplatterTone wrote:The reason pianist is used is because pianoist is clumsy.
I disagree. Oboist is clumsy, but obist simply doesn't give someone enough of a clue of the root word...even though (unlike tub/tube/tuba) there isn't anything that is commonly known as an "ob".

The HUGE mistake here is an expectation that English word formation is (a) straightforward and (b) logical.

Just be glad that you don't play a blattweasel.

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:01 pm

What do you do?

I do database adminstration.
I play tuba (among other things).

And ...
pianist is still a good example of "ist" replacing the last syllable.

Although if we are including conversations with the completely ignorant as "normal context", then even pianist becomes inadequate, and one must clarify as:
classical pianist
jazz pianist
gospel pianist
piano player (as in a saloon or whorehouse)
keyboard player in a rock and roll band
rap artist

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:20 pm

DRUMIST?

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:23 pm

And I'll add, for the late comers wondering where the words "tympani" and "accompany" showed up: I originally had those as examples, then decided against them, tried to edit the post, but wasn't fast enough. Not that they are completely invalid examples (nope nope, hell no), but not the best.

Then you have your instruments that get no suffix at all. There is such a word as "recorderist", but the preference is to say "recorder player". I don't see the words "trumpetist" or "trumpeter" used a lot either. Some performers get
"<instrument> player"
or
"on <instrument>".

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:42 pm

Chuck(G) wrote:DRUMIST?

Tuber!

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:00 pm

blattweaselist!?

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:08 pm

There are some instruments that really don't fit well with either -er -ist, or if you're really snooty, -iste--or in the case of the gutbox, lutenist, or lautenist.

So, it's time to pay the pipist and answer the following:

What's a sackbutt player called?

How about someone who plays the rebec?

...or the cor anglais?

...or the didjeridu?

...or the bouzouki?

I don't think I'd kick too much if someone were to call me a bassist. Otherwise, "tuba player" is just fine, thank you.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:12 pm

How, then, does one refer to a TubeNet postist?

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:13 pm

a TubeNet postist?

Tuba Cognoscenti

Tubadork · Post by **Tubadork** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:16 pm

how about:
buccinator, -oris n m trumpeter (from OLD bucina, a curved trumpet or horn, probably originally made from the curved horn of cattle); probably used generically for one who plays upon any wind instrument; possibly used to distinguish one who plays upon a curved wind instrument from one who plays upon a straight wind instrument C76/29, etc; buccionator C358/10 [the usual -cc- AL spelling may be influenced by OLD bucca, cheeks, mouth]

http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~reed/cwl/cwl-b.html

I vote for tubaist
Bill

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:20 pm

What do you call someone that plays bagpipes?

I'm not sure what you call them, but I know what they use for birth control.

their personality

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:46 pm

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

Several words begin with cell_, but it's still cellist.

ai698 · Post by **ai698** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:50 pm

zoro wrote:What do you call someone that plays bagpipes?

I call him Evan. He's 6'2", 270 and wears a skirt, ah I mean Kilt.

<img src="http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e177/ai698/evan.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:00 pm

zoro wrote:What do you call someone that plays bagpipes?

I call him "someone who I hope will move along quickly".

Rick "who suspects bagpipe snobs probably use 'bagpiper'" Denney

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:10 pm

Rick Denney wrote:Rick "who suspects bagpipe snobs probably use 'bagpiper'" Denney

Probably just "piper"--they play the "pipes"; e.g. the Highland Great Pipes, or its equivalent in Gaelic.

Unless, of course, one played the musette, in which case one would be a musettist ? or musetter ???...

Kevin Hendrick · Post by **Kevin Hendrick** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:04 pm

bloke wrote:I always thought these were musettes:

- Emily Dickinson
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
- etc.

Ah, musing ...

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:39 pm

as distinct from a small moose: moosette.

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:34 pm

as in Alanis Moosette.