Mel Johnson Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 This is a quickie list for terms we see frequently used on Ballet Talk for Dancers, with some of the most imaginative use of phonetic spelling I've seen in a long time. The list is selective, and not inclusive, and will probably be supplemented as time goes on. Battement - often shows up as batma. Fouetté - often shows up as fuettay. Grand, grande - The first is masculine, the second feminine. We aren't worried about that - people spell it gran, which isn't even French. Port de bras - often shows up as pordebra. Looks like the Old Deep South - "Pordebra, she cain't do no port de bras." Quote Link to comment
beckyb Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 haha misspell and I know YOU know, Major Mel... Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted March 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 En dedans - frequently seen as ondedon, or the like. En dehors - seen as on de oar. (Is it in de boat?) I - yes, capitalization of the personal pronoun counts. Quote Link to comment
Dance_Scholar_London Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 I am just about to mark reflective journals (of students). One student wrote that she has problems with a specific exercise at the bar Well, I hope for her she meant barre Quote Link to comment
Amy'sMom Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Not a ballet term, but the word "definitely" is one I see commonly misspelled on BT4D. Quote Link to comment
vicarious Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 I admit I'm a terrible speller. One thing that has helped is I try to keep a copy of "Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet" by Gail Grant by the computer. It's so cheep to buy $4.95 DD lost her grandmother's copy so this time I ordered three. Quote Link to comment
Guest pink tights Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 pekay for piqué! Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted March 11, 2007 Administrators Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Oh Amy, how right you are! Totally amazing to me that almost everyone, including adults, spells that definately. It's surprising, since if you just think definite, it seems pretty easy to me! ;) Quote Link to comment
Marga Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Since we've strayed a bit from ballet terminology, let me add my pet peeves: "a lot" and "a bit" spelled as one word. In what dictionary does one find "alot" and"abit"? Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted March 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 You'll hear no discent from this corner! (Quick, now, kids, what's the word that's not spelled correctly, and what should it be?) Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted March 11, 2007 Administrators Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Quote Link to comment
calamitous Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 I try to never spell the ballet terms since I can barely spell in Emglish let alone French, But I have to say the congradulations rather than congratulations drives me insane. Major Mel- we you suggesting we were de-scenting something because of our stinky spelling? I seem to be unable to spell English as well as not being able to spell in English. Quote Link to comment
lovemydancers Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 OK, you guys are having to much fun now... Quote Link to comment
Guest pink tights Posted March 12, 2007 Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 "untill" tomorrow.... Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted March 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 I understand the fun, but seriously, if you're going to work in a discipline which requires a certain terminology, you should be expected to know how to spell that terminology. I was a fighter crew chief for awhile, and had the most interesting times figuring out what the hell the pilots were talking about when they wrote up "loud squeak in AGM-3 aiming system." They should have written, "solid audio tone in headset when Weasel missile is locked onto target." That way, I could have responded, "NSO". Normal System Operation. Quote Link to comment
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