19 replies to this topic

[leonid]

I think Kathleen is exactly right. When Americans talks about "wheat" and Britons talk about "corn" they're actually referring to the same thing. Folk traditions tend to be very old, so it's unlikely that a ritual such as shaking the stalk would have incorporated a plant that had been introduced to the European continent just a few centuries earlier. However, if any choreographer got it into his or her head to reset the ballet in, say, Mexico, then it's conceivable that the heroine might even use an ear of maize instead
[/quote]

In England we ascribe the fidelity test as being undertaken with an 'ear of corn'(see Mary Clarke & Clement Crisp- The Ballet Goer's Guide).

[volcanohunter]

Perhaps the only way to avoid this transatlantic confusion is to say that Swanilda shakes an ear of triticum turgidum polonicum or some other suitable variety!

[leonid]

volcanohunter, on Nov 16 2006, 06:46 PM, said:

Perhaps the only way to avoid this transatlantic confusion is to say that Swanilda shakes an ear of triticum turgidum polonicum or some other suitable variety!

Of all the triticum varieties, how clever and witty of you to come up with Polish Wheat given the setting for Coppelia

[chiapuris]

Kathleen, of posts #2 and #4, I feel I need to apologize for posting #12.

When I posted #12 (with the explanation that you had already offered), I had not read your posts.
I started reading backwards to about post #9 before posting.

My sincere apologies.
I should have read everything from the beginning.

John Chiapuris

[volcanohunter]

leonid, on Nov 16 2006, 08:28 PM, said:

volcanohunter, on Nov 16 2006, 06:46 PM, said:

Perhaps the only way to avoid this transatlantic confusion is to say that Swanilda shakes an ear of triticum turgidum polonicum or some other suitable variety!

Of all the triticum varieties, how clever and witty of you to come up with Polish Wheat given the setting for Coppelia

I'm so pleased you approve, leonid!