[Callers] Gypsy Synopsis

[Ron Blechner via Callers]

Erik, thanks for assembling that list.

What we also need a list of is that of all of the categories to determine
which terms are better than others. For example, I can start us off:

- term should not sound too much like an existing contra dance term
- clear and easy to say and hear on the mic/monitors
- no negative connotations
- descriptive of the move, as possible
On Oct 29, 2015 4:24 AM, "Erik Hoffman via Callers" <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> On the subject of gypsies and language, I've enjoyed reading the myriad
> comments, and find myself feeling ambiguous (which I define as feeling very
> strongly both ways). And, I know it's been thrashed about and we've a
> request for acknowledging that we are unlikely to change any opinions on
> this. That said:
>
> * I have had this discussion with a number people in the past, about the
> very strong negative connotations of the word "Gypsy." Ambivalent as I am,
> I do think we should look for a replacement word.
>
> * I thought I'd collect all the words that have been suggested so far
> (unless I missed one or two) in one place. Here it is:
>         No Hand Turn
>         No Hand Allemande (and I do think Allemande comes from "The
> German," a dance)
>         Dance Around, or Walk Around
>         Face to Face Do Si Do
>         Bine (binary stars -- snippet below)
>         Nose-to-Nose Do Si Do
>         Dance Around - or Dance About
>         Orbit Around - or Orbit About
>         Loop
>         Eddy
>         Vortex
>         Swirl
>         Spiral
>         Eyes or "Take Eyes"
>         Holding Eyes
>         Eyeballs
>         Facing
>         Maypole
>         Hands Off
>         Face à Face (facey-face...)
>         Right (Left) Shoulder (without the G-word)
>         Cyclone (though mentioned with a complaint - too "violent")
>
> * I like "Single File with a Smile" to replace "Indian Style." Many
> Indians don't like the moniker "Native American," and vice versa -- America
> is a name that comes from a European explorer, in some ways more insulting
> than the misconstrued "Indians," from the name given by a murderous
> European explorer... It is good, I think, to stop using words that come
> from stereotyped images of an oppressed or victimized people.
>
> * When thinking of our positive feelings about the word -- "happy,
> colorful," think about people of the slave-holding South remembered with
> great delight how "Nigras" were always happy, and how warm and wonderful it
> was when they were slaves. Of course, they rarely considered that that
> "happiness" stemmed from fear -- the fear of bodily injury, jail, or even
> lynching...
>
> * We are teaching dance in a public forum. Dog breeders use the word
> "bitch" regularly -- no problem. Start calling a woman that word, and the
> connotation is different. A chink in a chain, a dike to hold back water or
> in a rock formation, etc. are all used in specialized situations. I run
> into a similar problem as I love playing the Jews Harp... Our use of the
> word Gypsy in a public forum could be said to have that specialized
> meaning. But it can be construed to have those negative connotations.
>
> * Eric Black says he uses "Gents & Ladies," never, "men & women." Years
> ago I stopped using Ladies & Gents since their roots are steeped in
> classism, and we live in a severely class society -- even though we pretend
> we don't. Be that as it may, I started using Ladies & Gents again when I
> realized most of us don't have those connotations associated with those
> words. Now I've gone gender free, and use ravens & larks. But when I was
> young we used "him," and "he" to mean "everyone. We did notice the affect
> this had on young women as promoting that sense of exclusion that still
> dominates our culture. Most of us now say "he and she," or just "she", and
> it has changed how some of us think about the power of women. Language does
> make a difference. Much of this came about from discussions on how the
> words I choose to use affect some. Most of are "unaffected," by the use of
> certain words. Or at least we don't perceive an affect of the use of
> certain words. It's like those of us who are White often don't know the
> scrutiny Black people are subjected to throughout their everyday lives. Or
> the majority of us men don't live with the fear and degradation women are
> subjected to. It is important to understand how our language affects those
> around us, especially from the podium.
>
> Well, enough for now, as that's more than two-cents worth...
>
> ~erik hoffman
>     oakland, ca
>
> The Snippet on from Richard Fischer (richardallenfischer at verizon.net)
> "Bine":
> > I have a suggestion for a new word to replace "gypsy."  My word is
> "bine" and I derive it from
> > "binary stars" which, especially if they are of similar mass, circle
> each other as in our dance
> > move. I consulted with an astrophysicist friend, who told me that under
> certain circumstances
> > binary stars may be "tidally locked," that is, facing each other as they
> orbit about each other.
> > (Our moon is tidally locked, but in the earth-moon case it's not a
> mutual thing.)
> >
> > "Bine" can be used as a verb and a noun, it's one syllable and easy to
> say, and its etymology is
> > known. (And some dancers might enjoy the image).
> >
> > As others have said, I too have appreciated this thoughtful discussion.
> It is hard to know when
> > to retire an established term that has been used without intention to
> offend anyone, but I know
> > many of us are considering doing so. So I thought I'd put my suggestion
> out there.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/attachments/20151029/bff7f3f9/attachment.htm>