Communication and its variations

Joe Monzo posted, in response to wounded ego:
>
> Jerry, I was not intending to be rude, merely *emphatic*!!
> (well, OK, so then maybe that *is* yelling.... sorry!)

If I had not been coming off a rather lousy day, and not been half asleep,
and not feeling on the punk side, I probably would not have responded that
way. In the light of a sunny day, Monz, I do know that you are one of the
"good guys" and would not post anything intentionally to offend. Let's
consider it _my problem and forget it, please.
>
> Paul and I had both already explained that your understanding
> of the use of the term 'tritone' was not the full story,
> and yet you continued to express that particular definition
> of 'tritone' as the only one. You know we can't let you
> get away with that :) ....

I probably should know that by now, but you know what they say about "old
dogs."
>
Monz, later:
>
> As I noted in the original reply that you seem to have missed,
> there are several definitions for 'tritone' (and many other
> terms) that are all acceptable. Certain definitions may be
> current only at certain times or places or only with certain
> authors, or many of them may have varying degrees of currency
> all at the same time. I was simply trying to clear up what
> looked to me like mis-information being passed along; or at
> any rate, as I said above, you were limiting yourself to one
> particular definition but passing it along as the *only* one.
>
For well over half a century, I have understood the term "tritone" to refer
to the unique symmetrically-invertible interval of the modern keyboard.
That's how I use the term. If it has previously been used in other ways
centuries ago (and now by folks who know about such things), it does not
immediately affect my habitual use of the term (to my own detriment, in this
case, in that it detracted from the point I was attempting to make).
>
> In response to the rest of your post, all I can say is that
> (as I repeat yet again) 'context is everything',
> and in today's
> multi-cultural global communication network, I don't think
> anyone should try to explain anything without making the
> context clear.

Now that I know another meaning for the word in _this community, I will be
sure to be specific (as you do here when referring 12-tET, for example,
instead of just "tempered tuning." It is clear to me now what Paul's use was
in _his context and my abrupt "No" was in _my context. Clearly we were both
"right"; however, communication suffered because of our different contexts.
In that regard, do any of you mind terribly if I continue to use the word in
"my" context in the future. Perhaps I'll add a footnote about yours. :-)

> At least now, we've accomplished that for
> your posts, and we can all understand more clearly what
> you're saying.

Groovy! (Whoops! I guess I just showed my generation.)
>
> I suppose the whole 'conflict' would have been avoided if
> I had already provided a good entry for 'tritone' in my
> Dictionary, with *all* of its many meanings.
> (and no, it's still not in there... too busy right now...)

No need for you to carry any of the burden for this miscommunication.
However, since the current general meaning of "tritone" is pretty much the
way I used it, you might try to find the time _soon. LOL
>
> Thanks for taking the trouble to dig out my post and to respond.

Thanks for understanding and excusing my uptight state of mind at the time.
Also, and very importantly, all of us might note that because of this little
"conflict" a good deal of positive "light" was provided in both directions.
God bless the Tuning List! :-)

Jerry