4273 Derik vs El bandido re Argentina
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 14:12:30 -0400
From: "Nussbaum, Martin" <mnussbau@law.nyc.gov>
Subject: [Tango-L] Derik vs El bandido re Argentina
To: "'tango-l@mit.edu'" <tango-l@mit.edu>
<1A48EE91A5DFFC4BB2FC91C122470E311CE291@lawman-ex01.lawlan.nycnet>
El bandido wrote about Derik:
"Your original posts said:
"Many Argentines have been dancing for twenty years to sixty years or
more..."
I responded that a vast majority of Argentines don't dance tango so your
"Many Argentines..." statement is incorrect.
El Bandido de Tango."
Never thought I would defend Derik after reading most of his recent posts,
but on this semantical battle he wins, El bandido. The word "many",
used by Derik, does not mean the same as the words you used, such as
"most" or "majority."
Martin
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 16:27:03 EDT
From: Mallpasso@aol.com
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Derik vs El bandido re Argentina
To: Euroking@aol.com, mnussbau@law.nyc.gov, TANGO-L@mit.edu
Not to belabor the point: the population of Buenos Aires, discounting it's
suburbs, is around 2.75 million according to Wikipedia. I doubt more than 1% of
the population dance tango in the city.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Population_of_Buenos_Aires_1740-2010.png
El Bandido de Tango
In a message dated 5/12/2006 12:14:04 Pacific Daylight Time, Euroking writes:
Martin,
I have to side with El Bandito with this one. The definitions, both from a UK
dictionary and the Merriam Webster Dictionary gives many a definition
implying a majority. 'a large indefinite number' an in fact the definition "the
many" includes the word majority (UK dictionary) and "the masses" in Webster.
I clearly read Derik's comment to mean that a large number of Argentines
dance Tango... I clearly read El Bandito's comment to say a "vast majority" the
would imply, at least in my mind 70% + although I admit there probably is no
clear definition of the numeric value of vast majority, but IMHO either Derik or
El Bandito are wrong. I have read elsewhere that the percentage of Argentines
that actually dance Tango is relatively small compared with the entire
population.
Which brings me to the next point, many is a vague term that is highly
relevant to the context in which it is stated. Many dance Tango in central Buenos
Aires in the evening might be valid. Many dance Tango in Patagonia is perhaps
not as relevant, as the generalizing of Argentina as a whole would probably not
be correct. Whereas "vast Majority" is at least defined as 50 percent plus a
lot more to make it vast.
I think Derik overstated his point. My apologies for diving in on this as I
do feel El Bandito is on point. I also did not want to start a thread on this
topic to begin a Derik battle.
Just some thoughts,
Bill
In a message dated 5/12/2006 11:13:18 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
mnussbau@law.nyc.gov writes:
El bandido wrote about Derik:
"Your original posts said:
"Many Argentines have been dancing for twenty years to sixty years or
more..."
I responded that a vast majority of Argentines don't dance tango so your
"Many Argentines..." statement is incorrect.
El Bandido de Tango."
Never thought I would defend Derik after reading most of his recent posts,
but on this semantical battle he wins, El bandido. The word "many",
used by Derik, does not mean the same as the words you used, such as
"most" or "majority."
Martin
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 23:00:25 +0000
From: "Sergio Vandekier" <sergiovandekier990@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: [Tango-L] Derik vs El bandido re Argentina
To: Tango-L@MitVMA.MIT.EDU
El bandido said: "Not to belabor the point: the population of Buenos Aires,
discounting it's
suburbs, is around 2.75 million according to Wikipedia. I doubt more than
1% of
the population dance tango in the city."
Dear Bandido, Derik (as per your own words) did not specify any percentage
of population. He just said "Many". Many means just that: many, not most,
not 1%, not everybody... just many which means "a large but indefinite
number" .
When you disagree with Derik, you actually say that there are "few"
Argentines that learn tango since childhood or that have a feeling for the
music and the dance.
I have to say that this is a debatable point. To initiate such a discussion
would mean to go back to many elements and prejudices of Argentine society
in general .
Then you have to keep in mind that you are addressing a famous man, one
among many, Derik, an innovator in tango choreography, the creator of the
"fall on the woman" a step that has given many of us many magic tango
moments. The man is a genius and like many geniuses of the past he is not
totally understood by many.
His views have to do more with a subject that we discussed many times
before: Authenticity vs. Imitation, than with real numbers or percentages.
Best regards, Sergio
