[DCRM-L] Asterism

[Noble, Richard]

If I were referring to such a phenomenon in a non-collation note I'd feel
constrained to explain it: "asterism (i.e. 3 asterisks in a pyramid)". What
of an inverted pyramid (much more common)? And in a collational *formula* I'd
write "3*", and describe the arrangement in a further note, if the exact
form needed specifying for some reason. What about six asterisks in a
pyramid?

Or is this a thickly pedantic response to a slightly tongue-in-cheek
suggestion (for which I get maybe the lower half of a star for taking the
bait, but no more than that)?

It's a wonderful word, nevertheless.

RICHARD NOBLE : RARE BOOKS CATALOGER : JOHN HAY LIBRARY : BROWN UNIVERSITY
PROVIDENCE, RI 02912 : 401-863-1187/FAX 863-3384 : RICHARD_NOBLE at BROWN.EDU


On Sat, Oct 29, 2011 at 9:18 PM, Deborah J. Leslie <DJLeslie at folger.edu>wrote:

> This is going around on facebook just now: there’s a name for the pyramid
> of three asterisks: asterism.  We can use it in signature statements
> instead of trying to describe it, a la “[three asterisks in a pyramid]” .*
> ***
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> ** **
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> http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/13-punctuation-marks-that-you-never-knew-existed
> ****
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> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterism_%28typography%29 ****
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> * *
>
> Deborah J. Leslie, M.A., M.L.S. | Head of Cataloging, Folger Shakespeare
> Library****
>
> djleslie at folger.edu | 202.675-0369 | www.folger.edu****
>
> ** **
>
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