[DCRM-L] Asterism

[Noble, Richard]

Because even though it may be in a standard dictionary, "asterism" is not a
"standard" word, but a rather esoteric printer's term--as esoteric as it is
when used to mean "a small group of stars" or "the optical phenomenon of a
star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals by reflected light (as in a
star sapphire) or by transmitted light (as in some mica)" (Webster3). It's
even more esoteric than, say,  "fist", because it's not one's most
immediate thought that there must be "a word" for the constellations   ***
, ***.

In a collational formula it would be inappropriate to write "[asterism]4",
especially because it's most likely to turn up in a sequence of
multiple-asterisk signatures, *-3*, or whatever; and, in nay case, one
disregards such typographic details in the formula proper. In an
explanatory note one might use the term for the sake of compact phrasing,
e.g. "in edition A signature 3* is an upright asterism, in edition B an
inverted one". But I'd *still* define the term, because I simply cannot
expect even a reasonably sophisticated online catalog user to understand
what the heck I'm talking about, or to have a lot of interest in looking up
a word right at that moment. In a formal bibliography concerning a body of
books in which asterisms turn up with some frequency, I might indeed use
the word without explanation, though I'd probably define it in a,
introductory note on my descriptive conventions.

Mind you, I still *like* the word, and am delighted to have had it brought
to our attention. And of course, we could take it as an inspiration to
asterize all sorts of things (*asterizein*: Gr., to arrange in
constellations).


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 Mon, Oct 31, 2011 at 10:00 AM, Deborah J. Leslie <DJLeslie at folger.edu>wrote:

> Oh no, it was serious. I like using a single word that exactly describes
> character in a signature statement or in a note, and think your workarounds
> are less descriptive and less elegant. Why would you feel constrained to
> explain a standard dictionary word? ****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] *On
> Behalf Of *Noble, Richard
> *Sent:* Sunday, 30 October, 2011 21:19
> *To:* DCRM Revision Group List
> *Subject:* Re: [DCRM-L] Asterism****
>
> ** **
>
> 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]” .*
> ***
>
>  ****
>
>
> http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/13-punctuation-marks-that-you-never-knew-existed
> ****
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterism_%28typography%29 ****
>
> * *****
>
> 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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