[DCRM-L] Asterism

[Deborah J. Leslie]

Yes, Ron Bogdan points out that it frequently turns out as the third
part of a sequence, in which it makes sense to call it 3*. But if it
appears independently, I will use "[asterism]".

 

From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On
Behalf Of Noble, Richard
Sent: Monday, 31 October 2011 12:02
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Asterism

 

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 <mailto:djleslie at folger.edu>  | 202.675-0369 |
www.folger.edu

 

 

 

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