Talk:fret

RFV discussion: February–March 2018

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fret

Also freet. Rfv-sense: (transitive, obsolete or poetic) To consume, to devour, to eat. One quotation is provided that uses the form "freet" in a translation. DTLHS (talk) 03:40, 21 February 2018 (UTC)

I've added a few more. I used the glosses in each cite to confirm the meaning "devour" Leasnam (talk) 13:45, 21 February 2018 (UTC)

The 1594 quotation seems to be an example of sense 3, while the 1609 and 1727–1728 quotations could be examples of sense 5. Should senses 1 and 5 be combined? There is a slight difference of meaning ("eat" v. "eat away"), but they are overlapping. — SGconlaw (talk) 04:03, 22 February 2018 (UTC)

I'd be in favour of combining. I don't think by the Modern English period this word seriously meant "to eat = consume food" anymore Leasnam (talk) 22:28, 23 February 2018 (UTC)

RFV-resolved Kiwima (talk) 05:00, 26 March 2018 (UTC)

Reversion of my edit to 'fret'

@Sgconlaw Hello, Why have you reverted my edit? Frets may happen to offer a visual guide as to where to place the finger but the purpose of a fret is to 'stop' (in the musical sense) the string in place of the fingertip as it is used in unfretted instruments and to determine the length of the vibrating string, what is unclear about that? Think about it, if the true purpose were to offer a visual guide, fret markers would be all that was required, but the fret provides a hard edge to act as the nut does in an open string. Thank you. Kaixinguo~enwiktionary (talk) 11:30, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

When guitarists play fretless, it's not because they don't need a guide to the notes any more :) Kaixinguo~enwiktionary (talk) 11:37, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

Also, using 'plucked' is not accurate as bowed instruments can have frets, too. Kaixinguo~enwiktionary (talk) 11:31, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

And the page is missing the sense of 'fret' meaning more loosely the whole area between each fret. Kaixinguo~enwiktionary (talk) 11:34, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

Perhaps I'm not understanding how frets work in stringed instruments, as I don't play any such instrument. Could you clarify the following?

• When an instrument like a guitar or violin is not being played, are the strings resting on or away from the frets? In other words, do the strings only come into contact with the frets when depressed with fingers when the instrument is played? If that is the case, then shouldn't this be mentioned in the definition? Otherwise, the definition doesn't explain how the frets determine the lengths of the vibrating strings.
• What does it mean to play a guitar fretlessly? The guitarist doesn't press down on the strings at all?

If you can find citations for the additional meaning of fret that you referred to, please add them to the entry. — SGconlaw (talk) 16:51, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

@Sgconlaw: I don't play any such instrument either. I added a few words to what was there already because it would be hard to include all the factors without the definition being verbose. To answer your question, violins don't have frets, but on a guitar the strings do make contact with the frets when depressed with the fingers, except for when an open string is being played. I wouldn't want to incorporate that into a definition myself, someone who writes definitions should do it. Playing a fretless guitar means just playing a guitar with a fingerboard that has no frets, where the notes are stopped with the fingertips. Kaixinguo~enwiktionary (talk) 17:32, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

Perhaps just leave it as it is, it may be becoming too technical. It is understandable as it stands. Kaixinguo~enwiktionary (talk) 17:35, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

Isn't the principal pitch generated by the string the same whether it is struck, plucked, picked, or bowed? If so, the definition can and should exclude any reference to the way in which the pitch is induced. In any event the pitch, given any of the method of activating the string, is regulated by the location of the fret selected by the fingering. Some dictionaries don't even mention the musical function of frets. We should probably steer well clear of the short-attention-span encyclopedia approach. I've added a link to w:Fret. DCDuring (talk) 18:12, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

Sorry, this is bothering me too much, I think I'll stay out of it =) Kaixinguo~enwiktionary (talk) 18:38, 13 April 2018 (UTC)