Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-eris!callas
From: callas@eris.DEC (The tea leaves never lie)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: English Horns
Message-ID: <1946@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 1-May-85 11:23:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1946
Posted: Wed May  1 11:23:01 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 4-May-85 06:27:20 EDT
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 17


        	The english horn (which looks a lot like an oboe, but sounds a
	        fifth lower) got its name when the French "cor angle'" (lit:
	        "angled horn"-- the instrument actually had a bend in it, though
	        the modern version is straight with a curve only in the bocal)
	        was confused with the near homophone "cor anglais".  As a wind
	        instrument, it certainly qualifies as a horn in the musical
	        sense.

        The reason an english horn looks a lot like an oboe is because
        it *is* an oboe. An alto oboe, to be precise. Your etymology is
        correct, but your analysis isn't. Both the oboe and the english
        horn are woodwind instruments. The term "horn" refers to brass
        instruments.

        	Jon, an english hornist.
        	...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-eris!callas