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poetic short form for "there are"
Marking a first
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere
Feb 21, 2013 10:59
11 yrs ago
English term

[0'50" to 2'25"]

English Art/Literary Music
The question is about standard usage(s) to refer to specific moments in a recorded musical piece.

If I want to talk about a section starting at 50 seconds after the start of the recording, and ending two minutes and twenty-five seconds into the recording, how can this be stated in a text passage?

Note that this technique is used dozens of times in my text. The text is a specialized musicology book.

[0'50" to 2'25"]

[0:50 to 2:25]

[Something else?]
Responses
5 +2 [0'50" to 2'25"]

Discussion

David Vaughn (asker) Feb 23, 2013:
THANKS Thanks for the input. Most of the appropriate sources I have been able to consult use the colon solution. Which I also find aesthetically more pleasing. Since the use of the colon is in extremely widespread use in English (in contrast to use of "apostrophes" in other languages) for track lengths, and since every source I consulted where both global length and identification of specific moments used the same style for both, and since there is no possible ambiguity, I feel comfortable going with the colon. Thanks for the input.
Charles Davis Feb 21, 2013:
Either is acceptable. Both are used in academic musicological works published by the US. [2:25] is used quite a lot more often, in my experience, than [2'25"], but the latter is also perfectly standard. Another form sometimes used is [2.25]. Use whichever you prefer, and if possible ask your client.
David Vaughn (asker) Feb 21, 2013:
reference I haven't been particularly successful finding usage, this is the only credible source I've found:
http://books.google.fr/books?id=Pw0JAQAAMAAJ&q="2:25" electr...
David Vaughn (asker) Feb 21, 2013:
@Sheila The question is about English usage, for publication by a US academic press.
Sheila Wilson Feb 21, 2013:
Source style? Seeing that there seems to be agreement that both forms are used internationally, can you not go with whatever the source uses?

Responses

+2
6 mins

[0'50" to 2'25"]

Your first suggestion is correct, the second definitely wrong: it is used for hours:minutes

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Note added at 33 mins (2013-02-21 11:33:16 GMT)
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The single and double quotation marks are formal mathematical indications for minutes and seconds, the use of ':' is not a formal convention; you are right that it is used on recordings for track lengths. So the matter is rather one of formalism versus convention. In texts, however, I still would prefer xx'yy"
Note from asker:
Actually the second is universally used for minutes and seconds on recordings to mention the length of a "track".
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M : I agree to some extent with Asker's comment, but do feel that the first option is the best solution, and the one I always used to use for timings in the film industry.
15 mins
Thanks, Tony
agree Phong Le
17 hrs
Dank je, Phong Le
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