gourd

English translation: gourd rattle

20:29 Feb 5, 2016
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Music / toltec rituals
English term or phrase: gourd
"They had come in quiet resignation - bringing ***gourds*** and drums, lighting candles and burning sage." (in a description of a Toltec (Aztec) ceremony aimed at helping a sick person in a novel)

Is it a ceremonial rattle or a vessel?
Alexander Alexandrov
Russian Federation
Local time: 14:35
Selected answer:gourd rattle
Explanation:
As Stefano rightly says, gourds have a number of uses. In this case I don't think they would bring '(gourd) drums and drums', but rattles and drums.

The calabash or gourd (as it's commonly known in the United States) is a functional creation of nature with a wide variety of uses and traditions in cultures around the world. A fruit of varied shape and size, it commonly grows on a vine not unlike the squash, but there are also varieties that grow on bushes and trees. In so-called "third world" countries the calabash was historically used as a container for water, and still is an essential utensil in many parts of the world. In rural areas of the U.S., they are often used as birdhouses. Throughout Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean and the Americas, gourds are used as resonators for musical instruments.

https://www.ibiblio.org/musicians/botsford/educators/shekere...
Selected response from:

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Local time: 12:35
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5gourd rattle
Helena Chavarria
4 +1calabash
StefanoFarris
4 -1It's an edible vegetable
Andrew Bramhall
Summary of reference entries provided
Gourd
Helena Chavarria

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
It's an edible vegetable


Explanation:
тыква, Лагена́рия обыкнове́нная, или Горля́нка, или Калабас.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gourd

Andrew Bramhall
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Charlesp: yea, but not. Literally not; but in this context, not the meaning. (therefore, would be an incorrect translation)
1 day 19 hrs
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
calabash


Explanation:
You have to pick, it is a fruit, a container, a rattle...

OED:

1. a.1.a The large fleshy fruit of the trailing or climbing plants of the family Cucurbitaceæ; spec. the fruit of Lagenaria vulgaris, which when dried and hollowed out is used as a vessel (see 4).

4. a.4.a The ‘shell’ or whole rind of the fruit dried and excavated, used as a water-bottle,
float,
rattle,
etc. (Cf. calabash.)


StefanoFarris
United States
Local time: 07:35
Native speaker of: Italian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Evelyne Trolley de Prévaux
4 hrs
  -> Merci bien ! Thank you very much !

neutral  Charlesp: yea, but not. Literally not; not in this context.
1 day 19 hrs
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
gourd rattle


Explanation:
As Stefano rightly says, gourds have a number of uses. In this case I don't think they would bring '(gourd) drums and drums', but rattles and drums.

The calabash or gourd (as it's commonly known in the United States) is a functional creation of nature with a wide variety of uses and traditions in cultures around the world. A fruit of varied shape and size, it commonly grows on a vine not unlike the squash, but there are also varieties that grow on bushes and trees. In so-called "third world" countries the calabash was historically used as a container for water, and still is an essential utensil in many parts of the world. In rural areas of the U.S., they are often used as birdhouses. Throughout Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean and the Americas, gourds are used as resonators for musical instruments.

https://www.ibiblio.org/musicians/botsford/educators/shekere...

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Local time: 12:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
56 mins
  -> Thank you, Gallagy :-)

agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Yasutomo

agree  Peter Simon
22 hrs
  -> Thank you, Peter :-)

agree  Charlesp: shake it!
1 day 5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Charlesp :-)

agree  Mikhail Korolev
7 days
  -> Thank you :-)
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Reference comments


20 mins peer agreement (net): +10
Reference: Gourd

Reference information:
The dances are accompanied by a large drum, called the huehuetl, a small two tongued wooden drum, called a teponaztli, gourd rattles called ayacaxtli and whistles and flutes call tlapitzalli.

http://powwow-power.com/aztec-dancers/

Gourds have been used as musical instruments in Africa, Asia, and the Americas for thousands of years. Gourds have been used as percussion instruments by cultures around the world. Water drums, rattles, and rainsticks are three of the easiest instruments to create. The “water –drum” made from two gourd halves produces a rich, unique sound. Four or five different sized water drums tuned by increasing or decreasing their amount of water provides a set of percussion with wonderfully resonant bass tones.

http://georgiagourdguy.com/Gourd_Water_Drum.html

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Tony M: Yes, like maracas.
8 mins
  -> Thank you, Tony :-)
agree  philgoddard: You should have put this as an answer.
10 mins
  -> I didn't think it was the right thing to do because the asker had more or less answered his own question. Thank you, Phil :-)
agree  Peter Simon: Yes, this is the real answer! Gourd-shaped bottles, instruments etc. made from gourds
22 mins
  -> Thanks, Peter :-)
agree  Lara Barnett
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Lara :-)
agree  Suzan Hamer
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Suzan :-)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: put as answer
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Gallagy :-)
agree  P.L.F. Persio
11 hrs
  -> Thank you, missdutch :-)
agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
19 hrs
  -> Thank you very much
agree  Charlesp
1 day 19 hrs
  -> Thank you, Charlesp :-)
agree  Mikhail Korolev
7 days
  -> Thank you :-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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