[Magdalen] Something cringe worthy...

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

I suspect that some people see the verb to perform as providing
entertainment, such as when my group performs early music.  However, it is
actually rooted in the sense of doing a job well, as when the medical
examiner performs an autopsy.

I had honestly never even thought of such a view, and I will make an effort
to use the term "perform" with care.

When people get together and cause a service or rite one or rite two to
happen (that usage sounds awkward), I wonder what we ought to say.  To say,
"Father Rosenschmuck did the rite two service," sounds just as bad to me. I
very much dislike the concept that any human "does" a service, when that's
not what happens. To say, "Father Fader officiated at the service of
baptism," sounds pretentious and old fashioned.

"There was a service of baptism. The celebrant was George Jetson." This
blunders so close to the hint of a celebration, which -- in addition to the
unnecessary hint of frivolity -- isn't much different from a performance,
so I don't think that will do either. Anyway, it's too wordy.

I have to say that, the feelings of some notwithstanding, the term *perform
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perform>* seems the best choice.
Like so many words, the word *perform* has more than one meaning, and the
implication of entertainment is not at all attached to all of its meanings.
All the word really means is that the person carried out the action, and
the implication is that the action was done in an appropriate manner. "The
group performed Monteverdi's *Vespers*," certainly implies the job was done
well, although technically all it means is that the group brought the
material to life in some way. Indeed, the word basically means to bring
something to complete form
<http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=perform>  The play exists in
written form, with a huge array of understood meanings and practices which
the player taps into when bringing this written material to full form.
Similarly, the BCP has the written source for the words and some directions
for a ritual, but there are countless other traditions and understandings
which the persons performing the ritual must understand and tap into in
order to bring the ritual to full form. Different people have differing
views of what this fully formed end-product is, which makes the matter all
the more interesting.  Nevertheless, if someone performed a ritual badly,
not fully understanding all that is involved, most people would notice
that.

People perform a comedy, yes, but it is not that they present an
entertainment at all: they take the written material bring it to full form,
the true definition of Perform. In this sense, it is better to say Father
Nigel performed the rite that to say Father Nigel did the rite, from a
technical point of view, but some folks just do not like the use of the
term perform, so consideration suggests finding some other term.

I am glad I don't have to worry about this sort of thing  ;=)    I have no
desire to make anyone cringe.


James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Fri, May 22, 2015 at 5:39 AM, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com> wrote:

> Oh, Scott, you just reminded me of the saddest thing,
>
> I knew a rector once who used to claim that he "gave good
> mass." His sickly smirk whenever he said this was the
> stuff of nightmares.
> -M
>
>
> On Thursday, May 21, 2015, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Thu, May 21, 2015 at 6:56 PM, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com
> > <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >
> > > also dislike "perform," especially in church. It flies in the face
> > > of what we do. A priest does not perform the mass. Nor does
> > > s/he perform a wedding. Save that for the guy spinning plates
> > > on poles.
> > >
> >
> > After the funeral of my dear partner's mother, as soon as the bagpipes
> > faded away, I heard the rector's self-satisfied comment, "I must say I do
> > put on a good funeral." I couldn't believe anyone would say that about
> > themselves, at the event itself. Lost any respect I had for her. Really
> > pathetic, and showed (IMHO) a badly skewed perspective.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Scott R. Knitter
> > Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
> >
>