In article ,
RdM wrote:

Jenn commented in

m:

snip (that's why the reference is left there, folks ...)

http://homepages.kdsi.net/~sherman/hearingloss.htm

"But Furtwängler's story illustrates a downside. To fill the larger halls
with sufficient sound, the voices, instruments and ensembles had to crank
up
to potentially ear-damaging levels. Countless violists, who sit right in
front of the brass, have been deafened as a result.

1. The violinists don't sit "right in front of the brass".

Uh, I read "violists". Typo? Or did he mean the viola players?
To the right, and in front of? "right in front of", as an approximation?

My error.

2. The last sentence is obvious hyperbole. "Deafened"?


Uh, 'made deaf(er)', I would think! (to what degree not defined)

I use the term "deafened" like the first definition in my dictionary: to
cause (someone) to lose the power of hearing.

If I am not mistaken they tested rock and orchestral players in a
study in the very late 70s and found that the orchestral types had more
hearing loss. However, they were on average 20 to 30 years older.

This is a question to be answered by legitimate testing and not
opinion and **** slinging. I just don't know where the latest test
results are.

Jenn writes back in
:

2. The last sentence is obvious hyperbole. "Deafened"?


Uh, 'made deaf(er)', I would think! (to what degree not defined)

I use the term "deafened" like the first definition in my dictionary: to
cause (someone) to lose the power of hearing.

I tend to think of it as having a degree of degree. One can be deafened after
a loud noise nearby, albeit temporarily. Or crushed, in an argument.
Or flattened. It's a description of a process. It need not mean made
profoundly deaf finally and for good in an instant, I'd think, although
proximity to high explosives detonating may achieve that, I suppose ...

Even your definition "to lose ... "; but to what degree? Partial is included.

IMO. Thanks for your reply.
Best wishes.
--
RdM

Jenn wrote:

2. The last sentence is obvious hyperbole. "Deafened"?


Uh, 'made deaf(er)', I would think! (to what degree not defined)


I use the term "deafened" like the first definition in my dictionary: to
cause (someone) to lose the power of hearing.

To what degree? Humans with even very profound auditory damage
can peceive some sounds by means other than the ears.

Deafness is not an absolute but a spectrum of impairment. It
is perfectly correct to use deafened for any loss of hearing.

Andy