Via the always engrossing Language Hat, we discover that the song that the governess Maria uses to teach the children solfège in The Sound of Music has of course been translated into a number of languages, which does not strike one as the same solmisation that English audiences are accustomed to but preserves 
the tune and structure of the perhaps fits better to non-Western scales than we can appreciate. Also covering Arabic language renditions (adapted indirectly through manga), the Japanese version approximates the lyrics thus: Do is for “doughnut” ドはドーナツのド / Re is for “lemon” レはレモンのレ / Mi is for “everyone” ミはみんなのミ (or in French, Mi, c'est la moitié d'un tout—Mi, it’s half of a whole) / Fa is for “fight” / So is blue sky ソは青い空 / Ra is for “trumpet” ラはラッパのラ / Si is “happiness” シは幸せよ (or in Italian, Si: se non ti dico no—Yes: if I don’t tell you no) / So let us sing! さぁ歌いましょう. One wonders what is meant by mnemonics and homophony to begin with.
synchronoptica
one year ago: assorted links worth revisiting
two years ago: TIME magazine’s Machine of the Year (1982) plus more links to enjoy
three years ago: your daily demon: Gemory, the Roman numeral four, the General Knowledge Paper of King’s College plus the interrobang
four years ago: 2019 in review, more links to revisit plus Love Roller-Coaster
five years ago: Breakfast in America, artist Martha Boto, Trump visits Baghdad, a domestic double-agent plus an AI names fireworks
