Re: Finnish composers

• From: nephelococcygia <dthorsle_at_nephelococcygia.yahoo.invalid>
• Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2003 20:31:16 -0000
• Message-ID: <b74kak+jmkg_at_...>

--- In quizbowl_at_yahoogroups.com, valhalla12 <no_reply_at_y...> wrote:
> As someone who has extensive knowledge of Finland, I can say that 
> Sibelius is the only composer even close to well-known outside of 
> Finland (and even among its own citizens), so the question starting 
> off with "This Finnish composer" in which the answer is not 
Sibelius 
> is inviting a neg. If I had been in a room with this question, I 
would 
> have been guaranteed a neg. If one wanted to write a question about 
> another Finnish composer outside of Sibelius probably should have 
> started the question with some other phrase. Just my two cents 
worth.

>From my experience with editing, it's almost never a good idea to 
start a question off with "This <NATIONALITY> <OCCUPATION>," having 
seen questions along the lines of "This Nigerian author...", "This 
Polish-French composer...", and so forth.

Nationality is a clue that should only be useful when combined with 
other information.  I've found it's usually a giveaway clue, so it 
should be placed in the question accoringly.  "...he wrote The Swan 
of Tuonela.  For 10 points -- name this Finnish composer." is 
pyramidal.  "This Finnish composer wrote the Swan of Tuonela..." is 
not.

Dave