You can mark you interesting snippets of text that will be available through a unique link in your browser.


Calypso

Translation
Calypso
—calypsonian /keuh lip soh"nee euhn, kal'ip-/, n., adj.
/keuh lip"soh/, n., pl. Calypsos, v.
n.
1. Also, Kalypso. Class. Myth. a sea nymph who detained Odysseus on the island of Ogygia for seven years.
2. (l.c.) Also called fairy-slipper. a terrestrial orchid, Calypso bulbosa, of the Northern Hemisphere, having a single variegated purple, yellow, and white flower.
3. (l.c.) a musical style of West Indian origin, influenced by jazz, usually having topical, often improvised, lyrics.
v.i.
4. (l.c.) to sing or dance to calypso.
[the name of the musical style is of obscure orig. and perh. only copies the sp. of Calypso the sea nymph]

* * *

Musical style best known as a type of folk song.

Calypso originated in Trinidad but is common throughout the Caribbean. The calypso tradition dates to the early 19th century. The subject of a calypso text, usually witty and satiric, is an event of political or social import. The lyric often incorporates Spanish, Creole, and African phrases, employing newly invented expressions such as bobol (graft) and pakoti (unfaithfulness). The exaggeration of local speech patterns is matched by an offbeat rhythm. Favourite accompanying instruments are the shak-shak (maraca), cuatro (a string instrument), and tamboo-bamboo (bamboo poles of various lengths struck on the ground). Shaped and tuned oil drums, played together in orchestras called steel bands, have also been popular.

* * *

      in Greek mythology, the daughter of the Titan Atlas (or Oceanus or Nereus), a nymph of the mythical island of Ogygia. In Homer's Odyssey, Book V (also Books I and VII), she entertained the Greek hero Odysseus for seven years, but she could not overcome his longing for home even by promising him immortality. At last the god Hermes was sent by Zeus, the king of the gods, to ask her to release Odysseus. According to Hesiod's Theogony, she bore Odysseus twin sons, Nausithous and Nausinous.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

  
Share  

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Calypso — may refer to: In Nature *Calypso (moon), a natural satellite of Saturn *Calypso Orchid, a genus of orchids, containing only one species, the Calypso Orchid People *Calypso (mythology), the name of one of the Nereids (sea nymphs) in Greek… …   Wikipedia

  • CALYPSO — CALYPS Une des nymphes de la mythologie grecque. Elle vivait dans l’île d’Ogygie en compagnie d’autres nymphes avec lesquelles elle filait et tissait en chantant. Lorsque Ulysse vint faire naufrage sur son rivage, elle s’éprit de lui et le garda… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Calypso — bezeichnet: Kalypso (Mythologie), weibliche Gestalt der griechischen Mythologie (Nymphe oder Nereide) Kalypso (Malerin), antike griechische Malerin Calypso (Musik), Tanz und Musikrichtung Calypso (Mond), Saturnmond Calypso (1942),… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Calypso — Ca*lyp so (k[.a]*l[i^]p s[ o]), n. [The Latinized Greek name of a beautiful nymph.] (Bot.) A small and beautiful species of orchid, having a flower variegated with purple, pink, and yellow. It grows in cold and wet localities in the northern part …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Calypso — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda El término calypso puede referirse a: Calypso, buque utilizado por el francés Jacques Yves Cousteau para la investigación oceanográfica; Calypso bulbosa, orquídea terrestre de América, Europa, Asia y Japón; Dr.… …   Wikipedia Español

  • calypso — 1> греч. миф. Калипсо …   Новый большой англо-русский словарь

  • calypso — 1> муз. калипсо …   Новый большой англо-русский словарь

  • Calypso — Calypso: Calypso Salisb. (1807)  научное название рода растений семейства Орхидные. Calypso Technology, Inc.  международный поставщик одноименной системы для торговли ценными бумагами и управления рисками. CALIPSO  американо… …   Википедия

  • Calypso — Calypso, 1) s. Kalypso; 2) Krebs, s. Hummer …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Calypso — CALYPSO, us, oder ónis, Gr. Καλυψὼ, οῦς, (⇒ Tab. III.) des Oceans und der Tethys, Hesiod. Theog. v. 659. oder, nach andern, des Nereus und der Doris, Apollod. lib. I. c. 2. §. 7. und, nach den dritten, des Atlas Tochter, Hom. Od. Η. 245. Tibull.… …   Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon

  • Calypso — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom.  Pour l’article homophone, voir CALIPSO. Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Calypso  …   Wikipédia en Français