Theatre Design & Technology - May 1968 - 30

A Handlist of Dictionaries on Technical Theatre
JOEL TRAPIDO
University of Hawaii

(Professor Trapido's handlist is a repon of the USITI Committee on
Engineering. Editor)

The lists are selective, but the English portions of the four
A sections on live theatre, are intended to be relatively
complete. In other categories, except for "GG Miscellaneous," I have tried to keep groups to a maximum of twenty
entries. This was particularly difficult in the sciences. (The
extent of the literature here may be indicated by the existence of an international bibliography of technical dictionaries
which runs to over 400 pages and, to cite one other ex-

This bibliography is not limited to dictionaries, but includes
such other alphabetically arranged works as glossaries and
encyclopedias. Internal glossaries in non-alphabetical books

ample, of UNESCO's two-volume

Bibliography of Mono-

ling ual Scientific and Technical Glossaries_)
In making selections I have emphasized recent works but

have been included in section A; a rare few such glossaries

included older books where there seemed reason to do so.

appear elsewhere in the bibliography, ordinarily when they

The effort is to omit nothing really important, including major

cover a subject for which I was unable to find a separately

"popular" works, and to include a sampling of inexpensive
(often paperback) books. The emphasis is, too, on tech-

published book. Omitted are most handbooks, guides, and
catalogues; but wllere there seemed good reason to include

nology rather than theory, so that a dictionary of physics,

such a work I have done so. There are perhaps ten such

say, however important, is included only if it appears to give

entries. I regret that in its present form the bibliography
includes neither general encyclopedias and dictionaries nor

more than usual attention to appl ications. The sections are
an impossible affair (should TV be in "Electronics," metal-

unpublished studies; both are important, and should be ex-

lurgy in "Engineering" etc.) but seem preferable to a single

amined and collected.

mixed list containing scores of items which vary widely in

The bibiliography is broken into the following sections:
A i
ii

Dictionaries of Technical Theatre
Technical

Theatre

Glossaries

in Non-alphabetical

Books
III

General Theatre Dictionaries

iv General Theatre

Glossaries in Non - alphabetical

content.
Though about a third of the entries treat the technical
language of other countries, the focus of the bibliography
is on works in English. Some sections treat works in English only, others combine in a single list both English and
foreign entries, and still others contain two separate lists,
the one of books in English and the second of books in
other

languages; this last occurs where a combined list

Books

would be overlong.

Film

Broadcasting

Arch itecture and Art

Costumes and Textiles

Furniture and Antiques

In details of bibliographical form. simplicity has been the guide. I have
often used shan titles. "ed." for both editors and compilers, "et al."
for authors or editors beyond the first or second. IAn early decision
which I faintly regret was to omit Elsevier. a widely known publisher,
from the titles of the many foreign dictionaries the company puts out.
Some catalogues and lists, including the Library of Congress. retain
Elsevier as the first word in the title of the company's books. The effect
on the user of the present bibliography is that he may have to turn to
"E" in. say, a card catalogue after having tried to find a book under

Music and Dance

Engineering

Physics

Chemistry

another letter.) Where there is an American printing of a foreign work, I

have named only the city of the American issue, unless the two are
separated by a number of years. For both American and foreign works.
I have usually named but one place of publication. Where this might be
misleading, a clarifying note is appended. In a typical entry of this sort.
a bibliographical "New York" is followed by an indication that the book
is British.

I doubt that the bibliography would exist but for Professor Robin Lacy.
now of Ohio University. When he was Chairman of USITT's Committee
on Engineering. he pushed me until I moved the bibliography to its
present state. I must also thank James Bertino. now Oirector of Drama
at the Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu: he did much of the work on

Electronics

Metals

Nuclear Science

television as part of a research project in course. Various specialists on

Miscellaneous (general works, technologies not else-

the faculty of the University of Hawaii have been kind enough to examine appropriate sections of the bibliography, panicularly in the sci·
ences. A number of these good people have made useful suggestions. I

where covered)
The single-letter sections deal with the arts and the double-

alone, however, must bear responsibility for the results of all this labor.
This is truer than such statements usually are since printing necessities
have made it inadvisable to attempt incorporation of some suggestions,

letter sections with the sciences, both loosely defined. Ma-

as well as of a number of additions and deletions of my own.

terials listed

The bibliography continues to evolve. Emendations are welcome, including
notes on the errors inevitable in work of this sort. Such help can be
addressed to me at the Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawai" Honolulu,
Hawaii 96822. Useful material will be gratefully acknowledged in a brief
supplement to the bibliography which can, perhaps, be fitted into a
forthcoming issue of Theatre Design and Technology.

111

double-letter sections contain much material

related to theatre equipment. But some of these sections
are included primarily because their content often bears on
the building of theatres. Nuclear technology is present as a
nod to the fUlUre.

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

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