We’ve seen this question posed around the poetry performance community (there was a debate in poems at Poetz.com a few years back), but we’ve never fully resolved the issue even between ourselves—Poetry Guide Bob Holman tends to use the “mic” spelling, while Co-Guide Margy Snyder finds herself often in the “mike” camp. Now, thanks to a link forwarded to the NewPoetry list by JforJames (aka Jim Finnegan), we’ve run across an expansive new airing of the debate among the “tirades” at singer/songwriter Sam Bayer’s Web site. He makes his position quite clear in the essay’s title: “Mike, dammit.” Anyone care to extend the debate by commenting here?
Our articles on Open Mic/Mike:
“Open Mic: Definitions, Rules, Etiquette, Irony,” Bob Holman’s manifesto on the topic
“HipHop, Performance Poetry, Spoken Word, Slam: Definitions from a Teenager,” our interview with young poet and open mike host Eman
“Open Takes Over,” David Shapiro on open mikes and fame
“The Fuse: A circle of performance, poetry & safety in a public square,” by David Levine
Open Mic: Poetry HowTos
How to get started hosting a poetry reading
How to promote your poetry reading
The Barbaric Yawp: How to give a good reading of your poems, by Gary Mex Glazner
Comments
The correct diminutive is ‘mic’, coming from the music industry, even tho it is pronounced ‘mike’. Anything else is incorrect. If poetry wants to rant, rave, and cause problems, feel free. The music industry will continue to use ‘mic’ as will anyone who has half a brain.
Both sides of my brain are intact and I’ve used ‘mike’ as a preference for years. I don’t consider ‘mic’ to be wrong, just an alt spelling that I prefer less. It’s nice to be certain but language is flexible thing. Poets do know that.
Is also Consistency a flexible thing, Mr. Finnegan? It puzzles me that above you mention that you “don’t consider ‘mic’ to be wrong”, yet in your linked article you “remain convinced that the majority is, to put it bluntly, wrong”.
Oh silly Mr. Finnegan.
K. Ameringer’s comment seems weak because it is purely based on assertion and implied arguments from authority. Please do not be swayed merely by the insults and pretense.
I recommend reading the “Mike, dammit” essay as well as other quality resources linked in the main article, before making up your own mind.
In my own experience as a semi-pro musician, amateur recording engineer, electronic systems and software developer, and open mike performer & host:
1. Both spellings are in actual use, and not only by people with 0.5 or fewer brains,
2. “MIC” is nearly universal (and is often in all-caps) when used to label circuit boards or audio components, and
3. “Mike” is a clear winner on linguistic consistency grounds, as is detailed more than adequately in some of the linked resources.
It’s really simple science. It’s the word microphone, with the “rophone” removed.
“Mic”-rophone. How did the K, and E work their way in? And what’d they do with the C? It makes no sense. Ask anybody that spells it “mike” to spell the word microphone. I guarantee not one of them ever spells it “mikerophone”.
It’s mic, not coming from the “music industry,” but short for, “microphone,” and yes, pronounced mike. So,there.