# Flute/flaut **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 15, 2000, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629 "2000-07-15T02:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marvel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marvel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvel)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/1 "2000-07-15T02:50:30Z")
Greetings! I’ve a question that maybe one of you can answer. I’ve already sent this in to the great and powerful Cecil, but I got back an e-mail saying he gets _SO_ many questions each week that I could get the answer I need here much sooner… It came to me while my hubby and I were watching the Cleveland Orchestra give yet another free, kick-ass concert in Public Square. The crowd went nutso for a flute duet during the final number, and that got me wondering why those who play the flute are sometimes called - and I’m sure I’m spelling this wrong - a “flautist.” Sounds more like a term for too much gas in the lower GIs. Why isn’t the instrument called a “flaut” if the person playing it is a “flautist,” or a “flutist” if they’re playing a “flute.” What’s the deal here? Patty ---
**Author:** ![Serendipity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Serendipity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serendipity)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/2 "2000-07-15T02:57:20Z")
This probably won’t help explain the whole “flautist” thing, but when I played the flute, my instructor refered to me as a “flutist.” Maybe “flautists” actually have to have some inkling of talent…? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/3 "2000-07-15T03:24:37Z")
Another flutist checking in here. I have been informed that the term ‘flautist’ refers to a specific old-fashioned sort of flute-playing. I don’t know how true this is, but the term is pretty old-fashioned itself. I, as well as many other flute players I know, generally say ‘flutist.’ ---
**Author:** ![Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/4 "2000-07-15T15:37:39Z")
I’m also a fellow flutist (flautist, whatever.) “Flaut” comes from European languages: Italian _flauto_, originally from Old French, _flaute_. Since Italian is used so much in music notation, I guess some flute players chose to use the Italian name of their instrument. I can’t think of any other instrumentalists that do this. ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/5 "2000-07-15T20:24:20Z")
So is the flauta I ate Thursday night at my favorite Mexican restaurant so named because it is rolled up in sort of a flute shape? ---
**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/6 "2000-07-15T20:27:51Z")
from [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com): **flau·ta** (floutä) n. A tortilla rolled around a filling such as beef, chicken, or cheese into a flutelike shape and sometimes deep-fried. ---
**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/7 "2000-07-15T20:33:48Z")
and regarding the OP: [http://www.patnet.caltech.edu/~shimpei/flutist.html](http://www.patnet.caltech.edu/~shimpei/flutist.html) and at the national flute association website, i see the word **flutist** appear, but not **flautist**. [http://www.nfaonline.org](http://www.nfaonline.org) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2000, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/8 "2000-07-15T23:07:22Z")
Perhaps “flautist” is archaic and used in formal contexts, like “pianoforte” and “violoncello”. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2000, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/9 "2000-07-16T02:22:02Z")
I call myself a “flute player” just to avoid this sort of crap. ---
**Author:** ![Soupy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Soupy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soupy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2000, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/10 "2000-07-16T08:38:39Z")
Beverly Sills made a big point about this in an interview with Charlie Rose, correcting him twice, but then refused to provide the distinction. ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/11 "2000-07-17T13:58:29Z")
Matt is completely correct. People tend to use flautist when they are being snooty. My ex played the flute (and the tuba) and referred to himself as a flautist. HUGS! Sqrl ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/12 "2000-07-17T16:16:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SqrlCub \* > \*\*Matt is completely correct. People tend to use flautist when they are being snooty. My ex played the flute (and the tuba) and referred to himself as a flautist. > > HUGS! > Sqrl \*\* Doesn’t it depend on what kind of flute he played? One made of metal or… ---
**Author:** ![Marvel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marvel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvel)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/13 "2000-07-17T17:33:28Z")
Thank you all for responding! I wondered whether “flute”-vs. -“flaut” was meerly a matter of word choice (like “bag” vs. “sack” vs. “poke”) or if it was more significant than that. Thanks again! Patty ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/14 "2000-07-17T18:49:32Z")
Padeye, nope. The other flutists I knew in college called themselves flautists among eachother and flutists to all the rest of the laypeople. It was like their own secret society. HUGS! Sqrl ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flute-flaut/25629/15 "2000-07-17T21:34:27Z")
Sheesh. Apparently juvenile sexual remarks can’t be too subtle around this place. I was referring to a _skin_ flute (flaut?) Sqrl. :rolleyes: