Mac and Cheese

[dmin11]

Is anyone out there familiar with the music term "macaroni carol"? I came across this reference in a book last night and was unable to find anything much about it. (A google search bears only pasta recipes!) I don't see it listed in any music dictionaries I have. As nearly as I can figure, its a remote reference to a song or carol such as "Angels We Have Heard On High" that includes complete lyrics in two different languages as a normal part of the work. Does anyone know if this is true and if so, where does the term come from and why?

[regeron]

The problem with google searches is that they provide only what you ask for. If you look in a paper dictionary, you are more likely to see that after the entry for "macaroni", you are likely to find the entry for "macaronic" which will answer your question.

With the correct spelling, a quick google search yields the following definition:

"macaronic adjective
mac·a·ron·ic | \-ˈrä-nik \
Definition of macaronic
1 : characterized by a mixture of vernacular words with Latin words or with non-Latin words having Latin endings
2 : characterized by a mixture of two languages"

Here's the Wikipedia entry:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaronic_language

One of the most famous macaronic carols is "In dulci jubilo", mixing Latin with either English or German, depending on where you live or what your mother tongue is.
*****
On a related note....

The question "Why did Yankee Doodle call the feather in his cap 'macaroni'?" is answered in this article:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/article...what-you-think
and this one:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/65651...ather-macaroni

[toodles]

Regeron, thanks for the enlightenment!

[Havoc]

The problem with google searches is that they provide only what you ask for. If you look in a paper dictionary, you are more likely to see that after the entry for "macaroni", you are likely to find the entry for "macaronic" which will answer your question.

With the correct spelling, a quick google search yields the following definition:

"macaronic adjective
mac·a·ron·ic | \-ˈrä-nik \
Definition of macaronic
1 : characterized by a mixture of vernacular words with Latin words or with non-Latin words having Latin endings
2 : characterized by a mixture of two languages"

Here's the Wikipedia entry:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaronic_language

You learn something new every day, thanks for this one.