The acoustic/acoustics in the opera house

I like acoustics better with the plural 'are'. The term acoustics is used to talk about the total effect of sound.

Do both "acoutic" and "acoutics" fit in the above and mean about the same to you?

No. As a noun it is always acoustics; only the adjective is acoustic (He plays acoustic guitar). acoustics is in the same category as physics, mathematics, and semantics.

CJ

Hi Jim,
In the context of the given sentence, I would think the word acoustics means sound waves rather than a branch of physics.
From The American Heritage of Dictionary: (used with a pl. verb) The total effect of sound, especially as produced in an enclosed space:

I believe Jim meant the word acousitcs is like words such as physics, mathematics and semantics in the sense that they all end with a 's' whilst not necessarily denoting the plural form. i.e. the words are spelt with an 's'.

PBF

Peaceblinkfriend I believe Jim meant the word acousitcs is like words such as physics, mathematics and semantics in the sense that they all end with a 's' whilst not necessarily denoting the plural form. i.e. the words are spelt with an 's'.

PBF

Hi Peaceblinkfriend,
I certainly understand what Jim meant - no disagreement there. However, it

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Hoa ThaiHi Peaceblinkfriend,
I certainly understand what Jim meant - no disagreement there. However, it does not fit in the context of the base sentence. IMO.

Hi Hoa Thai
Maybe it's just me but I don't think Jim said anything about 'acoustics' in that sentence being a reference to the science subject physics. I mean obviously Angliholic is de

Hi Peaceblinkfriend,
I can see your interpretation that the 'sound architecture / construction' of the opera house is excellent.
However, I beg to differ. The reason is simple to me.; here are the three clues:
1. the use of the preposition 'in'.
2. the plural verb 'are'.
3. the phrase 'can even hear a drop of a pin' tells me an experience to sound not the design of the opera h

Sorry Hoa Thai but I don't really get what you believe the word acoustics means in that context.

For instance, the concert hall in the Sydney Opera House, has about 18 adjustable acrylic acoustic rings which they call clouds suspended about the platform to reflect some of the sounds of the intruments striaght back to the platform since the hall has celling of about 25 meters. The w

Frankly, the only meaning that makes sense to me when using the word acoustics to describle a opera house/concert hall is that you are commenting on 'the way in which the structural characteristics of a building or room affect the qualities of musical sound'.

PBF