NOTATIO

In a passage like this (poem is set and original in English), should words like "adieu" be put in Italics? When I learned of the rule of putting foreign words in Italic it was 2008, and since then I've seen it both ways.
What is your opinion and experience?
Thank you

While it's generally proper in a text, in the music I think it would be distracting.

If you print out a copy of the text (like as a foreword) you can italicize the foreign words there.

Thank you! I still need to check the original poem, but in the music, the source doesn't use Italics.

Foreign words that have become part of the English language are not italicized. "Adieu" would be one of those, as in, "I bid you a fond adieu".

How to know what foreign words have become part of the English language and what haven’t?

Look it up in a good English dictionary. If it is there, it is part of standard English. If not, check online. It may have entered the language recently. If not, italicize it the first time it occurs in text. As lyrics in a song, I wouldn't, but I am not sure what is considered correct.

I second John’s opinion: italics for words in languages other than the main language. “Adieu” has been incorporated in English, though (Marilyn Monroe sang “said adieu to love, don’t ever call again”), so no need for italics in this particular case.
However I’d italicize the word in the score under the notes as well, of course were appropriate. There can be cases when a word doesn’t seem extraneous to the main lamguage, and cam be helpful to the singer to know something is going on.

Thanks all!

John Ruggero wrote: ↑16 Mar 2024, 13:08 Look it up in a good English dictionary. If it is there, it is part of standard English. If not, check online. It may have entered the language recently.

The OED lists 'adieu' as being in common usage these last 600 years, so I'd say it's just about bedded in by now.

NeeraWM wrote: ↑14 Mar 2024, 21:40 In a passage like this

Even if italics were recommended, using a sans typeface in oblique style doesn't really confer the same contrast as Roman/Italics.

I'd suggest a Grotesque in a Book Condensed face, if you must use sans....

I will keep it in Regular, then.
Thank you for confirming.