Where does swing collide?

In mechanics, the swing of a pendulum is its periodic oscillation back and forth about the vertical, the textbook example of simple harmonic motion for small amplitudes. Nelson and Olsson's The Pendulum—Rich Physics from a Simple System works through how the period depends on length and, at larger amplitudes, on the swing itself, so the motion is only approximately isochronous. The referent is a physical oscillation governed by gravity and geometry, unrelated to a rhythmic feel in music or a shift of votes.[1]

Unit

The period and amplitude of oscillation about equilibrium

Recovery means

Not applicable

Measured by

Timed as the period versus length and amplitude, with corrections for large-angle and damping effects

In jazz, swing is a rhythmic feel created by subdividing the beat unevenly (pairs of eighth notes played long then short) together with subtle timing placed slightly off the strict pulse. Benadon's Slicing the Beat measures these ratios directly and shows that swing is a continuum of expressive microrhythm, not a single fixed proportion. The referent is a perceived quality of musical time produced by performers, with no link to a pendulum's physics or an election result.[2]

Unit

The long-to-short ratio of beat subdivisions and their micro-timing against the pulse

Recovery means

Not applicable

Measured by

Quantified by the swing ratio (durations of successive eighth notes) and deviation from mechanical placement

In psephology, swing is the net movement of support from one party to another between two elections, condensed into a single percentage used to compare constituencies and project how many seats a given shift would change. Butler and Van Beek's Why Not Swing? Measuring Electoral Change examines what the uniform-swing measure captures and where it misleads. The referent is a summary statistic of aggregate voting change, sharing only the word with an oscillating pendulum or a jazz groove.[3]

Unit

The net percentage transfer of vote share between two parties across elections

Recovery means

Not applicable

Measured by

Computed as the average of one party's gain and another's loss in vote share; applied as uniform national swing