Round-robin is a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified.[1]
Origin
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The term dates from the 17th-century French Rond ruban (round ribbon). This described the practice of signatories to petitions against authority (usually Government officials petitioning the Crown) appending their names on a document in a non-hierarchical circle or ribbon pattern (and so disguising the order in which they have signed) so that none may be identified as a ringleader.[2][3]
This practice was adopted by sailors petitioning officers in the Royal Navy (first recorded 1731).[3]
The practice was also known as Karakasarenban (Japanese: 傘連判状) in feudal Japan. Early examples of it, such as 1557 treaty including Mōri Motonari[4] as a prominent signer, were used for signing alliances between multiple military clans and were intended more for removing the hierarchy and emphasizing the equal status between signers rather than for a disguise. Later usages, including 1681 plea signed by a group of farmers in 25 villages [5] and a similar plea in 1754 signed by 30 local village lords, has more emphasis on hiding the ringleader. In modern Japan, there are more casual usages of the similar style of signing for ceremonial purposes including school graduation and significant events in group sports.
Spanish–American War
editA round-robin letter was authored in Cuba after the cessation of hostilities in 1898 by a committee of 10 brigade commanders of the American Army's V Corps including acting brigade commander Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish–American War, to accelerate the departure of the American Army back to the United States during the rainy disease-plagued summer season. This letter was leaked to the press and embarrassed the administration of US President William McKinley.
References
edit- ^ "round robin | Etymology of phrase round robin by etymonline". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ "Authors". Collection at Bartleby.com. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Re: Round Robin, Oxford English Dictionary cited at The Phrase Finder, September 29, 2002
- ^ 小項目事典, 精選版 日本国語大辞典,ブリタニカ国際大百科事典. "傘連判状(からかされんばんじょう)とは？ 意味や使い方". kotobank.jp. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ 改訂新版,世界大百科事典内言及, 精選版 日本国語大辞典,デジタル大辞泉,改訂新版 世界大百科事典,日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ),百科事典マイペディア,山川 日本史小辞典. "傘連判(からかされんばん)とは？ 意味や使い方". kotobank.jp. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External links
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Media related to Round-robin (document) at Wikimedia Commons