there's also the vihuela de penola - played with plectrum - but a rose by any other name is ... thorny.
--- gary digman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Is not the Italian term "viola" the equivalent of > the Spanish "vihuela' and > the Portugese "violao"? And, as I understand it, > these terms were origially > applied to any stringed instrument. Hence, in Spain > a plucked instrument was > a "vihuela de mano" and a bowed instrument was a > "vihuela de arco". Thus, we > must be clear that the term viola is not refering to > the modern instrument > known as the viola. > > Gary > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Alice Renken" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Fred Chandler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 5:09 PM > Subject: Re: [Viols] "cello" > > > > Nope, sorry, Fred. The root word here is "viola". > The diminutive > > ending is "ino", giving "violino", "little viola". > "ello" is an > > aggrandizing ending, so "violoncello" is "big > viola". The ending > > "one" is super-aggrandizing, so "violone" means > "super-big viola". > > Which is exactly what the cello and double bass > are. > > On Mar 15, 2007, at 6:42 PM, Fred Chandler wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Re""Many words that are common usage derive from > parts of the > > > original, > > > like "cellist" for "violincellist." The suffix > "cello" is a > > > significator > > > meaning large, so, cellist really has no > meaning. > > > > > > "Gambist" is certainly the most recognizable > title for a person who > > > plays the viola da gamba. I don't have any > problem with "violist da > > > gamba" except for its awkwardness--but over the > years have moved > > > towards > > > using "gambist" (just as have moved towards > using "gamba" for the > > > instrument), especially for an audience > unfamiliar with the instrument > > > that is likely to confuse it with a viola. > > > > > > Virginia Kaycoff "" > > > > > > Hi Virginia, > > > > > > Surely violoncello means little violone. I have > always believed that > > > Botticelli the artist's name meant little > barrel. But I agree with you > > > on using the word gambist. > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > Fred Chandler. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Viols mailing list > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > http://lists.sandwich.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/viols > > > > > > @ Alice Brin Renken, Executive > Secretary > > | | Viola da Gamba Society of > America > > | | [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > | | > > ( ) > > > < > > <( )> > > _\ /_ > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Viols mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > http://lists.sandwich.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/viols > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.11/723 - > Release Date: 3/15/2007 > 11:27 AM > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > ___________________________________________________________ New Yahoo! Mail is the ultimate force in competitive emailing. Find out more at the Yahoo! Mail Championships. Plus: play games and win prizes. http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/evt=44106/*http://mail.yahoo.net/uk
