This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Italian to English
  3. Music

"viola da gamba" or "viola de gamba"

English translation: Viola da gamba in English

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:"viola da gamba" or "viola de gamba"
English translation:Viola da gamba in English
Entered by: George Rabel

11:50 Jul 4, 2005
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Music / -Instruments
Italian term or phrase: "viola da gamba" or "viola de gamba"
Dear colleagues,
This is related to a KudoZ question posted in the Portuguese-English pair.

http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1080088?login=y

I offered "viola de gamba" and received a disagree by a colleague who says the correct term in Italian is "viola da gamba".
I searched several English dictionaries, and at least one (The Oxford SuperLex), lists both "de" and "da".

In Google, I found 6 pages in Italian with "viola de gamba", vs 12,300 hits for "viola da gamba".

My specific question is:
When writing in English, is it incorrect to call the intrument "viola DE gamba"? I have seen it used many times. I am a great lover or baroque music and have a collection of CDs and albums with music by Bach, Vivaldi, and other baroque composers, and I am quite certain that the term "viola de gamba" is quite extended.

Thank you in advance.

Thanks in advance.
George Rabel
Local time: 08:04
Viola da gamba in English
Explanation:
according to ALL my French dicos. viola de gambe is French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2005-07-04 12:00:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Viola da Gamba Society of America
Web site of the Viola da Gamba Society of America.
vdgsa.org/

The Viola da Gamba Society title page
Information on the society, membership, publications, and performers.
www.vdgs.demon.co.uk/ -

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2005-07-04 12:01:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes, Viola de Gamba is wrong in English I\'d say. Seems to be \'borrowed\' from the French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2005-07-04 12:37:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes, Viola de Gamba is wrong in English I\'d say. Seems to be \'borrowed\' from the French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2005-07-04 12:37:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes, Viola de Gamba is wrong in English I\'d say. Seems to be \'borrowed\' from the French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 51 mins (2005-07-04 13:42:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry for the repeats-when I looked, my addition was only there once and I only clicked once.. weird...
Selected response from:

writeaway
Grading comment
Thank you very much. I will humbly accept the dissagree I received.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8Viola da gamba in English
writeaway


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
Viola da gamba in English


Explanation:
according to ALL my French dicos. viola de gambe is French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2005-07-04 12:00:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Viola da Gamba Society of America
Web site of the Viola da Gamba Society of America.
vdgsa.org/

The Viola da Gamba Society title page
Information on the society, membership, publications, and performers.
www.vdgs.demon.co.uk/ -

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2005-07-04 12:01:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes, Viola de Gamba is wrong in English I\'d say. Seems to be \'borrowed\' from the French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2005-07-04 12:37:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes, Viola de Gamba is wrong in English I\'d say. Seems to be \'borrowed\' from the French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2005-07-04 12:37:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes, Viola de Gamba is wrong in English I\'d say. Seems to be \'borrowed\' from the French.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 51 mins (2005-07-04 13:42:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry for the repeats-when I looked, my addition was only there once and I only clicked once.. weird...

writeaway
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43
Grading comment
Thank you very much. I will humbly accept the dissagree I received.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL: viola da gamba, in Italian.
18 mins
  -> are you related to 'the' Guarnieri family of violin-making fame?
agree  Linda 969
33 mins
agree  T. Czibulyás: viola da gamba ( italian) = chello
49 mins
agree  JenK: viola da gamba or bass viol, in my experience the Italian is used most often
1 hr
neutral  Stefan de Boeck (X): viola da gamba is the only correct contemporary Italian term. It is, I quote from Garzanti (Dizionario) 'come l'odierno violoncello'; that is, 'like today's cello'. It is not the same instrumeny, however; Perhaps Vivaldi thought of it as 'viola de gamba'.
1 hr
agree  Nancy Arrowsmith
1 hr
agree  luskie
3 hrs
agree  Rachel Fell
10 hrs
agree  cologne: According to The New Harvard Dictionary of Music, viol or viola da gamba. Viola DE gamba is Sp., and possibly Port. as well. // This is Laurel Boyd - Jane used this computer last! :-)
1 day 4 hrs
  -> musical chairs? :-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search