> >>> The root word here is "viola". The diminutive > >> ending is "ino", giving "violino", "little viola". > > > > Meaning small viol, of course. > > > >> "ello" is an aggrandizing ending, so "violoncello" is "big viola". > > > > This is a bit backward. "Ello" is a diminutive, and a "violoncello" is > > a "small violone."
This is fun! :-) So violone is a big viola, as chitarrone is a big (ancient Greek) cithara, and as capone is a big boss (when capo is just a normal boss). So violoncello is a little big viola! :) All the best, Arto To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
