I don't know about Italian but there is one Spanish late 16th source in
which the word 'clabacon' is used to mean 'tuning pegs' of a harp. I
suppose 'clabacon' comes from the root word 'clave' meaning 'key' (i.e.
same meaning as the Italian 'chiave') or, indeed, 'clavo' = 'nail'
whichever is more appropriate.
There is also one more Spanish source (from 1619) in which the same word
(this time with a slightly different spelling, as 'clavazon') appears in
the description of a vihuela. Its meaning, however, is not exactly clear
from the context, partly obscured by the fact that the word 'clabixas' =
'pegs' is also used in the description.
Do you know the exact quote where the word chiave appears?
Alexander
G. D. Rossi wrote:
Dear Collective Wisdom,
Was the word chiave used to mean tuning peg in 18th-century Italian sources?
Were there other meanings/uses?
Grazie mille -
GDR
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