LOANWORDS OF ITALIAN MUSIC

History of the English LanguageWendy ChuangJessica Tsao

A cappella

Etymology: (Italian) a cappella

Meaning: 1. without instrumental accompaniment (originally applied to choral music) 2. (chiefly U.S.) regarded as a genre of popular musichttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgCplSnUcdY&feature=related

Opera

Etymology: (Italian) opera

Meaning: a dramatic musical work in which singing forms an essential part, chiefly consisting of recitatives, arias, and choruses, with orchestral accompaniment

Piano

Etymology: French origin; Italian “pianoforte” or “forte-piano”

Meaning: 1. a kind of musical instrument2. U.S. slang (African-American usage) - spare ribs (white rib-bones suggest piano keys)

Tuba

Etymology: (Latin and Italian) tuba

Meaning: 1. the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument2. (Malay) poison that is made out of root3. (Arabic) a mythical tree growing in the Muslim paradise

Soprano

Etymology: (Italian) from sopra, meaning above

Meaning: 1. the highest singing voice in women and boyshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-GPxk8n0aE

2. The Sopranos(1999-2007): Italian-American, Mafia

Tempo

Etymology: (Italian) tempo

Meaning: 1. time (literal translation) the speed of a piece of music (definition)2. rate of activity; pace (non-musical senses)

Bravo

Etymology: (Italian) bravo

Meaning:1. a cry of approval as from an audience at the end of great performance2. desperado, assassin, hired killer

Bravo

bravo ---> male, singular brava ---> female, singular bravi ---> male, plural brave ---> female, plural.

Da Capo (D.C.)

Etymology: (Italian) da capo Meaning:

1. from the head (literal translation)2. the performer to go back to the beginning (capo) (definition)

Da Capo (D.C.)

Da Capo al Fine (D.C. al Fine): repeat from beginning to the end

Da Capo al Coda (D.C. al Coda): repeat from beginning to an indicated place and then play the tail part (the coda).

Andante

Etymology: (Italian) andare (to go)

Meaning: 1. walking (literal translation) 2. informs Moderately slow, flowing along (definition)

http://www.oreshko.co.uk/carulliAndante.htm

Andante

ABBA : Andante, Andante http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zwbARWt8is

Super Junior – Andante http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGt-Kpi5oCA

Forte

Etymology: (Italian) forte

Meaning: 1. strong (literal translation)2. loud (definition)

Mistaking with French forte (both are from Latin fortis)

Reference

http://www.oed.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_cappella http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sopranos http://www.memidex.com/bona-fide http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?

term=tempo http://www.yourdictionary.com/