Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.mandohangout.com/archive/55156
Yooper - Posted - 04/27/2021: 06:51:07
Found this video. Interesting. Did he get it right? There is one piece of information that I question. He says that "mando" comes from a German word for almond. I always thought it was from the Latin word for hand.
youtube.com/watch?v=xZFRIfslSog
Mandodennis - Posted - 04/27/2021: 08:06:41
I haven't watched the whole video. Looks interesting though. Thanks for the link. I'll get to it later.
But the root and derivation of the word seems to be undecided by the linguistic experts, AFAIK.
Both camps have solid basis for their claims I think.
The lute style mandolins are indeed shaped like almonds, to a degree. And "mandoria" is Italian for almond.
It is also sensible to think that it means violin played with the hand or fingers , since "mano" means hand/fingers in Italian. Like "mano e mano" the familiar Latin phrase for hand to hand combat.
A more modern derivation would be in reference to a small instrument played by the diminutive Grogu and the carried around the universe by the Mandolorian.
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't!
So I say we take a vote.
Edited by - Mandodennis on 04/27/2021 08:10:57
Mandodennis - Posted - 04/27/2021: 09:36:37
Obviously, I wasn't the first one to have this thought.
I watched the history video. It is nicely done. But I do disagree with a few of his assertions. like wire strings giving a sweeter sound than gut. But his perspective is quite limited in light of what we here call the mandolin. It seems he believes that mandolin history ended in 1850. I would submit that there has been more development of the instrument since then compared to what transpired in the previous 5-700 years or so. Early music proponents seem to stop their thinking in the late Baroque. Nice video presentation nonetheless.
Edited by - Mandodennis on 04/27/2021 09:50:51
mandoist - Posted - 04/28/2021: 05:50:17
As is the usual experience... YouBoob is not your best option for "history".
In any case, for a true and extensively researched and studied history of mandolin see a fairly recent written history; a book by a competent and dedicated author of instrument histories.
The Mandolin: A History is Graham McDonald’s third book on double-strung instruments, with previous works on building Irish bouzoukis and citterns (The Bouzouki Book), and one on the basics of building four different types of mandolins (The Mandolin Project).
Graham is from Australia and his The Mandolin A History journey is outstanding (also extremely inexpensive!!)
mcdonaldstrings.com
Mandodennis - Posted - 04/28/2021: 07:27:52
Yeah. I have McDonald's book The Mandolin Project. I have used it (loosely) as a guide for forays into building. Good book and worth the price of admission.
That book has a chapter which is supposed to be targeting the construction of the mandolin throughout time but it really does a good job on the origins and development of the instrument in general. And yes he's aware of the 20th century developments. You can download that chapter for free through a link from this page. mcdonaldstrings.com/mandolinproject.html Could be worth a quick read by the curious.
I have a hard time imagining that McDonald's book The Mandolin - A HIstory can expand further on what is in that one chapter. But I guess I'll have to take a look at it and see what he adds on. So thanks for the reminder.
Back to the original question though. in The Mandolin Project McDonald does not get into the etymology of the word mandolin, as best I can remember. He says, as do many others, that it comes from the mandolino, that being a smaller format of the mandola with no indication as to the derivation of that name. While he does state the many names used for similar instruments in France, Germany, etc., he doesn't weigh in on the linguistic roots of the name.
However, it may be more about the almond shape than the violin played by hand.
The Mandolinorian
