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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How to pronounce viola - AIBU?

91 replies

Teabagtits · 21/09/2017 11:48

I guess it's a variation on scone vs scone.

My daughter started viola lessons recently and it's caused somewhat of a debate in our house. I was always led to believe it was pronounced veye-ola like violin (veye-olin) but my OH pronounces it Vee-ola and says I'm wrong. I've never heard of the violin pronounced vee-olin so why would viola be pronounced like this?

It makes my blood boil (I know this bit is unreasonable as it's related to my dislike of his fake plums-in-mouth mother and her poshifying words in an attempt to sounds brighter than everyone else)

He also calls breakfast brake-fast instead of brek-fast which is totally unreasonably like nails on a blackboard to me.

It's pronounced V-eye-ola, isn't it? AIBU?

OP posts:
TheMaestro · 21/09/2017 12:12

Vee-ola. It may be different in other countries, but that's how everyone in the business says it over here.

Mrsdraper1 · 21/09/2017 12:12

Potayto, po-tarto
Let's call the whole thing off

VictoriaMcdade · 21/09/2017 12:12

Tweet Radio 3. They'll tell you.

(I think you are right btw)

CardinalSin · 21/09/2017 12:12

Oh yes, as Narnia says, with the stress on the second syllable.

CardinalSin · 21/09/2017 12:13

(By the way, I know Nick from the video!)

Frazzled2207 · 21/09/2017 12:15

Viola player here!
Vee-o-la -i've met millions of violists and this is how they all say it!
Veye-o-lin

However the name Viola (as in Twelfth Night) I would pronounce Veye-O-la

Dixiestampsagain · 21/09/2017 12:16

Vee-o-la.

BroomstickOfLove · 21/09/2017 12:18

Vee for the instrument
Bye for the name.

I love the idea of tweeting R3, though.

BertrandRussell · 21/09/2017 12:19

Veeola
Brek-fst

TheHungryDonkey · 21/09/2017 12:19

Definitely vee. Misplaced rage.

LurkingHusband · 21/09/2017 12:21

If it's taken from the Italian, then "i" is pronounced "ee" (as in knee).

CaptainHammer · 21/09/2017 12:21

Vee for instrument, Veye for name

ChessieFL · 21/09/2017 12:22

What Narnia said (another orchestra person here).

When using it as a name it can be either pronunciation, but the instrument is ALWAYS vee-OH-la

KurriKurri · 21/09/2017 12:23

Veeola - he's right I'm afraid.

brake fast is tittish though.

millifiori · 21/09/2017 12:25

vee oh luh for the instrument but veye uh-luh for the girl's name.

Northend77 · 21/09/2017 12:25

Wow, you learn something every day! I was adamant at the beginning of this thread that it was V eye O La. I have been corrected!!

Seriously though? Break-fast? That would irritate the hell out of me!!

sporadicrains · 21/09/2017 12:25

Instrument = veeola
Pansy-type flower = vye-ola

juneau · 21/09/2017 12:25

Vee-ola for the instrument.
Veye-uh-la for the girl's name (well that's how DH's granny pronounced her name!)

imamouseduh · 21/09/2017 12:30

Vee-ola.

AddictedtoSnickers · 21/09/2017 12:30

I am a languages teacher and your DH is correct.
The plant (and therefore the name) is pronounced the other way.

BertrandRussell · 21/09/2017 12:33

Give us a few examples of her poshifying. I'll run them through my infallible poshometer and tell you whether she's right or not.

CaveMum · 21/09/2017 12:34

Played the Violin as a child here. Definitely Vi-olin and Vee-ola Grin

Serialweightwatcher · 21/09/2017 12:35

I would always say VY -ola but just looked up on google and lady says vee-ola, also American VY-ola ... never ever heard it said vee-ola to be honest but it must be Confused

flowery · 21/09/2017 12:36

I am a vee-ola player. I have never heard any other viola players in the various orchestras/groups I've played in to pronounce it any other way.

Couchpotato3 · 21/09/2017 12:38

Sorry but definitely VEE-oh-la. DH is right.

I too would like to know more about poshifying MIL, since we seem to be pretty unanimous about viola. C'mon OP, dish the dirt.