How do you pronounce Viola?

[Noodlesnoodlesnoodles]

Is it Vi-ola or Vee-ola? I much prefer the first...

Oh God, what am I thinking of?! Yes, you play the vee-OH-la. The name to me is VY-o-la.

I did Twelfth Night at school and it was VIE-uh-la, and Maria was Mar-EYE-ah. Sophia Gardens are So-FIE-ah Gdns.
The flowers are vie-Oh-las, but dahlias are dale-yas, camellias are cameelyas and fuchsias are fewshas, the instrument vee-Oh-la. Wiola is Vee-Oh-la.

Call her Violet.

How about Jane instead😂

Like the instrument.

I'd pronounce the name and instrument the same. V-eye-ola. Around here the instrument is v-eye-ola similar sounding to violin. 🤷‍♀️. A school friend played it and was in the national youth orchestra. I think she'd know the name.

VIE-ola - I also pronounce the instrument VIE-ola

I’ve played 2 instruments since I was 3 and only very rarely do you hear viola pronounced vye ola by musicians. It’s usually non-musicians.

It’s a beautiful name. I read it as Vye (like eye) ola.

A school friend played it and was in the national youth orchestra. I think she'd know the name.

DH studied Strings at RAM and RCS and played internationally as a professional in orchestras and string quartets and now teaches on BAs in music conservatoires.
I’m sorry but your friend was wrong. It’s Vee-OH-la.

VY-oh-la - with stress on the first syllable - that’s how the Royal Shakespeare company say it, as does the Viola I know -

Lovely name.

How odd. I'm surprised by the number of people who'd pronounce it Vee-ola.
I'd definitely assume Vye-ola, same way I'd say Vye-o-let for Violet and not Vee-o-let.

Viola is also a plant a bit like a small pansy veye- o-la where I is pronounced eye I would also say Violet as veye-o-let

Hmmm... I think this thread may be putting me off the name 😂

Beautiful name

@CaffiSaliMali

When we did Twelfth Night at school we were told the name was pronounced like Vye-la whereas the instrument is Vye-oh-la.

So I would say Vye-la I had to cross it off my list as DH keeps wanting to say 'vye-oh-la'!

“Whoever told you that was wrong”

Not quite. Viola’s name is only spoken aloud a few times in the play but the pronunciation is not consistent as Shakespeare fudges it to make the lines scan.

So, “And died that day when Viola from her birth” needs a pronunciation of VYE-luh to scan, but “That I am Viola: which to confirm” needs three syllables.

Vie-Ah-La is the name for me

Instrument vee o la
Plant Vye o la and the name the same

If I saw the name in the UK or other English speaking country, I'd assume Vye -oh -la. If I knew they were European (or I was in Europe), I'd guess Vee- oh -la (and to be honest I like that pronunciation best, I think it's softer). Either way, it's a lovely elegant choice imo.

I'd assume it was like the instrument, which I would pronounce
Vi (to rhyme with high, lie, or eye)
Oh
La (which comes out a bit more like 'luh' in my head, as the emphasis is equal on the first 2 syllables and then kind of drops off on the 3rd)

- isn't it difficult to describe how things sound

The plant eg viola cornuta is vI -ola

Just read that again: “that I am Viola which to confirm” is two syllables again, isn’t it? And a wrenched accent (‘vye-LUH’).

I’m going to have to go back to the play tomorrow.

Vee-oh-la is apparently correct although i too prefer Vie-oh-la

I would pronounce it Vy-ola if the girl were British but I know two Italian Viollas and they are pronounced Vee-ola.

(I pronounce the instrument Vy-ola and the Shakespeare character too)

Vee-OH-la

dahlias are dale-yas, camellias are cameelyas

Only if you’re Glaswegian, surely? Or maybe American. I can’t think of any other accents that would pronounce them with that ‘y’ sound. I don’t.

Anyway, Viola: the name is like the flower: VY-o-la.
Instrument is vee-OH-la.