# Pronunciation of "bass" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608 "2003-12-29T18:48:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/1 "2003-12-29T18:48:28Z")
How did we come to have a pronunciation of “base” for “bass” (as in the low range in music)? I believe the etymology would have been from the Italian “basso” for “low” but that is pronounced with a short a (like the fish). ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/2 "2003-12-29T20:37:32Z")
[Merriam-Webster](http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=bass)’s first two definitions, covering the fish and the musical usage, don’t attribute Italian: > [@](#): > > Main Entry: **[sup]1[/sup]bass** > Pronunciation: 'bas > Function: _noun_ > Inflected Form(s): _plural_ **bass** _or_ **bass·es** > Etymology: Middle English _base, bærs_, from Old English _bærs_; akin to Old High German _bersich_ perch > Date: before 12th century > : any of numerous edible spiny-finned marine or freshwater fishes (especially families Centrarchidae, Serranidae, and Percichthyidae) > > Main Entry: **[sup]2[/sup]bass** > Pronunciation: 'bAs > Function: _adjective_ > Etymology: Middle English _bas_ base > Date: 15th century > **1** : deep or grave in tone > **2 a** : of low pitch **b** : relating to or having the range or part of a bass ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/3 "2003-12-29T21:11:11Z")
Thanks, \*_Ringo_–I never imagined that the etymology could be other than from Latin/Italian. Maybe the extra S was added later as a back-formation to match the Italian. Otherwise would seem like a huge coincidence since it seems unlikely (to me anyway) that the Italian etymology would have derived from Middle English. ---
**Author:** ![Apollon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@Apollon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/4 "2003-12-29T22:16:54Z")
no, CoocingWithGas, you were correct. the word does come from latin. this is probably how it worked: greek “basis” (meaning "fundament) -\> latin “basis” -\> french “bas” -\> norman invasion -\> middle english “bas” -\> modern english “base”. however, regardless of what merriam-webster says, the word “bass” as a musical term must have come from the italian “basso”, since this is the word used in all european languages to denote a low pitched voice (like “soprano”, “alto” and “tenor” for the other classes of pitch). “[symbol]mpasso[/symbol]” in greek. “bajo” in spanish. “baß”/“bass” in german. &c… termini technici usually don’t evolve separately in each country. they tend to be uniform, not only in sciences, but also in arts, for rather obvious reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Apollon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@Apollon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/5 "2003-12-29T22:25:28Z")
hit the submit button too early… practically every (western) standard musical term is italian. “bass” is just one of them, only with out the final “o”, just like “tenor” instead of “tenoro”. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/6 "2003-12-30T00:41:24Z")
I like your explanation, **Apollon** , but I don’t seem to be able to have it both ways. If the musical term really comes from Italian, [insert original question here]. ---
**Author:** ![Apollon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47774/32.png) [@Apollon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollon)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/7 "2003-12-30T02:53:31Z")
why are you saying “toom” instead of “tomb”? why aren’t americans pronouncing the “h” in “herbs”? why is “ghoti” even thinkable? 😃 the english language seems like a royal mess for us non-native speakers. i bet there is no logical explanation besides sleaziness. 🙂 but perhaps someone else will enlighten us soon… someone more convincing than merriam-webster, that is. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-of-bass/221608/8 "2003-12-30T07:03:26Z")
**Someone** will say it, sooner or later, so here goes (hey, might as well be me!): Next time you go to a concert, remember: “All your basses are belong to us!” 😃 [ducks & runs]