basson, comparative of bathys “deep.” So bass in the musical sense has its origins in base, and the current spelling is influenced by the Italian basso. In other words, the spelling changed out from under the pronunciation.
Why is bass guitar not base?
While these words often sound similar, they are very different! Remember: Bass is a noun that refers to a kind of fish or a musical sound. Base has many meanings as a noun (e.g. the lowest or main part of something), as well as a few uses as a verb and an adjective.
Is bass pronounced base or base?
Bass, when pronounced as base, means the lowest pitch, an adult male who sings in the lowest pitch, any number of instruments that play the lowest pitch. Bass may be used as a noun or an adjective, it comes from the Late Latin word bassus meaning short, low, and was probably influenced by the Italian word basso.
Is bass and bass spelled the same?
Bass and bass are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words bass and bass, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences.
How do you spell bass as in sound?
Bass (A Fish or a Low Sound)
Pronounced to rhyme with “gas,” for instance, it refers to a type of fish: He fished for largemouth bass in the river. But if you pronounce it to rhyme with “face,” it refers to low musical sounds: The bass in this song is very loud!
Why do bass players get no respect?
Bass players are generally criminally underappreciated as they have the crucial role of providing rhythm to a band’s performance. Bass players are overlooked because the bass is a support instrument compared to the guitar, drums, or vocals. The lead instruments are generally heard more than the bass.
Why is bass read as base?
So bass in the musical sense has its origins in base, and the current spelling is influenced by the Italian basso. In other words, the spelling changed out from under the pronunciation. Note that when not used to describe pitch, (eg social standing, humor, instincts, etc) I usually see the word spelled “base”. – T.E.D.
How do the British pronounce base?
Below is the UK transcription for ‘base’: Modern IPA: bɛ́js. Traditional IPA: beɪs. 1 syllable: “BAYS”
Which came first bass or bass?
They developed independently, one (the fish) from Germanic and one (the deep sound) from Latin. Their similar spellings in modern English are merely coincidental. The fishy “bass” (rhymes with “grass”) arrived much earlier than the musical “bass” (rhymes with “grace”), so we’ll discuss the fish first.
How do you say bass in American English?
The words are pronounced: BASS /bæs/ and rhymes with gas, lass, mass, pass. BASS /beɪs/ and rhymes with base, case, face, lace, pace, race, vase. BASE /beɪs/ and rhymes with bass, case, face, lace, pace, race, vase.
How do you spell base the instrument?
The main definition of bass as an adjective refers to the lowest pitch. It can also as a noun that means a type of instrument or a type of fish. My father has a bass voice, because his voice is so deep.
What is bass and base in music?
Base is commonly a misspelled word for “bass” in music. Bass refers to the lower frequencies or range of notes in music. The word “Base” could technically be used to describe things such as a person’s skills in music, e.g. a “musical base”, but it’s not used that often.
What is the two different meaning of bass?
The word bass has two main meanings with separate pronunciations — bass with a high vowel sound (like base) ironically refers to very low sounds — bass instruments and singers are in the lowest part of the musical range, like the low rumble of a bass guitar. If you say bass with a low vowel sound, it’s a type of fish.
What does bass mean in slang?
bass is being used metaphorically to refer to the buttocks. I think the juxtaposition of bass and treble refers to the clefs in musical notation: the bass cleff is on the bottom, the treble cleff is on the top, and bottom is another euphemism for the butt, while top is often used to refer to a woman’s breasts.
Is bass fun to play alone?
Most bassists find playing Bass alone a fun experience. Playing alone gives you the opportunity to experiment, jam, and evolve on the Bass guitar in ways that would be unfitting in a band setting. A common misconception is that due to the supportive role of the bass in a band it is a boring solo instrument.
Why is bass so easy?
Bass is easier than guitar in the early stages of learning music. You can play or cover famous songs quicker with a bass guitar. Most bass parts are monophonic, so you don’t have to learn chords.
Why is guitar more popular than bass?
Guitars are more popular merely because they’re a more generalized instrument. Besides that, they can be played as a solo instrument, by itself. Campfire songs are played with a guitar; unfortunately, a bass sounds better with an accompanying instrument most of the time.
How do British people say vase?
If you’re like most Canadians or some Americans, you’ll say vāz. But if you’re British or like some Canadians or even a few Americans, you’ll say väz. Vās, vāz, väz.
Where does the word bass come from?
From Middle English bace, bas, alteration of bars, from Old English bærs (“a fish, perch”), from Proto-West Germanic *bars, from Proto-Germanic *barsaz (“perch”, literally “prickly”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰórsos (“prickle, thorn, scale”). Cognate with Dutch baars (“perch, bass”), German Barsch (“perch”).
What is the homonyms of bass?
Answer and Explanation: Bass can actually be both a homonym and homograph. As a homograph, you can have a ‘bass voice’ or a ‘bass’ which is a kind of fish. These words are spelled alike but have different pronunciations and meanings, making them homographs.
What is base in English grammar?
In English grammar, a base is the form of a word to which prefixes and suffixes can be added to create new words. For example, instruct is the base for forming instruction, instructor, and reinstruct. Also called a root or stem. Put another way, base forms are words that are not derived from or made up of other words.