[Dixielandjazz] More than one Euphonium

[Dick Sleeman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jerry Gordon" <jerrygordon at juno.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 7:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] More than one Euphonium

Jerry Gordon wrote:
> I believe "euphonium" is of Greek derivation, and not Latin, hence I
> suspect  that "Euphonia" is (are?) wrong. But what do I know? I'm just
> another washboard player, and an amateur (one who plays for the enjoyment
> and not the money) at that.

It seems that this is a discussion without end, certainly on the Trombone List, of which I am also a member. I see it as follows: Yes it is a Greek derivation, from "euphos", which means something like pleasant (euphoria), and "phonein", which means something like sound.

But it has become an English word, (you all know what the English word "euphony" means) and hence the plural should be "euphoniums". 

BTW this is exactly the same in my mother tongue, Dutch!

Groeten,

Dick Sleeman, Lelystad, Holland.

<d.sleeman at hccnet.nl>