C2 · 52 words
Organ building in Italian
An instrument that is built into a building.
Practise this list
From these 52 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The eighth entry is il mantice, the bellows that gather the wind before it reaches the chest, and in Italian that object has turned into a shape. Anything that folds in pleats and opens out again is a mantice. Una porta a mantice is a folding door; un autobus a mantice is the long bus with the rubber joint in the middle; un obiettivo a mantice is the old plate camera that draws out on cloth. One instrument does all the naming, and a reader who has learned the organ word can read the rest off it. English keeps « bellows » only where the thing really is one — a camera has bellows, a forge has bellows — and for the door and the bus it borrows a different instrument altogether. The door is « a concertina door », the bus « concertinas » in the middle, and the timetable calls it « articulated ». So the image survives the crossing and the instrument is swapped on the way: « a bellows door » would be understood by nobody, and the organ part that everything is named after has no English descendants at all.
The words
View
Verb (1)
accordare l’organoto tune the organVerbC2
Bisogna accordare l’organo prima del concerto.The organ has to be tuned before the concert.
Adjective (1)
Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands
mesotonicomeantoneAdjectiveC2
Questo organo antico è ancora mesotonico.This old organ is still tuned in meantone.
Noun (f) (29)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
la fila di cannethe rank of pipesNoun (f)C2
Ogni fila di canne ha un proprio nome.Every rank of pipes has a name of its own.
la canna labialethe flue pipeNoun (f)C2
La canna labiale suona come un flauto.A flue pipe sounds like a flute.
la canna ad anciathe reed pipeNoun (f)C2
La canna ad ancia ha una linguetta di metallo.A reed pipe has a small metal tongue.
l’intonazione delle cannethe voicing of the pipesNoun (f)C2
L’intonazione delle canne dura settimane.Voicing the pipes takes weeks.
la pressione del ventothe wind pressureNoun (f)C2
La pressione del vento resta uguale in tutto lo strumento.The wind pressure stays the same throughout the instrument.
la trasmissione meccanicathe mechanical actionNoun (f)C2
La trasmissione meccanica collega il tasto alla valvola.The mechanical action links the key to the pallet.
la tastiera manualethe manualNoun (f)C2
Questo organo ha tre tastiere manuali.This organ has three manuals.
la pedalierathe pedalboardNoun (f)C2
La pedaliera si suona con i piedi.The pedalboard is played with the feet.
l’unione dei manualithe manual couplerNoun (f)C2
L’unione dei manuali fa suonare due tastiere insieme.The manual coupler makes two keyboards sound together.
la cassa espressivathe swell boxNoun (f)C2
La cassa espressiva si apre e si chiude con un pedale.The swell box opens and shuts by a pedal.
la misturathe mixture stopNoun (f)C2
Una mistura fa suonare più canne per ogni tasto.A mixture stop sounds several pipes for each key.
la visita di accordaturathe tuning visitNoun (f)C2
La visita di accordatura si ripete due volte all’anno.The tuning visit comes round twice a year.
la canna che continua a suonarethe cipher (a pipe that will not stop sounding)Noun (f)C2
Una canna che continua a suonare rovina il concerto.A cipher ruins the concert.
la cassa dell’organothe organ caseNoun (f)C2
La cassa dell’organo è di legno massiccio.The organ case is of solid wood.
la canna di facciatathe front pipeNoun (f)C2
Le canne di facciata sono lucidate a mano.The front pipes are polished by hand.
l’acustica dell’ambientethe acoustics of the roomNoun (f)C2
L’acustica dell’ambiente conta quanto lo strumento.The acoustics of the room count for as much as the instrument.
la scelta di restaurothe restoration decisionNoun (f)C2
La scelta di restauro va scritta e motivata.The restoration decision has to be written down and explained.
la documentazione storicathe historical record of the instrumentNoun (f)C2
La documentazione storica precede ogni intervento.The historical record comes before any work is begun.
l’anima della cannathe languid of the pipeNoun (f)C2
L’anima della canna divide il piede dal corpo.The languid divides the foot of the pipe from its body.
la consollethe consoleNoun (f)C2
L’organista siede alla consolle e guarda lo specchio.The organist sits at the console and watches the mirror.
la cassa armonicathe resonating caseNoun (f)C2
La cassa armonica raccoglie il suono e lo manda avanti.The resonating case gathers the sound and sends it forward.
l’altezza del diapasonthe pitch standardNoun (f)C2
L’altezza del diapason varia da strumento a strumento.The pitch standard varies from one instrument to the next.
la stecca del somierethe sliderNoun (f)C2
La stecca del somiere apre il registro scelto.The slider opens the stop that has been chosen.
la canna tappatathe stopped pipeNoun (f)C2
La canna tappata suona un’ottava sotto.A stopped pipe sounds an octave lower.
la gola dell’anciathe shallot of the reedNoun (f)C2
La gola dell’ancia guida l’aria contro la linguetta.The shallot guides the air against the tongue.
la fessura dell’animathe flue (the windway at the languid)Noun (f)C2
La fessura dell’anima decide quanta aria passa.The flue decides how much air gets through.
la dentellaturathe nickingNoun (f)C2
La dentellatura rende il suono più dolce.Nicking makes the sound gentler.
la cantoriathe organ galleryNoun (f)C2
La cantoria si regge su due colonne.The gallery rests on two columns.
la misura in piedithe foot length of a stopNoun (f)C2
La misura in piedi indica l’altezza del suono.The foot length tells you the pitch of the sound.
Noun (m) (21)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
il registro d’organothe organ stopNoun (m)C2
Il registro d’organo si tira con un pomello.An organ stop is drawn by a knob.
il piede della cannathe foot of the pipeNoun (m)C2
Il piede della canna poggia sul somiere.The foot of the pipe rests on the windchest.
il manticethe bellowsNoun (m)C2
Il mantice raccoglie l’aria prima del somiere.The bellows gather the air before it reaches the windchest.
il somierethe windchestNoun (m)C2
Il somiere porta il vento sotto le canne.The windchest carries the wind under the pipes.
il ripieno dell’organothe full principal chorusNoun (m)C2
Il ripieno dell’organo riempie tutta la chiesa.The full principal chorus fills the whole church.
il temperamentothe temperament (tuning system)Noun (m)C2
Il temperamento decide quali tonalità suonano pure.The temperament decides which keys sound pure.
il manicotto di accordaturathe tuning slideNoun (m)C2
Il manicotto di accordatura si sposta con cautela.The tuning slide is moved with care.
il tenore di stagnothe tin contentNoun (m)C2
Il tenore di stagno cambia il colore del suono.The tin content changes the colour of the sound.
il metallo d’organothe organ metalNoun (m)C2
Il metallo d’organo è una lega di stagno e piombo.Organ metal is an alloy of tin and lead.
il riverbero in chiesathe reverberation in a churchNoun (m)C2
Il riverbero in chiesa allunga ogni accordo.The reverberation in a church lengthens every chord.
il riscaldamento della chiesathe church heatingNoun (m)C2
Il riscaldamento della chiesa asciuga il legno.The church heating dries the wood out.
il controllo dell’umiditàthe humidity controlNoun (m)C2
Il controllo dell’umidità protegge il somiere.Humidity control protects the windchest.
l’organarothe organ builderNoun (m)C2
L’organaro sale sulla cantoria con la cassetta.The organ builder climbs up to the gallery with his tool box.
l’organo a cannethe pipe organNoun (m)C2
L’organo a canne respira come chi canta.A pipe organ breathes the way a singer breathes.
il pedale dell’organothe pedal divisionNoun (m)C2
Il pedale dell’organo tiene la nota più bassa.The pedal division holds the lowest note.
il condotto del ventothe wind trunkNoun (m)C2
Il condotto del vento passa dietro la cassa.The wind trunk runs behind the case.
il grand’organothe Great organNoun (m)C2
Il grand’organo è la tastiera principale.The Great is the principal keyboard.
il positivo tergalethe chair organNoun (m)C2
Il positivo tergale sta dietro le spalle dell’organista.The chair organ stands behind the organist’s back.
l’elettroventilatorethe electric blowerNoun (m)C2
L’elettroventilatore ha sostituito chi pompava a mano.The electric blower has replaced the man who pumped by hand.
il tremolothe tremulantNoun (m)C2
Il tremolo fa tremare leggermente il vento.The tremulant makes the wind shake a little.
il pomello dei registrithe stop knobNoun (m)C2
Il pomello dei registri scorre senza rumore.The stop knob slides without a sound.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Art and culture — 26 lists and 929 words that can also be practised as a whole.