corso

corso¹ privateering

Pronunciation

• /ˈkoɾso/, [ˈkoɾ.so]^[1]

Forms

corso m (plural corsos)^[1]

Etymology

The word for privateering is borrowed from Italian corso or the Medieval Latin noun cursus, perhaps by way of Catalan cors, which has the sense in the 13th-century Consulat de Mar.^[2][3] All go back to cursus (“a running, course”), from currō (“to run”).^[2][4][5] Covarrubias in 1611 already called it an Italian term.^[6] The DLE and Wiktionary derive it straight from the Latin noun.^[4][1]

Old Spanish had an older corso (“course, run; course of life”) in Berceo, a semi-learned form of the same Latin word.^[7][8] The popular form is coso, and the learned one curso.^[9][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the sense of privateering, the Partidas (1256–1263) have curso, and Corominas dates the form corso from Covarrubias in 1611: andar en corso, to go robbing at sea.^[2][6] Cervantes uses venían en corso and ir en corso in the Quijote.^[8]

Semantic evolution

Autoridades in 1726 defined it as the act of a pirate or corsair at sea, used mostly with andar and ir.^[10] The Academy's 1843 dictionary describes instead a naval campaign to pursue pirates and enemy ships, and in 1899 a campaign by merchant ships holding a government licence, the patente de corso.^[11][12] In Mexico in 1685 a corso was granted to Basques to clear the islands of pirates.^[13] The phrase a corso named the fastest way of carrying loads on pack animals, changing them so as not to lose time.^[12][4]

In the River Plate and Chile a corso was by 1917 a parade of carriages at festivals, and now a carnival parade with floats and costumed groups.^{[14][15][4][16]} In Argentina it can also mean a merry or chaotic situation.^[16]

Timeline

• 1256–1263 – the Partidas use curso for privateering.^[2]
• 1611 – Covarrubias records andar en corso and calls the word Italian.^[6][3]
• 1685 – a corso against pirates is granted in Mexico.^[13]
• 1726 – Autoridades defines the act of pirating at sea.^[10]
• 1899 – the Academy adds the phrase a corso for fast transport.^[12]
• 1917 – Alemany records the parade of carriages of the River Plate and Chile.^[14]

Meanings

Noun

1. A naval campaign against enemy shipping, carried out under the laws of war; privateering.^[4][1]
2. (nautical, historical) A campaign of merchant ships licensed by their government to pursue pirates or enemy ships: salir a corso.^[4][17]
3. (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay) A carnival parade with floats, costumed groups and people in fancy dress.^[4][16]
4. (Argentina, colloquial) A merry or chaotic situation.^[16]

Word family

• corsario
• corsear

corso² Corsican

Pronunciation

• /ˈkoɾso/, [ˈkoɾ.so]^[1]

Forms

corso (feminine corsa, masculine plural corsos, feminine plural corsas)^[1]

Etymology

The word for Corsican is borrowed from Latin Corsus (“Corsican”), from the name of the island, Corsica.^{[18][19][17][1]} García de Diego calls it a learned word, and lists an older form corcés (“Corsican”).^[20] Wiktionary treats it as inherited.^[1] The same Latin adjective gave Portuguese corso, Italian corso and French corse.^[21][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is recorded in Lima in 1539, of a pilot: el piloto corço presentó una petiçión “the Corsican pilot presented a petition”.^[13]

Semantic evolution

The Academy first defined it as “belonging to Corsica, a native of it” in 1869.^[22] The noun also names the Italian dialect of Corsica.^[17][23] In Puerto Rico corso describes a very bad-tempered person.^[16][24]

Timeline

• 1539 – first record, of a Corsican pilot in Lima.^[13]
• 1869 – the Academy's dictionary first includes it.^[22]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or from Corsica; Corsican.^[19][17][1]
2. (Puerto Rico, colloquial) Of a person: very bad-tempered.^[16][24]

Noun

1. A native or inhabitant of Corsica.^[19][1]
2. The Italian dialect spoken in Corsica.^[17]