gorgoglio

gorgoglio¹ gurgle

Etymology tree of gorgoglio¹

inherited borrowed derived

Italian gorgogliare

Italian gorgoglio

Pronunciation

• /ɡorˈɡoʎ.ʎo/^[1]

Forms

gorgoglio m (plural gorgogli)^[1]

Etymology

The word for a gurgle is from Italian gorgogliare (“to gurgle”), a deverbal noun.^{[2][3][4][1][5]} The verb is from Vulgar Latin *gurguliāre, formed from Latin gurguliō (“gullet, throat”).^[2][6][3] Nocentini derives the Latin noun from gurges (“whirlpool”), and the OLD compares that word.^[6][7] Wiktionary traces the Latin noun to Proto-Indo-European *gʷerh₃- (“to swallow”).^[1]

The Latin noun survives in Old Occitan gorgolh (“throat”).^[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI dates the word to 1547, in C. Tolomei, who lists the kinds of water a fountain can show and imagines that art may add alcune di gorgogli (“some of gurgles”) to its sprays and bubblings.^[2][10]

Semantic evolution

The noun named single gurgles, often in the plural: Targioni Tozzetti saw molti gorgogli come d'acqua bollente (“many gurgles as of boiling water”).^[10][11] An old Bible translation quoted by Tommaseo uses gorgogli for the waves of the sea, rendering Latin gurges.^[11] Pascoli writes of un molle gorgoglio di polla (“a soft gurgle of a spring”).^[10]

The modern dictionaries add the rumbling of the bowels.^[3][12][4] Devoto–Oli contrasts this short gurgle with the longer gorgoglìo.^[13]

Timeline

• 1547 – C. Tolomei uses gorgoglio.^[2][3]
• 1600 – The adjective gorgoglioso is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A gurgle, the noise of a liquid flowing out of a narrow opening or bubbling: Dal lavandino intasato veniva un gorgoglio sordo.^{[3][4][14][1]}
2. A rumbling of the bowels.^[3][12][4]

Word family

• gorgoglioso

gorgoglio² continuous gurgling

Etymology tree of gorgoglio²

inherited borrowed derived

Italian gorgogliare

Italian gorgoglio

Pronunciation

• /ɡor.ɡoʎˈʎi.o/^[1]

Forms

gorgoglio m (plural gorgoglii)^[1]

Etymology

The word for continuous gurgling is from Italian gorgogliare + -io, with the suffix of continued action, and is stressed on the ⟨ì⟩.^{[3][4][1][13]}

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI and GRADIT date it to 1717, in A. M. Salvini, with the sense of a continued gurgling.^[2][3] GDLI quotes Salvini on il gorgoglìo d'un fonte, the murmur of a spring that pleases a countryman without disturbing him.^[10]

Semantic evolution

In the 19th century the word served for the steady sound of water: Manzoni has il gorgoglìo più lontano dell'acqua rotta tra le pile del ponte (“the more distant gurgling of the water broken among the piers of the bridge”), and Leopardi a stream that foams con alto gorgoglìo (“with a loud gurgling”).^[10] Tommaseo calls it a frequentative of gorgóglio and records gorgoglìo di corpo for the rumbling of the bowels.^[11] The modern dictionaries define it as an intense and insistent gurgling.^[13][12][4]

Timeline

• 1717 – A. M. Salvini uses gorgoglìo.^[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A continuous, insistent gurgling, as of water flowing or boiling; a rumble: Per tutta la notte si sentì il gorgoglìo del torrente in piena.^{[3][13][12][4]}