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proposta

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Pronunciation

  • /proˈpos.ta/, /proˈpɔs.ta/[1]

Forms

proposta f (plural proposte)[1]

Etymology

It is the feminine of proposto, the past participle of proporre (“to propose”), used as a noun.[2][3][4][5][6] Wiktionary takes it from Latin prōposita, the feminine of prōpositus, past participle of prōpōnō (“to put forward”), a compound of prō- and pōnō (“to place”).[1][7] Devoto notes the regular loss of the short vowel after the stress in the Latin participle.[7] DELI records the word in the Medieval Latin of 13th-century Piacenza.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI dates the noun before 1292, from Bono Giamboni, for a matter put before others for their decision.[2][8] In Giamboni the devils and Furies in council agree that “there must be no more delay on this proposal” (più non si dovesse in su questa proposta indugiare).[9]

Semantic evolution

In the Middle Ages it was above all a motion put to a council: Matteo Villani tells of a proposal brought before the people's council and lost seven times running.[9][10] Dante also used it for an intention or resolve, of one who “for new thoughts changes his purpose” (per novi pensier cangia proposta), and Boccaccio for a theme set for discussion; both senses are now obsolete.[4][8][11] A sonetto di proposta was a sonnet sent to another poet, who answered with a sonetto di risposta.[4][6]

In music the proposta is the leading voice of a canon, recorded in 1774;[12] German borrowed the term as Proposta by 1732.[12] Later senses include a price offered in bargaining, an amorous advance (in the plural), a fencing move that invites the opponent to commit, and the proposta di legge, a bill put before parliament by members, a region or citizens.[5][8][13]

Timeline

  • 13th century – Medieval Latin proposta is recorded at Piacenza.[2]
  • Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses proposta.[2]
  • Before 1321 – Dante uses it for an intention.[8]
  • 1732 – German Proposta is recorded as a music term.[12]
  • 1774 – The music sense is recorded in Italian.[12]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A proposal: the act of proposing, and what is put forward for others to consider or accept: Il sindaco ha respinto la proposta dei commercianti.[4][5][8]
  2. An offer of a price in bargaining: Per la casa ci hanno fatto una proposta bassa.[5][6][11]
  3. In the plural, an amorous or sexual advance: fare delle proposte.[4][5]
  4. A hypothesis or suggestion put forward in a field of research.[4]
  5. (fencing) A move that invites an attack without exposing the target.[4][5][13]
  6. (music) The theme first stated in a canon, imitated by the other voices.[4][12]
  7. (literary) A subject or question set for discussion.[5][6][11]

Word family

  • controproposta
  • riproposta

Usage notes

Proposta di legge is a bill introduced by members of parliament, a regional council or at least 50,000 voters, as distinct from a government bill.[5][8] In contract law the proposta is the offer that starts the making of a contract.[5][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  3. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
  6. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  7. ^ a b Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  9. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
  10. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
  11. ^ a b c Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  12. ^ a b c d e Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it
  13. ^ a b Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli