retta

retta¹ attention (dare retta)

Pronunciation

• /ˈrɛt.ta/^[1]

Forms

retta f (only in the phrase dare retta)^[2][3] Lucchese has dare aretta, and other Tuscan dialects arétta.^[4][5]

Etymology

The word for attention is inherited from Latin arrēctam, the feminine of the past participle of Latin arrigō (“to raise, prick up”), with the loss of its first syllable.^[4][6][7] Latin used arrigō with Latin auris (“ear”) for pricking up the ears, and the Italian phrase goes back to one meaning “with ear pricked”.^[4][3][8] GRADIT and Treccani give this origin with a “perhaps”.^[2][9] Latin arrigō is formed from Latin ad- and Latin regō (“to direct, guide”).^[6][1][10]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record of dar retta “to listen, pay attention” is in L. Lippi, before 1665; the GDLI quotes it from his Malmantile.^[4][11]

Semantic evolution

The notes to the Malmantile (1688) record that the old writers used dar retta in another sense, in war, for withstanding an attack, as Latin said impetum sustinere.^[4] Giovanni Villani's fare retta in that sense is a separate noun, from reggere.^[11][12]

In modern Italian the phrase means listening to someone, taking notice of what they say, believing them, or following their advice, and figuratively giving in to an impulse.^[3][7][8] Dammi retta asks the listener to take advice, and a dar retta a lui means “if we believe him”.^[3][8]

Timeline

• Before 1665 – L. Lippi has dar retta.^[4]
• 1688 – The notes to the Malmantile discuss the older military sense.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. Only in the phrase dare retta: to listen or pay attention to someone or something: Gli parlavo da mezz'ora, ma non mi dava retta.^[2][3][7]
2. In dare retta: to believe someone or trust what is said: Non dare retta alle voci che girano in ufficio.^[3][7][8]
3. In dare retta: to follow someone's advice: dammi retta, take my advice.^[3][7][13]

retta² fee for board and lodging

Etymology tree of retta²

inherited borrowed derived

Latin regō

Italian reggere

French régir

Latin rēctus

Italian ritto

Italian retta

From the same root · retta²

Italian correggere ← regō

Latin corrigō ← regō

Latin dīrigō ← regō

Latin ērigō ← regō

Latin expergīscor ← regō

Latin pergō ← regō

Latin porrigō ← regō

Latin rēctor ← regō

Latin regēns ← regō

Latin regentia ← regō

Latin regimen ← regō

Latin regimentum ← regō

Latin regiō ← regō

Latin rēgula ← regō

Latin subrigō ← regō

Latin surgō ← regō

Latin rectangulus ← rēctus

Latin rēctē ← rēctus

Latin rēctitūdō ← rēctus

Latin rēctum ← rēctus

Pronunciation

• /ˈrɛt.ta/^[1]

Forms

retta f (plural rette)^[1]

Etymology

The word for the fee is borrowed from Latin rēcta (“regular, agreed”), understood with Latin summa (“sum”): “the regular sum”.^[4][6][3] Sabatini–Coletti, Gabrielli and Treccani see in it the feminine of retto used as a noun, from a phrase meaning “fair sum”, and Wiktionary also offers that origin as a possibility.^{[7][14][13][1]} Tommaseo explained it from reggere, because the fee “sustains” life, and Treccani mentions this view as less likely.^[4][13] DEI took it from the plural of Latin rēctum (“what is due by right”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is in Fanfani's Tuscan vocabulary of 1863, for the fee paid by a boarder in a college;^[4] Rezasco in 1881 called it a fine word then common in Tuscany and other provinces.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The word belonged to Tuscan and central Italian use.^[5][4] Tommaseo recorded mezza retta, the half fee granted to some pupils as a favour, and stare or tenere a retta, to board or to take in boarders.^[11][14] Today the fee is paid in colleges, boarding schools, hostels, clinics and old people's homes, usually every month.^[3][7][11]

Timeline

• 1863 – Fanfani's Tuscan vocabulary records the word.^[4][6]
• 1881 – Rezasco notes its wide use in Tuscany and other provinces.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A fixed fee, usually monthly, paid for board and lodging in a college, boarding school, home or similar institution: La retta del collegio è aumentata quest'anno.^{[3][7][14][13]}

retta³ straight line

Pronunciation

• /ˈrɛt.ta/^[1]

Forms

retta f (plural rette)^[1]

Etymology

The word for the straight line is from Italian retto (“straight”), its feminine used as a noun, an ellipsis of linea retta.^[6][4][1] It renders Latin rēcta (“straight (line)”), the feminine of Latin rēctus used with līnea understood, already in classical Latin.^[11][2][12] The adjective is a learned word from rēctus, the past participle of regō (“to direct, guide in a straight line”).^[6][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI dates the geometric noun to Galileo, before 1642.^[4] Dante already has la retta lingua (1293–1294) and una linea retta (1304–1308) with the adjective.^[4] Nocentini and GRADIT date the noun to 1872.^[6][2]

Semantic evolution

The noun is a basic notion of geometry: the shortest line between two points, prolonged without end in both directions.^[2][11] In Euclidean geometry it is defined only implicitly through the postulates.^[2][11][12] By extension it is a line that represents a statistical or economic trend on a graph.^[2] Many technical phrases name kinds of straight line, such as retta numerica (number line) and fascio di rette (pencil of lines).^[2]

Timeline

• 1293–1294 – Dante writes la retta lingua.^[4]
• 1304–1308 – Dante writes una linea retta.^[4]
• Before 1642 – Galileo uses retta as a noun in geometry.^[4]
• 1872 – The date Nocentini and GRADIT give for the noun.^[6][2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (geometry) A straight line: the shortest line joining two points, extended without end in both directions; a primitive notion of Euclidean geometry.^[2][9][11]
2. By extension, a straight line on a graph that represents a statistical or economic trend.^[2]

Word family

• semiretta