schiamazzo

Forms

schiamazzo m (plural schiamazzi)^[1] Tuscan has stiamazzo.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is usually taken as from Italian schiamazzare, a noun made from the verb.^[4][5][6][1] The verb is formed on Latin exclāmō (“to cry out”).^[7][8]

GRADIT calls the origin uncertain and allows that the noun may instead continue the nominative exclāmātiō (“a shout”).^[9] This is Alessio's view, reported by DELI, in which the noun is the base and the verb is formed on it.^[7] Wiktionary compares Old French esclamasse, and notes that the accusative of the Latin noun gave the learned esclamazione.^[1] Tommaseo compares the ending with that of acquazzone and codazzo.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The LEI's first record is in Monte Andrea, in the second half of the 13th century, in the sense of a harsh, polemical dispute or malicious gossip.^[2] DELI dates the noun from the same poet, with the sense “the act of shouting”.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The Florentine translation of Seneca's letters, in the second quarter of the 14th century, uses it for a noisy uproar: io non pregio questo schiamazzo e romore, “I care nothing for this din and noise”.^[3][2] In 1483 Pulci uses it for a way of luring thrushes: caged thrushes were frightened with an owl so that their cries drew the passing flocks.^[2][9][6] In the 16th century the word could also mean extravagant praise (Berni, 1532) and tragic lamentations (Castelvetro).^[2]

The sense “cackling of fowl” is recorded from about 1786, in Gasparo Gozzi.^[2] A Tuscan proverb says chi vuol l'uovo deve soffrire lo schiamazzo della gallina, “whoever wants the egg must put up with the hen's cackling”.^[3] In modern use the plural schiamazzi notturni names noise that disturbs the peace at night.^{[9][10][4][6]}

Timeline

• Second half of the 13th century – Monte Andrea uses schiamazzo.^[2][7]
• Second quarter of the 14th century – the Florentine translation of Seneca's letters uses it for an uproar.^[2]
• 1483 – Pulci uses it for a method of luring thrushes.^[2][6]
• 1532 – Berni uses it for extravagant praise.^[2]
• About 1786 – Gasparo Gozzi uses it for the cackling of fowl.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. The cackling or squawking of hens and other fowl, especially when frightened: lo schiamazzo delle oche nel cortile.^{[9][10][4][6]}
2. Loud, unruly shouting of people; din, racket: schiamazzi notturni, noise at night that disturbs the peace.^{[9][10][4][6][1]}
3. fare schiamazzo: to make a fuss, to shout and agitate to get one's way.^[9][5][11]
4. (historical, hunting) An old way of luring thrushes, by frightening caged thrushes with an owl so that their cries drew the flock.^[9][2]

Related words

• schiamazzare
• schiamazzatore
• esclamazione
• Latin exclāmātiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it, p. 21, 1299
3. ^ a b c d Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
4. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
5. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
6. ^ a b c d e f Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
7. ^ a b c d Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
8. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b c d e f g De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
10. ^ a b c Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
11. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli