sapere Italian · revision 37443

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=960, Placito capuano|origins=itc-pro *sapjō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /saˈpe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sapere''' (first-person singular present (with syntactic gemination after the verb) sò, first-person singular past historic sèppi, past participle sapùto, first-person singular future saprò, first-person singular subjunctive sàppia, second-person singular imperative sàppi, auxiliary avére or (as an auxiliary, with main verbs taking essere) èssere)^(Wiktionary)

+ The old and dialect form is [[roa-oit|savere]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Prati 1951|872) Old and southern present forms include ''saccio'', ''sappo'' and ''sao'' “I know” and ''sacciono'' “they know”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*sapiō|alt=*sapēre]], the spoken Latin form, with a second-conjugation infinitive, of classical [[la|sapiō|alt=sapere|t=to taste, have a flavour; to be wise]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(Prati 1951|872) In Late and spoken Latin the verb became transitive with the meaning “know” and displaced [[m|la|sciō|t=to know]], which survives only in Romanian and Sardinian.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) Old Italian also had [[m|roa-oit|savere]], with v.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(GDLI)

+

+ The same verb is [[fr|savoir]], [[oc|saber]], [[ca|saber]], [[es|saber]] and [[pt|saber]], and [[dlm|sapar]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ Latin “sapiō” continues [[itc-pro|*sapjō]], usually traced to [[ine-pro|*seh₁p-|t=to notice]], though the laryngeal is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) It has few but secure cognates: [[osc|sipus|t=knowing]], [[osx|ansebbian|t=to notice]] and [[non|sefi|t=mind, thought]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Devoto 1968|386)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb is in the oldest Italian text, the ''Placito capuano'' of 960, a sworn statement in a dispute over land: ''Sao ko kelle terre, per kelle fini que ki contene, trenta anni le possette parte sancti Benedicti'', “I know that those lands, within the bounds described here, were held for thirty years by the party of Saint Benedict”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|17, 545)^(GRADIT 2003) The sense is “know a particular fact”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The intransitive senses kept the Latin meaning of taste: “have a flavour” is recorded before 1292 in Bono Giamboni, and “give a certain impression” before 1342 in Domenico Cavalca.^(DELI 1999) The sense “possess knowledge learned by study” appears in the 14th-century Italian Seneca.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The infinitive became a noun, ''il sapere'' “knowledge”, first in Guittone d'Arezzo before 1294.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In the poetry of courtly love ''savere'' named the qualities of mind of those who lived by love's laws, as in Dante's question ''or che è più bello in donna che savere?'' (“what is more beautiful in a lady than wisdom?”).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Modern pedagogy uses the plural ''i saperi'' for the fields of knowledge.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ The participle ''saputo'' “known” is recorded in the late 12th century; by 1538 it also meant “know-it-all”, and the diminutive ''saputello'' followed in 1664.^(DELI 1999) ''All'insaputa di'' “without the knowledge of” (1812) was modelled on French ''à l'insu de''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 960 – ''Sao'' “I know” in the ''Placito capuano''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Late 12th century – ''Saputo'' “known” in the ''Ritmo di Sant'Alessio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''sapere'' for “have a flavour”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses the noun ''sapere'' “knowledge”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses ''sapere'' for “give an impression”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1538 – ''Saputo'' is recorded for “know-it-all”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1664 – Paolo Segneri uses ''saputello''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1812 – ''Insaputa'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|know]] a fact, be informed of something; to learn of it, hear about it: ''Hai saputo che Luca si è sposato?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To know something learned by study, practice or memory: ''sapere il tedesco'', ''sapere una poesia a memoria''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # With an infinitive, to know how to, be [[m|en|able]] to: ''Sai nuotare?''^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive, with di)'' To [[m|en|taste]] or smell of: ''Quest'acqua sa di cloro.''^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive, with di)'' To give the impression of, smack of: ''un discorso che sa di scusa''.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(impersonal)'' ''mi sa che'', I have a feeling that: ''Mi sa che domani piove.''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|knowledge]], learning: the body of knowledge someone has, or that humanity has gathered: ''il sapere scientifico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(plural)'' In pedagogy, the fields of knowledge: ''i nuovi saperi''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' In medieval courtly poetry, the qualities of mind and conduct of a noble soul.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[saputo]]

+ * [[saputello]]

+ * [[saputa]]

+ * [[insaputa]]

+ * [[risapere]]

+ * [[risaputo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sapido]]

+ * [[sapienza]]

+ * [[sapore]]

+ * [[sapiente]]

+ * [[saggio]]

+ * [[saccente]]

+ * [[consapevole]]

+ * [[la|sapiō]]

+ * [[fr|savoir]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The present forms ''so'' and ''sa'' are written without an accent.^(Zingarelli 2010) Many fixed phrases are built on the verb, such as ''non sapere che pesci pigliare'' “not know which way to turn” and ''saperla lunga'' “know a thing or two”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}