voi Italian · revision 37518

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1250|origins=ine-pro *yúHs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvo.i/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''voi'''^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms are ''vui'' (13th century, Jacopone, Dante, Manzoni still uses it, after Old Sicilian), ''vu'' and ''vàie''.^(DEI|4080)^(GDLI|21, 974) Popular Tuscan elides it to ''vo’''.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|vōs|t=you (plural)]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI)^(Wiktionary) The word is panromance: [[fr|vous]], [[oc|vos]], [[ca|vos]], [[es|vos]], [[pt|vos]], [[sc|vois]], [[rm|vus]] and [[ro|voi]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Nocentini explains the stressed form ⟨voi⟩ as an analogy with [[lui]] and [[lei]], Devoto as the usual replacement of a final ⟨-s⟩ by ⟨-i⟩, as in [[noi]] and [[poi]];^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Sabatini–Coletti calls the ⟨-i⟩ of uncertain origin.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The unstressed Old Italian form ⟨vo⟩ was replaced by [[vi]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The Latin pronoun goes back to [[itc-pro|*wōs]], originally an accusative that replaced the old nominative [[ine-pro|*yúHs]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Sanskrit and Avestan kept separate forms for the two cases, while [[cu|вы|tr=vy]] shares the Latin innovation.^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini and GRADIT date the word to about 1250.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's first record of the plural is in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century, and of the polite singular in Dante, 1300–1313.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Latin ''vōs'' was used for a single person as a plural of majesty from the emperor Gordian III (before 244), and the use spread steadily.^(DELI 1999) Dante addresses Brunetto Latini with it: “Siete voi qui, ser Brunetto?” (''Inferno'' 15).^(Zingarelli 2010) As a noun, ''il voi'', it is in Dante, and ''dare del voi'' (to address someone with ''voi'') is in Giovanni Della Casa, 1551–1554.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In Old Italian ''voi'' could be an indirect object without a preposition, as in Dante's “Che basti a render voi grazia per grazia” (that would suffice to give you thanks for thanks).^(Treccani 2011) It is still used for one person in central and southern Italy, and in commercial letters addressed to a firm.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 244 – Latin ''vōs'' as a plural of majesty under Gordian III.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1250 – First record of ''voi''.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * End of the 13th century – The plural in the ''Novellino''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses ''voi'' for one person, as a mark of respect.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – ''Voialtri'' in Dante.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1551–1554 – ''Dare del voi'' in Giovanni Della Casa.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # [[m|en|you]] (plural), as a subject, expressed for emphasis or contrast: ''voi restate, noi andiamo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # As an object and after a preposition: ''verremo da voi'', ''lo dico per voi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(regional, formal, often written Voi)'' You, addressing one person with respect or distance, especially in southern Italy and in business letters.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # With a generic sense, people in general: ''se voi guardate i dati…''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''il voi'': the pronoun ''voi'' as a form of address, in ''dare del voi''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[voialtri]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vi]]

+ * [[vostro]]

+ * [[noi]]

+ * [[tu]]

+ * [[lei]]

+ * [[vossignoria]]

+ * [[la|vōs]]

+ * [[fr|vous]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ As a subject ''voi'' is usually left out, since the verb shows the person; it is expressed for contrast, emphasis, or with ''stessi'', ''anche'', ''nemmeno''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) ''Beati voi!'' (lucky you!) and ''poveri voi!'' are common exclamations.^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The unstressed form is ''vi'', or ''ve'' before ''lo'', ''la'' and ''ne''.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}