o Italian · revision 37526

+ {{homograph|1|or}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1249|origins=ine-pro *h₂eu}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /o/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''o''' (conjunction; before a vowel, especially before ''o-'', also ''od'')^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ Old Italian also had the forms ''u'' (second half of the 13th century, in a translation by Brunetto Latini) and ''on'' (early 15th century).^(LEI|3, 2568)

+ Old Lombard had ''on'' (before 1274, Pietro da Bascapè) and Old Venetian ''au'' and ''ou'' (about 1250).^(LEI|3, 2568)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The conjunction is [[inh|la|aut|t=or]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(LEI|3, 2568) The Latin word lives on in every Romance language in its popular form: [[fr|ou]], [[oc|o]], [[ca|o]], [[es|o]], [[pt|ou]], [[sc|o]] and [[ro|au]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(LEI|3, 2568) The LEI notes that the use of the conjunction to open a question survives only in Italian, Romanian and Sardinian.^(LEI|3, 2568)

+

+ Latin ⟨aut⟩ corresponds to [[osc|auti|t=or]] and goes back to [[itc-pro|*auti]] or [[m|itc-pro|*aute]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan traces it to [[ine-pro|*h₂eu|t=away]], the source of [[grc|αὖ|tr=aû|t=again, on the other hand]] and [[m|grc|αὖτε|tr=aûte]].^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini sees the same particle in [[got|𐌰𐌿𐌺|tr=auk|t=also]] and in [[de|auch]].^(Nocentini 2010) Devoto describes the Latin word as an extension of this particle, attested alone or extended in Indo-Iranian, Greek, Osco-Umbrian and Germanic.^(Devoto 1968|300)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT and Nocentini date the conjunction to before 1249.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) The LEI's first record is in Chiaro Davanzati in the 13th century,^(LEI|3, 2568) and GDLI quotes a letter of Guido Faba, who writes ''u compagnia'' (or alliance) with the Old Italian form ''u''.^(GDLI|11, 706)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The LEI sorts the Italian uses by function: an exclusive choice, an indifferent choice, an explanation that corrects or clarifies, a threat (“otherwise”), and the opening of a question.^(LEI|3, 2568)

+

+ Compounds formed early: ''ovvero'' (13th century), ''oppure'' (14th century) and ''ossia'' (16th century), with ''ovverosia'' in 1891.^(Nocentini 2010) The euphonic form ''od'' is recorded from before 1292 in Bono Giamboni and is still used by Alfieri, but is now rare and mostly literary.^(LEI|3, 2568)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1249 – Date of the first record of the conjunction.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1274 – Old Lombard ''on'' in Pietro da Bascapè.^(LEI|3, 2568)

+ * Before 1292 – The form ''od'' before a vowel in Bono Giamboni.^(LEI|3, 2568)

+ * 13th century – ''Ovvero'' is formed with ''vero''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 14th century – ''Oppure'' is formed with ''pure''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 16th century – ''Ossia'' is formed with ''sia''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1891 – ''Ovverosia'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # [[m|en|or]], joining words or clauses of the same kind as alternatives, one of which excludes the other: ''vieni a piedi o in bicicletta?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Repeated before each term, to stress that these are the only choices: ''o studi o lavori''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Joining alternatives that do not exclude each other: ''ci vediamo martedì o mercoledì''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Introducing the second part of a direct or indirect question: ''non so se restare o partire''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # After a command or a request: [[m|en|otherwise]], or else: ''sbrigati o perdiamo il treno''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Introducing an explanation or another name: that is, also called: ''l'iperico o erba di San Giovanni''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[oppure]]

+ * [[ossia]]

+ * [[ovvero]]

+ * [[ovverosia]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|O! (vocative interjection)}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250|origins=la ō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /o/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''o''' (interjection, invariable; also written ''oh'')^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The interjection is [[inh|la|ō]], used in Latin with the vocative and in exclamations.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI|11, 706) It is also [[fr|ô]] and [[es|oh]].^(Nocentini 2010) Latin ⟨ō⟩ corresponds to [[grc|ὦ|tr=ô]] and [[got|𐍉|tr=ō]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI|11, 706) Wiktionary calls the Latin word expressive and the vocative use a semantic loan from the Greek word, older Latin using [[m|la|prō]] or the bare vocative.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT and Nocentini date the interjection to before 1250.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) Among GDLI's first quotations is Giacomo da Lentini: “O stella rilucente, / che levi la maitina” (O shining star that rises in the morning).^(GDLI|11, 706)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The vocative ''o'' gives a raised, solemn tone to an address, as in Dante's “O voi che siete in piccioletta barca” (O you who are in a little boat, ''Paradiso'' 2) and Petrarch's “O aspettata in ciel beata e bella / anima”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) GDLI notes that it is now almost only literary,^(GDLI|11, 706) while in familiar speech it is still used to call out to someone: ''o voi laggiù''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ In Boccaccio the same sound also expresses wonder or curiosity, a use Tommaseo files under the spelling ''oh''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – The interjection is first recorded, in Giacomo da Lentini.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI|11, 706)

+ * 1300–1321 – Dante uses it in addresses: “O voi che siete in piccioletta barca”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Before a name or noun in addresses, invocations and exclamations, often with a solemn tone: ''o Dio, aiutami!'', ''o povero me!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI|11, 706)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Used to call someone loudly: ''o ragazzi, venite qua!''^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[oh]]

+ * [[od]]

+ * [[la|aut]]

+ * [[la|ō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate Tuscan ''o'' (GRADIT dates it to 1348–1353 and derives it perhaps from ''ora'') strengthens an exclamation, a rhetorical question or a reply: ''o che ti credevi?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|11, 706)

+

+ ''O'' is also the name of the letter, feminine or masculine and invariable, first recorded before 1250;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI derives the name from the Greek and Latin names of the letter.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Proverbial phrases are ''non saper fare una O con un bicchiere'' (to be completely incompetent) and ''tondo come l'O di Giotto'' (perfectly round).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}