ehi Italian · revision 37552

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=before 1313, Florentine translation of Ovid's Ars amatoria}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈej/, /ˈɛj/^(Wiktionary)^(Wiktionary)

+ * /ˈei/, /hˈei/^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an expressive word, a cry made to call someone or to show surprise.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Nocentini calls it a Romance onomatopoeia.^(Nocentini 2010) Tommaseo compared [[la|eho]], a Latin call to a person, and [[m|la|hei]], a cry of pain.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The compound [[ehilà]] adds [[là|t=there]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in a Florentine translation of Ovid's ''Ars amatoria'' from before 1313, where ''ehi'' (also spelled ''hei'') is the sound of bitter resignation; it also had the sense of a child's crying.^(TLIO) The modern call for attention is dated 1395 by Zingarelli, before 1444 by GRADIT and to before 1584, in Anton Francesco Grazzini, by DELI.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) DEI puts the call in the 14th century.^(DEI|1432)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used the word for pain as well as for calling: the commentator Francesco da Buti read it as an interjection of grief like ''ahi'', and Boccaccio has “Ehi, messere, che è ciò che voi fate?” (hey, sir, what are you doing?).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) In Giovan Battista Gelli it expresses joy and indignation.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ In modern Italian ''ehi'' calls someone in a familiar, friendly or threatening tone, answers a call, and expresses surprise or admiration.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) The compound ''ehilà'' is dated to the early 17th century by Nocentini and to 1949, in Cesare Pavese, by DELI.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1313 – ''Ehi'' as a cry of resignation in a Florentine version of Ovid.^(TLIO)

+ * 1395 – Zingarelli's date for the call.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * Before 1444 – GRADIT's date for the call.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1584 – Anton Francesco Grazzini uses it to call for attention.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Early 17th century – ''Ehilà'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # [[m|en|hey]]!: calls someone's attention, in a friendly tone or as a sharp warning: ''ehi, Marco, aspettami!'', ''ehi, tu, guarda dove metti i piedi!''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Expresses surprise or [[m|en|admiration]]: ''ehi, che macchina!''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Answers someone who calls.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(familiar)'' Hails a person in a house or shop, in ''ehi di casa!'' and ''ehi di bottega!''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ehilà]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[eh]]

+ * [[ahi]]

+ * [[ohi]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}