via Italian · revision 37591

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1228|origins=la via}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvi.a/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''via''' ''f'' (plural vie)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|via|t=road, way; journey]], a word Latin records from the Twelve Tables on.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(de Vaan 2008) Varro reports [[m|la|veha]] as the form used by country people.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI)^(GDLI) The word is panromance except in Romanian: [[fr|voie]], [[oc|via]], [[ca|via]], [[es|vía]], [[pt|via]], [[sc|bia]] and [[fur|vie]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin word has close relatives in Oscan and Umbrian, but its deeper origin is disputed.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini, Devoto and the DEI derive it from [[ine-pro|*weǵʰyeh₂]], from the root of [[m|la|vehō|t=to carry]], with the original sense “cart track”, and so relate it to [[goh|weg]] and [[ang|weg]], the source of [[m|en|way]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|470)^(DEI)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan rejects this: he takes the rustic ⟨veha⟩ and the gloss ⟨veia⟩ “wagon” for later Latin forms with /e/ for /i/, reconstructs [[itc-pro|*wijā-]], and derives it from [[ine-pro|*weyh₁-|t=to strive after, pursue]], the root also of [[m|la|vīs|t=you want]] and [[m|la|invītus|t=unwilling]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The adverb “away” is the same word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The ablative [[m|la|viā|t=by the way]] in phrases with verbs of motion, of the type ⟨ire via⟩ “to go one's way”, came to mean “to go away”, a development that runs parallel to [[de|weg|t=away]] beside [[m|de|Weg|t=way]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(GDLI) Old Italian also used ⟨via⟩ for “time, occasion”, which survives in multiplication (⟨tre via tre⟩, “three times three”).^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(REW 1935) Meyer-Lübke saw the step from “road” to “time” as an ordinary Romance development, and DELI follows him;^(DELI 1999)^(REW 1935) Tommaseo instead took this use for a shortened [[fiata|t=time]], with ⟨f⟩ changed to ⟨v⟩.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the word to 1228, and Nocentini puts the noun at the beginning of the 13th century and the adverb of moving away at 1260.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI's first records are all in Dante's ''Commedia'' (1300–1313), for the road, the journey and the figurative “way, means”, and for the adverb and the interjection that drives someone off.^(DELI 1999) Dante's opening line already has the moral sense: ''che la diritta via era smarrita'' (“for the straight way was lost”).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Christian writers had already widened the range of Latin ''via'' with new set phrases.^(DELI 1999) In Italian the noun took on the sense of a town street, where people and vehicles pass, in Boccaccio (1348–1353), and of a path or passage in the same period; the anatomical “channel, tract” appears in the translation of Crescenzi about 1350, “route” before 1589 (Salviati), the nautical “course” in 1937 and the climbing route in 1953.^(DELI 1999) The figurative “manner, means of reaching something” goes back to Dante.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The adverb developed too: repeated as ''via via'' it means “little by little” (before 1742), and ''e così via'' “and so on” is recorded in 1891.^(DELI 1999) As an interjection it urges someone on from about 1336 (Boccaccio), and it gives the start of a race in 1961; the noun ''il via'', the starting signal, is from 1953.^(DELI 1999) In multiplication ''via'' “times” is still in use.^(DEI)

+

+ Derivatives include ''viandante'' “wayfarer” (late 13th century, ''Novellino''), ''viottolo'' (before 1311), ''viale'' “avenue” (1598) and ''viavai'' “coming and going” (1863), whose formation DELI calls hard to explain.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Viadotto'' (1837) is from English ''viaduct'', built on the Latin words for “road” and “led”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) English took over ''via'' as an interjection of encouragement in 1596.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1228 – GRADIT's first date for the word.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1260 – The adverb of moving away is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses the noun for road and journey, and the adverb and interjection.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1336 – Boccaccio uses ''via'' to urge someone on.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses it for a town street.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1596 – English borrows the interjection ''via''.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1598 – ''Viale'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1837 – ''Viadotto'' is recorded, after English ''viaduct''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1891 – ''E così via'' “and so on” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1953 – ''Via'' is used for a climbing route and ''il via'' for the start of a race.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|street]], [[m|en|road]], especially in a town; in addresses, written with or without a capital: ''abito in via Mazzini''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|path]], [[m|en|passage]], an opening made through something: ''si fece strada tra i rovi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|route]], the way taken to reach a place; also a historic trade route: ''la via della seta''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(nautical)'' [[m|en|course]] of a ship.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(mountaineering)'' Climbing route up a face or peak.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Medium or channel by which something is carried or sent: ''per via aerea'', ''via satellite''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Way, [[m|en|means]], method: ''non c'è altra via d'uscita''.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(anatomy)'' [[m|en|tract]]: ''le vie respiratorie''.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|away]], off, with verbs of motion and of removal: ''andare via'', ''buttare via''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # In lists, ''e così via'', ''e via dicendo'': and so on.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''via via'': little by little, as things go on.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Go away!, off with you!^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Come on!, as encouragement or to start a race: ''pronti, partenza, via!''^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun (masculine)===

+ # ''il via'': the start of a race, ''(figurative)'' ''dare il via a'', to launch something.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ===Preposition===

+ # By way of, passing through: ''volo Milano–New York via Londra''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[viale]]

+ * [[viandante]]

+ * [[viavai]]

+ * [[viottolo]]

+ * [[viottola]]

+ * [[viuzza]]

+ * [[viabile]]

+ * [[viabilità]]

+ * [[crocevia]]

+ * [[ferrovia]]

+ * [[avviare]]

+ * [[sviare]]

+ * [[traviare]]

+ * [[retrovia]]

+ * [[sottovia]]

+ * [[ovvia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[viario]]

+ * [[viadotto]]

+ * [[viatico]]

+ * [[veicolo]]

+ * [[la|via]]

+ * [[fr|voie]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases include ''via libera'' (go-ahead), ''in via di'' (in the process of), ''per via di'' (because of) and ''a mezza via'' (halfway).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) As a capitalised acronym, ''VIA'' is ''valutazione di impatto ambientale'', an environmental impact assessment.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}