ragazza Italian · revision 37617

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1342}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /raˈɡat.t͡sa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ragazza''' ''f'' (plural ragazze, masculine ragazzo, diminutive ragazzétta or ragazzìna, (uncommon) ragazzòla or ragazzuòla, augmentative ragazzóna, pejorative ragazzàccia, derogatory ragazzùccia (“pitiful girl”))^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine of [[ragazzo|t=boy]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) DEI suggests that the masculine first meant a servant, male or female.^(DEI|3197)

+

+ The origin of the masculine is disputed.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI follows Giovan Battista Pellegrini and Joan Corominas, who independently derived it from [[ar|رَقَّاص|tr=raqqāṣ|t=courier, messenger]], used in the Maghreb from the 13th century and probably brought in through Sicily.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini rejects the Arabic source, since the word is native neither to Venice nor to Sicily, and returns to Josef Brüch's proposal of [[grc|ἐργάτης|tr=ergátēs|t=worker]] in its Byzantine sense “servant”, which came in through the Exarchate of Ravenna and gave a dialect ⟨regazzo⟩.^(Nocentini 2010) Wiktionary takes the masculine from a reconstructed [[la-vul|*ragatius]], from [[m|grc|ῥάκος|tr=rhákos|t=rag]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini dates ''ragazza'' to 1342,^(Nocentini 2010) GRADIT to before 1419, and Devoto–Oli to the first half of the 15th century, while Zingarelli and Sabatini–Coletti give much later dates (1676, 17th century).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) It meant a girl or young woman from puberty to marriage.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 18th century ''ragazza'' appears in Fagiuoli, Forteguerri and Goldoni for a girl or young unmarried woman;^(GDLI|15, 310) Tommaseo noted that one goes on saying ''ragazza'' of a grown girl until she marries.^(GDLI|15, 310) Tommaseo–Bellini also gives ''mia ragazza'' for “my daughter” and the proverb ''Ragazza che dura, non perde ventura'' (a girl who waits does not lose her luck), said to comfort girls who are still unmarried.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ The sense “girlfriend” corresponds to ''ragazzo'' “boyfriend”, which DELI dates to 1895.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Modern compounds include ''ragazza madre'' “unmarried mother”, ''ragazza squillo'' “call girl” and ''ragazza pompon'' “cheerleader”, quoted in the press from 2001.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009) English uses ''ragazza'' of Italian girls from 1814.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1342 – ''Ragazza'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1419 – GRADIT's first record.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1814 – ''Ragazza'' is recorded in English, of Italian girls.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1895 – ''Ragazzo'' “boyfriend” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 2001 – ''Ragazza pompon'' “cheerleader” appears in the ''Corriere della Sera''.^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|girl]], young woman, between adolescence and adulthood: ''Due ragazze aspettavano l'autobus.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # An unmarried woman, as in ''cognome da ragazza'' “maiden name”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|girlfriend]]; also a fiancée.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A young woman who works as a helper in a house or a shop.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Daughter: ''Ha un figlio e due ragazze.''^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ragazzina]]

+ * [[ragazzetta]]

+ * [[ragazzona]]

+ * [[ragazzaccia]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ragazzo]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ragazza'' has the same diminutives and other altered forms as ''ragazzo''.^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) In address to a group of women, ''ragazze'' is also used familiarly of adults.^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}