ecco Italian · revision 37627

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=mid-13th century|origins=la eccum}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɛk.ko/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|eccum|t=here he is!]], the colloquial form beside [[m|la|ecce|t=behold]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) The OLD analyses it as the particle and probably a pronoun ⟨*hum⟩ for ⟨hunc⟩, Wiktionary as the particle and [[m|la|is|alt=eum|t=him]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini explains the particle itself from an Italic pronominal base ⟨*ek⟩ and the deictic ⟨-ce⟩.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|157)

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+ Old Latin shared the form with Oscan; it became common from the 3rd century, always competing with the particle.^(DEI|1413) In Late Latin it strengthened pronouns and adverbs, and so it lives on inside [[quello]] and [[questo]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|1413) As a word of its own it survives regularly only in Italian.^(LEI|21, 142) Old texts have [[pro|ec]], [[fro|ez]] and Old Sardinian ⟨hecco⟩, and Logudorese has ⟨ekku⟩.^(LEI|21, 142)^(REW 1935) It was borrowed as [[goh|eggo]].^(DEI|1413)^(REW 1935)

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+ Italian dialects show it fused with other words: ⟨adecco⟩ with [[m|la|ad]], ⟨decco⟩ from a resegmented ⟨ed ecco⟩, and ⟨necco⟩ with ⟨in⟩.^(LEI|21, 142)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The LEI's earliest records are from the middle of the 13th century, in the ''laude'' of Urbino, and, from Re Enzo, who died in 1272.^(LEI|21, 142) DELI's first record is in Bono Giamboni (before 1292), in the sense “here is”, presenting a person: ''Ecco l'uomo, che s'accorda al postutto d'essere vostro fedele'' (“Here is the man who fully agrees to be your faithful servant”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante uses it for a sudden appearance: ''Ed ecco, quasi al cominciar de l'erta, / una lonza'' (“And behold, almost at the start of the slope, a leopard”, ''Inferno'' I).^(GDLI) The forms with enclitic pronouns, ''eccomi'', ''eccolo'', ''eccoti'', are recorded from Dante on, and Boccaccio has ''eccomi'' and ''eccole''.^(LEI|21, 142)^(Prati 1951|398) Northern Old Italian had ''eco'' and ''echo''.^(LEI|21, 142)

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+ In modern speech ''ecco'' presents what has just appeared or been found, answers a call (''Eccomi!''), introduces or sums up an explanation, and with a past participle marks a finished task: ''ecco fatto'' “there, done”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) It is also a filler before a hesitant answer.^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) ''Riecco'' “here again” is recorded from 1848.^(Nocentini 2010) Prati records the saying ''ecco fatto il becco all'oca'', said when a job is done to one's satisfaction.^(Prati 1951|398)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-13th century – ''Ecco'' appears in the ''laude'' of Urbino.^(LEI|21, 142)

+ * 1274 – Pietro da Barsegapè uses it at Pavia.^(LEI|21, 142)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it in Florence.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1313 – Dante uses the forms with enclitic pronouns.^(LEI|21, 142)

+ * 1848 – ''Riecco'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Here is, there is: points out or presents someone or something: ''Ecco il postino.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # With enclitic pronouns: ''eccomi'' “here I am”, ''eccolo'' “here he is”, ''eccone'' “here are some”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # In answer to a call, “coming”, “here I am”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Introduces or sums up an explanation: ''Ecco perché sono arrivato tardi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # With a past participle, marks something done: ''ecco fatto''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ ===Interjection===

+ # Expresses [[m|en|hesitation]], like “well…”, “um”.^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[riecco]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quello]]

+ * [[questo]]

+ * [[la|ecce]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ An obsolete ''ecco'' is a variant spelling of ''eco'' “echo”, recorded from the 14th century;^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|1413) Tommaseo–Bellini thought it was mostly used for the rhyme or a misreading.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}