qua Italian · revision 37653

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Guittone d'Arezzo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkwa/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Regional: /ˈkwa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''qua''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and dialect forms include [[roa-oit|quae]] (Sienese, 13th century), [[m|roa-oit|quai]] and [[m|roa-oit|ca]].^(DEI|3163)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*eccum hāc|t=look, this way]], made of the presentative [[la|eccum|t=here he is, behold]] and the adverb [[m|la|hāc|t=by this way]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The first part also gave [[ecco]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|21, 142) The second is the ablative feminine singular of [[m|la|hic|t=this]], frozen as an adverb.^(Devoto 1968|355) The first part is itself a contraction of [[m|la|ecce|t=behold]] with, probably, the accusative [[m|la|hunc|t=him]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ The same compound gave [[es|acá]] and [[pt|cá]], while [[fr|çà]] and [[pro|sai]] continue [[la-vul|*ecce hāc]] instead.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Wiktionary) The Latin double /kk/ was simplified in the standard language but survives in most regional varieties, as in [[scn|cca]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Guittone d'Arezzo, who died in 1294, with the sense “in this place”.^(DELI 1999) Dante has it in the ''Purgatorio'': “Anime sono a destra qua remote” (there are souls set apart here to the right).^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its use as a mere reinforcement after ''questo'' (''questo qua'') is also found in Dante, before 1321.^(DELI 1999) So are the compounds ''quaggiù'' and ''quassù'', at first written as two words.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Beside [[qui]], with which it shares most uses, ''qua'' points to a less precisely bounded place, and it pairs with [[là]] for “here and there” (''qua e là'').^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses ''qua''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses ''qua giù'' and ''qua su'', and ''questo qua''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|here]], in or to this place, near the speaker: ''Vieni qua, ti devo parlare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # With other adverbs and prepositions: ''qua dentro'', ''qua sotto'', ''di qua'' “this way, on this side”, ''per di qua'' “this way”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Paired with ''là'': ''qua e là'', here and there; also, without a sense of place, for insistent repetition.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # As a reinforcement after ''questo'' or ''ecco'', or with an imperative: ''questo qua'', ''ecco qua'', ''dammi qua''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # At this point, in time or in a discussion: ''Fin qua tutto bene.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[quaggiù]]

+ * [[quassù]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[qui]]

+ * [[là]]

+ * [[ecco]]

+ * [[la|eccum]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Tuscan and standard pronunciation ''qua'' doubles the consonant that follows, which shows in the spelling of ''quassù''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Wiktionary lists ''quà'', with an accent, as a variant spelling.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ A separate imitative word ''qua'', usually repeated (''qua qua''), is the call of ducks and geese.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) It is recorded from the 14th century, before 1379 according to GRADIT;^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|15, 3) Franco Sacchetti gives the quail's call as ''qua qua riquà''.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|15, 3)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}