mentre Italian · revision 37674

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century, Ritmo laurenziano|origins=la dum, la interim}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmen.tre/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mentre''' (conjunction; also a masculine noun in set phrases)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ The old forms are [[roa-oit|domentre]], [[roa-oit|dimentre]] and northern [[roa-oit|demente]].^(TLIO)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|roa-oit|domentre]] without its first syllable, [[inh|la|dum interim|t=while meanwhile]], a phrase of [[m|la|dum|t=while]] and [[m|la|interim|t=in the meantime]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|2425) The unstressed vowel of ⟨interim⟩ dropped regularly.^(Devoto 1968|278) The same phrase gave [[pro|domentre]], [[fro|dementres]] and [[osp|domientre]] (modern [[es|mientras]]).^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI)

+

+ Wiktionary traces [[m|la|dum]] to an adverb [[itc-pro|*dūm]] built on [[ine-pro|*dweh₂-|t=long]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record of ''mentre'' is in the ''Ritmo laurenziano'' at the end of the 12th century, in the sense “at the time when”;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) GRADIT dates it before 1250, while Nocentini places it only in the 16th century.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) The full form ''domentre'' is in a Venetian treaty with Aleppo of 1225: “domentre ke vegnerà lo meso” (until the messenger comes).^(TLIO) GDLI quotes the Sicilian poets: “Eo vivo dolzemente / mentre mia donna miro” (I live sweetly while I gaze at my lady).^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian ''mentre'' and ''domentre'' could also mean “until, as long as”, a sense still found in literary Italian.^(TLIO)^(Treccani 2011)^(Prati 1951|653) The adversative sense “whereas” appears in Galileo, before 1642.^(DELI 1999) The phrase ''in questo mentre'' “at this very moment”, with the word used as a noun, is in Domenico Cavalca before 1342, and ''in quel mentre'' in Pietro Aretino in 1540.^(DELI 1999) The older ''mentre che'' (Dante, Boccaccio) is now uncommon.^(Prati 1951|653)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – The ''Ritmo laurenziano'' uses ''mentre''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1225 – A Venetian treaty with Aleppo uses ''domentre''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses ''in questo mentre''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1540 – Pietro Aretino uses ''in quel mentre''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1642 – Galileo uses ''mentre'' “whereas”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # [[m|en|while]], at the time when, during the time that: ''Mentre cucinavo è andata via la luce.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' As long as, until: ''Approfittane mentre puoi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|whereas]], while on the contrary: ''Lui lavora sodo, mentre il fratello non fa niente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Only in set phrases: ''in quel mentre'' “at that very moment” and ''nel mentre'' “meanwhile”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[interim]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}