sotto Italian · revision 37692

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1228, a Tuscan account|origins=ine-pro *upo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈsot.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sotto'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|subtus|t=below, underneath]], an adverb formed from [[m|la|sub|t=under]], properly “from below”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini sees in the ending a suffix of motion from a place, and the OLD compares [[m|la|intus|t=inside]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) The Latin adverb also gave [[fr|sous]], [[oc|sots]], [[ca|sots]], [[sc|sutta]], [[fur|sot]], [[ro|subt]], [[scn|sutta]] and [[nap|sotte]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The simple preposition survives only in Ibero-Romance, as [[es|so]] and [[pt|sob]], but it lives on widely as a prefix.^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The Latin preposition continues [[itc-pro|*supo]], from [[ine-pro|*upo|t=up, from below]], and is related to [[grc|ὑπό|tr=hupó|t=under]], [[sa|उप|tr=úpa|t=towards, near, under]] and [[got|𐌿𐍆|tr=uf|t=under]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its initial /s/ is an Italic development whose source is unclear.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is the adverb, “in a lower place or part”, in a Tuscan account of 1228.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT dates the word to 1288.^(GRADIT 2003) The preposition, marking a lower position, is in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century,^(DELI 1999) as GDLI quotes: “Videsi sotto un'aguglia giovane” (he saw below him a young eagle).^(GDLI|19, 580)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Figurative senses appear early: ''supto pena de'' “under penalty of” is in Guido Faba around 1243 and ''sotto pena di'' in the ''Novellino'', and dependence or subjection in Dino Compagni (1310–1312).^(DELI 1999) The sense “at the foot of, near” is in a 14th-century translation of Josephus, while “close to (in time)” and “below (a quantity)” are first recorded by Tommaseo–Bellini in 1873.^(DELI 1999) As an adverb it also meant “further on” in a text, in Francesco Patrizi before 1597.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ From ''sotto'' came the adjective ''sottano'' “lower” (13th century) and, from it ''sottana'', the underskirt, which passed into French as ''soutane'' and Spanish ''sotana'', “cassock”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The word forms many compounds with ''sotto-'', such as ''sottosopra'' “upside down” (14th century).^(Nocentini 2010) In music ''sotto'' “at a lower pitch” is recorded in 1561, and was taken into French in 1703 and German in 1732.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1228 – The adverb is first recorded, in a Tuscan account.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1243 – Guido Faba writes ''supto pena de'' “under penalty of”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1288 – GRADIT's date of first record.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * End of the 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses the preposition.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses ''sotto'' for subjection.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1561 – ''Sotto'' is recorded as a musical term.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1703 – French takes over the musical ''sotto''.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1873 – Tommaseo–Bellini record ''sotto'' “close to (in time)” and “below (a number)”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # [[m|en|under]], beneath, touching or covered by what is above: ''Ho trovato le chiavi sotto il cuscino.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Under, below, without touching; also exposed to something that falls from above: ''Ci siamo riparati sotto un albero.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Under the authority, rule or protection of; lower in rank than: ''Lavora sotto un capo molto severo.''^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Under the pressure or threat of: ''sotto pena di'', ''sotto minaccia''.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Of time, close to, just before; during: ''sotto Natale''.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Below a quantity or measure: ''Stanotte eravamo sotto zero.''^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|south]] of, below on a map.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|below]], underneath; downstairs: ''Ti aspetto sotto, davanti al portone.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The lower part, the [[m|en|bottom]] of something.^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sottano]]

+ * [[sottana]]

+ * [[disotto]]

+ * [[sottosopra]]

+ * [[sottinsù]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sopra]]

+ * [[la|subtus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Before a vowel it may be elided: ''sott’acqua'', ''sott’olio''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary) Before a stressed personal pronoun it takes ''di'' (''sotto di voi''), and it is sometimes joined to a noun with ''a'' (''sotto alla sedia'').^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Colloquial phrases include ''farsi sotto'' “to come forward, to press”, ''darci sotto'' “to work hard” and ''mettere sotto'' “to run over; to dominate”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}