magari Italian · revision 37728

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1250, Cielo d'Alcamo (as macara)|origins=grc μακάριος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /maˈɡa.ri/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''magari''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms are [[roa-oit|macara]] (Cielo d'Alcamo), [[m|roa-oit|macare]] (Iacopone da Todi) and [[m|roa-oit|magara]], which Dante describes as typical of the people of Brescia, Verona and Vicenza.^(DELI 1999) The fuller ''magari Dio'' is found in Varchi.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Prati 1951|615)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|gkm|μακάρι|tr=makári|t=would that, if only]], a Byzantine Greek word recorded in Hesychius in the 5th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Greek interjection comes from [[grc|μακάριος|tr=makários|t=happy, blessed]], through its vocative [[m|grc|μακάριε|tr=makárie]] (“o happy one!”) according to DELI and Devoto–Oli, or through the neuter ⟨makárion⟩ “it is good” according to Nocentini.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Nocentini 2010) Treccani takes it as the Byzantine form of the neuter nominative.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ The word reached the West by several routes at different times.^(DELI 1999) DELI thinks Italian received it twice, through the Greek-speaking south and through the Exarchate of Ravenna.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini speaks of several centres of diffusion in the dialects: the northern form with ⟨g⟩, spread from Venetia and Romagna, is the one standard Italian adopted, in the 16th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Devoto explains the ⟨g⟩ as northern voicing of the ⟨c⟩.^(Devoto 1968) The use of the plural [[m|grc|μακάριοι|tr=makárioi|t=blessed]] in the Beatitudes of Matthew may have helped the word's special meaning in Greek.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) It also went into Ibero-Romance, as [[es|maguer|t=although]], recorded in the form ⟨macare⟩ from the middle of the 10th century, and is found in [[pt|macar]], [[ro|măcar|t=at least, even]] and [[scn|macari]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is the form ''macara'' in Cielo d'Alcamo's ''contrasto'', before 1250, as an exclamation of strong wish.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Zingarelli 2010) The form ''magari'' itself appears in 1585, in Giovan Maria Cecchi.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Iacopone da Todi uses ''macare'' for a wish that cannot come true: “Macare ke-mme àbberano uccisa!” (if only they had killed me!).^(GDLI|9, 424) The conjunction “would that” (with the subjunctive) is recorded in 1598, in Florio's dictionary.^(DELI 1999) The adverbial senses are much later: “perhaps, probably” in the 19th century (''magara'' before 1842, ''magari'' 1891) and “even” before 1898.^(DELI 1999) In colloquial use the word also became an eager yes (''«Vuoi venire?» «Magari!»''), and a concessive conjunction “even if” with the subjunctive.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Corominas explained the concessive value of the Spanish word as a kind of courtesy towards the person spoken to, wishing that what they suggest may happen.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – ''macara'' in Cielo d'Alcamo.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1303 – Dante names ''magara'' as a word of Brescia, Verona and Vicenza in the ''De vulgari eloquentia''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1306 – ''macare'' in Iacopone da Todi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1585 – ''magari'' in Giovan Maria Cecchi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1598 – Florio records the conjunction “would that”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – ''magari'' “perhaps” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Expresses a strong [[m|en|wish]] or hope, often one felt to be out of reach: “if only!”, “I wish!”: ''«Ti piacerebbe un mese al mare?» «Magari!»''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' As an eager or polite yes: ''«Un caffè?» «Magari.»''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # (with the subjunctive) Would that, if only: ''Magari smettesse di piovere!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' (with the subjunctive) [[m|en|even if]]: ''Ci arriverò, magari dovessi camminare tutta la notte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|perhaps]], maybe: ''Magari ha perso il treno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|even]], actually: ''Sarebbe capace magari di dire di no.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Rather, if need be: ''Magari dormo in macchina, ma domani parto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gkm|μακάρι|tr=makári]]

+ * [[grc|μακάριος|tr=makários]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}