invece Italian · revision 37729

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1785, Antonio Cesari (written as one word)|origins=la vicis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /inˈve.t͡ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''invece''' (invariable); in older writing also ''in vece''.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the phrase ⟨in vece⟩ “in the place”, written as one word: [[af|it|in|vece]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) DELI points out that the oldest texts often write it separately, and that the phrase has an exact model in the phrase [[la|in vicem]], already classical.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT derives the adverb straight from that Latin phrase.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The noun [[vece]] “turn, place” continues the accusative ⟨vicem⟩ of [[la|vicis|t=change, turn]], which has no nominative.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) It also gave [[fr|fois]], [[oc|vetz]], [[es|vez]] and [[pt|vez]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) De Vaan sets up [[itc-pro|*wik-|t=turn]] and a root noun [[ine-pro|*wik-|t=a turn]], perhaps from a verb “to tie, turn”;^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini compares [[grc|εἴκω|tr=eíkō|t=to give way]] and [[goh|wehsal|t=exchange]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The phrase ''in vece di'' “in place of” is in Dante's ''Commedia'' (1300–1313), which has only three examples of it; the editions DELI follows print one of them as a single word.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo quotes ''Inferno'' XIII: “sì che 'n vece d'alcuna ammenda tua fama rinfreschi” (so that, in place of some amends, he may renew your fame).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) DELI dates the adverb in its modern sense, “on the contrary”, from 1785, in Antonio Cesari.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The older meaning was “in place of, on behalf of”: Matteo Villani writes that peace was sworn ''in vece e nome del Re'' (in the place and name of the King).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) From the idea of one thing standing in place of another grew the adversative adverb “instead, on the contrary”, which since the 18th century has been the main use of the word.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The prepositional phrase ''invece di'' “instead of” and the conjunctions ''invece di'' and ''invece che'' with an infinitive (“rather than”) continue the older sense.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) The separate spelling survives with possessives: ''in vece mia'' or ''in mia vece''.^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses the phrase ''in vece di'' “in place of”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1785 – Antonio Cesari uses ''invece'' “on the contrary”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|instead]], on the contrary, by contrast: ''Pensavo che fosse a Roma, invece era a casa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' After ''ma'' or ''mentre'', strengthening the contrast: ''Dovevo studiare, ma invece sono uscito.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Preposition===

+ # ''invece di'', ''invece che'': instead of, in place of: ''È venuta la zia invece della nonna.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # ''invece di'', ''invece che'' (with an infinitive): [[m|en|rather than]]: ''Invece di lamentarti, dammi una mano.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vece]]

+ * [[vicenda]]

+ * [[vicario]]

+ * [[la|vicis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Sabatini–Coletti treats the word as a connective of discourse: it can open the sentence, stand inside it or, especially in speech, close it.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Joined to ''ma'' or ''mentre'' it is pleonastic and colloquial.^(Zingarelli 2010) Venetian has the same formation, ''invéze''.^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}