alcuno Italian · revision 37730

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Brunetto Latini}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /alˈku.no/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''alcuno''' (feminine alcuna, masculine plural alcuni, feminine plural alcune); before a vowel and most single consonants the masculine singular is shortened to ''alcun''.^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ Northern Italian dialects have forms such as [[lmo|vergü]] (Brescia) and [[m|lmo|vergùn]] (Trentino), and southern ones forms such as [[nap|ngunu]].^(LEI|2, 46)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*alicūnus]], a compound formed in speech from [[la|aliquis|t=someone]] and [[m|la|ūnus|t=one]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Strengthening ⟨aliquis⟩ with ⟨unus⟩ was already a way of speaking in Cicero, and the LEI notes that the compound took in both the pronoun ⟨aliquis⟩ and the adjective [[m|la|aliquī]].^(LEI|2, 46)^(DELI 1999) Nocentini calls it a Romance formation of Latin origin.^(Nocentini 2010) Wiktionary instead starts from the accusatives ⟨aliquem⟩ and ⟨unum⟩, as Devoto–Oli and Treccani do.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ The same formation is [[fr|aucun]], [[oc|alcun]], [[ca|algú]], [[es|alguno]] and [[pt|algum]], and also [[rm|alchün]] and [[fur|alkúin]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(LEI|2, 46) DEI notes that it is found in nearly all the Romance languages but not in Romanian.^(DEI|116) The Latin pronoun is made of the indefinite stem [[m|la|ali-]] and [[m|la|quis|t=who]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record of the sense “someone, one” is in Brunetto Latini, before 1294; the LEI dates it from 1292 in Bono Giamboni.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|2, 46) GDLI quotes Latini's ''Rettorica'': “per colpa d'alcuno il quale à sopra lui forza e signoria” (through the fault of someone who has power and lordship over him).^(GDLI|1, 296) The negative sense “nobody, none” is recorded about as early, in Guittone d'Arezzo.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT dates the word to about 1274.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Because the word was used so often with a negation, Old Italian ''alcuno'' came to mean “none” by itself, as French ''aucun'' still does.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|116) In the modern language that meaning survives in negative sentences (''senza alcun dubbio'') while the plural ''alcuni'' means “some, a few”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In the singular, positive sense “some, any” (''per alcun tempo'') it is now literary, and the old sense “a, one” is obsolete.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Old Italian also had ''alcunamente'', an adverb modelled on the French ''aucunement''.^(LEI|2, 46) The pronoun ''alcunché'' “anything” is first recorded before 1729.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1274 – GRADIT's date of first record.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''alcuno'' “someone”.^(LEI|2, 46)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for “someone” and Guittone d'Arezzo for “nobody”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1358 – Old Sicilian ''alcunu'' is recorded.^(LEI|2, 46)

+ * Before 1729 – ''alcunché'' “anything” is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # (plural) [[m|en|some]], a few, an indefinite but small number of: ''Ho letto alcuni capitoli del libro.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # (singular, in negative sentences) [[m|en|no]], not any; also placed after the noun for emphasis: ''Non c'è alcuna fretta'', ''senza motivo alcuno''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary)'' (singular) Some, a certain amount of: ''per alcun tratto''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A, one.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # (plural) Some people or things, a few: ''Alcuni sono rimasti a casa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # (singular, in negative sentences) [[m|en|nobody]], none: ''Non ne ho trovato alcuno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' (singular) [[m|en|someone]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[alcunché]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[qualcuno]]

+ * [[nessuno]]

+ * [[uno]]

+ * [[la|aliquis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In correlation the plural is paired with itself or with ''altri'': ''alcuni… altri…'' “some… others…”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Zingarelli sets out when the masculine singular is shortened: ''alcun'' before a vowel and most single consonants, but ''alcuno'' before ''s'' plus consonant, ''z'' and ''x''; the feminine is elided before a vowel (''alcun’anima'').^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}