ricordare Italian · revision 37776

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 13th century, Sordello|origins=la cor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ri.korˈda.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ricordare''' (first-person singular present ricòrdo, first-person singular past historic ricordài, past participle ricordàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|recordor|t=to call to mind]], a learned word in DELI's view.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin verb is derived from [[m|la|cor|t=heart]] with the prefix [[m|la|re-]] “back”: the heart was thought to be the seat of memory, so the verb meant “to put back into the heart”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Devoto 1968|370) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of the Latin noun, recorded from Plautus on.^(de Vaan 2008)

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+ The verb also lived on in popular form: DEI points to [[lmo|regordà]] in Lombardy, the source of [[rm|algordér]] in the Engadine, and to [[es|recordar]], [[pt|recordar]] and [[sc|regordare]].^(DEI|3249) Prati derives the Italian word itself from such a popular form, following Meyer-Lübke.^(Prati 1951|837) The verb is [[fro|recorder]] in Old French too.^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ The noun [[ricordanza]] continues [[la-lat|recordantia]], a derivative, found in St Ambrose in the 4th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Old forms of the verb include [[roa-oit|recordare]] and [[roa-oit|raccordare]].^(GDLI|16, 143)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The pronominal ''ricordarsi'' “to keep in memory” is recorded at the beginning of the 13th century in Sordello, and the transitive verb “to recall to one's own or another's mind” in the first half of the century in Giacomino Pugliese.^(DELI 1999) The sense “to mention, name” appears in the 13th century in Compagnetto da Prato.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT and Nocentini date the word to before 1292.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A 14th-century translation of Seneca defines the word: “ricordare si è quando la cosa è data a guardare alla memoria” (remembering is when a thing is given to the memory to keep).^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Dante used it for keeping in memory, and Boccaccio, in 1348–1353, for renewing a memory; he also wrote the old form: “vel volli staman raccordare” (I wanted to remind you of it this morning).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|16, 143)

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+ The noun ''ricordo'', a back-formation from the verb, is recorded before 1342 in Domenico Cavalca, and a document from Pomarance already has ''essere ai ricordi'' “to be remembered” in 1306.^(DELI 1999) Its diminutive ''ricordino'' was a cheap ring given as a keepsake (before 1767, Iacopo Nelli), and later a small holy card in memory of a dead person (1963).^(DELI 1999) ''Scordare'' “to forget” was made in the 14th century by changing the prefix.^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ Modern Italian also uses ''ricordare'' for commemorating the dead and for resembling, calling something to mind by likeness.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 13th century – Sordello uses ''ricordarsi'' “to remember”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * First half of the 13th century – Giacomino Pugliese uses ''ricordare'' “to bring to mind”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Compagnetto da Prato has the sense “to mention”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1306 – ''Essere ai ricordi'' appears in a document from Pomarance.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses the noun ''ricordo''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses the verb for renewing a memory.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1767 – ''Ricordino'' is recorded for a keepsake ring.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|remember]], keep in memory; also pronominal ''ricordarsi'' (''di''): ''Ricordo ancora la prima volta che vidi il mare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To try to bring back to mind, [[m|en|recall]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # To [[m|en|remind]] someone of something: ''Ti ricordo che domani si parte presto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To [[m|en|mention]], name.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To [[m|en|commemorate]]: ''ricordare le vittime di una guerra''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To call to mind by likeness, [[m|en|resemble]]: ''Questa piazza ricorda un quadro di De Chirico.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ricordo]]

+ * [[ricordanza]]

+ * [[ricordino]]

+ * [[scordare]]

+ * [[ricordevole]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cuore]]

+ * [[rammentare]]

+ * [[la|recordor]]

+ * [[es|recordar]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ricordare'' and ''ricordarsi'' are both used for “to remember”: ''ricordo la strada'', ''mi ricordo la strada'' and ''mi ricordo della strada''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) Tommaseo records a separate rare verb ''ricordare'' “to restring (an instrument)”, from ''corda''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}