motivo Italian · revision 37824

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1342, Domenico Cavalca|origins=la moveō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /moˈti.vo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''motivo''' ''m'' (plural motivi)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la-lat|mōtīvus|t=moving, mobile]], an adjective recorded in the 4th century in Calcidius and formed from [[m|la|mōtus|t=movement]], the past participle of [[m|la|moveō|t=to move]].^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary)^(GDLI) The adjective, “that moves, that causes motion”, was much used in Italian until the 18th century and then kept only in special languages, where the noun made from it prevailed;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) DELI, GRADIT, Devoto–Oli and Treccani therefore treat the noun as the adjective used substantively.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) Nocentini derives the noun from [[la-med|motivum|t=a condition that impels one to act]], the neuter of the adjective used as a noun.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The same learned word is [[fr|motif]] and [[es|motivo]]; in the sense “motive, reason” it took the place of the Latin noun meaning “movement”, which survived in [[moto]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record of the noun is in Domenico Cavalca, before 1342, in the sense “reason, cause”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The GDLI quotes him: “Quelle cose che sono da Dio hanno fondamento e motivo di umiltà” (the things that come from God have humility as their ground and motive).^(GDLI) The adjective is older, from the 13th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In music the word is recorded before 1729 in Anton Maria Salvini, who compares the openings of sonnets to the musicians' motifs, and Francesco Algarotti (before 1764) uses it for the subject that returns throughout a sonata.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT) In criticism it meant a guiding element of a literary work from Tommaso Stigliani (before 1651), and in the visual arts a decorative element repeated several times from D'Annunzio (1896).^(DELI 1999) ''Motivo conduttore'' (1959) translates German ''Leitmotiv''; the earlier ''motivo dirigente'' (1895) followed English ''leading motive''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The verb ''motivare'' (1634) is formed from the noun, and ''motivazione'', first a lawyers' word (1839–1841), took the psychological sense “motivation” in 1963.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) French took ''motif'' in the musical sense in 1703 as a calque of the Italian, English used ''motivo'' in music from 1740, and Greek borrowed it as ''motívo''.^(DIFIT)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – The adjective “moving” is recorded.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses the noun for “reason, cause”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1651 – Tommaso Stigliani uses it for an element of a literary work.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1703 – French ''motif'' takes the musical sense from Italian.^(DIFIT)

+ * Before 1729 – Anton Maria Salvini uses it in music.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1740 – English ''motivo'' is first recorded in music.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1896 – D'Annunzio uses it for a decorative motif.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|reason]], cause or [[m|en|motive]] for doing something: ''Se n'è andato senza un motivo preciso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A source of a feeling or reaction: ''La tua promozione è motivo di orgoglio per tutti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(law)'' The subjective reason that leads someone to make a contract or an authority to take a measure.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(music)'' A [[m|en|motif]], a recognisable melodic or rhythmic element; by extension a tune or a song: ''un motivo che non esce più dalla testa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A recurring [[m|en|theme]] of a literary, artistic or cinematic work.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A decorative element repeated in a work of art, a fabric or a wallpaper; a [[m|en|pattern]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[motivare]]

+ * [[motivazione]]

+ * [[motivazionale]]

+ * [[motivetto]]

+ * [[immotivato]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[motivato]]

+ * [[motivico]]

+ * [[moto]]

+ * [[muovere]]

+ * [[movente]]

+ * [[la|mōtīvus]]

+ * [[fr|motif]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''per questo motivo'' “for this reason”, ''motivo per cui'' “which is why”, ''a motivo di'' “because of” and ''per nessun motivo'' “on no account”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003) The old adjective ''motivo'' survives only in the legal ''errore motivo'', an error that affected the forming of a party's will.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}