sopra Italian · revision 37856

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1211, Florentine account book|origins=la superus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈso.pra/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|suprā|t=above, over]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word, older [[m|la|suprād]], was the ablative feminine of [[m|la|superus|t=upper]] with the inner vowel lost, and that adjective was formed from [[m|la|super|t=over, above]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto 1968|415) In the Romance languages the adverb merged with the preposition: the same word is [[fr|sur]], [[oc|sobre]], [[es|sobre]], [[pt|sobre]], [[sc|subra]] and [[ro|spre|t=towards]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Devoto compared forms without the initial ⟨s-⟩ elsewhere in Indo-European, such as [[de|über]] and [[grc|ὑπέρ|tr=hupér]].^(Devoto 1968|415)

+

+ The literary [[sovra]], with /pr/ softened to /vr/, spread from the northern dialects, according to Sabatini–Coletti.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The old forms [[roa-oit|sopre]] (Jacopone) and the proclitic [[m|roa-oit|sor]] continue the preposition.^(Prati 1951|929)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first records are of the adverb: “previously, above” in a Florentine account book of 1211, and “in a higher place” in a record of 1228.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The preposition is first found in the 13th-century poet Garzo: ''Gaude di villa / chi sta sopr'ella'' “who lives above the town enjoys it”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|19, 425)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the sense “on, above”, Old Italian developed “about, concerning” (''supra'' in 1219, ''sopra'' in Brunetto Latini before 1294), “beyond, more than” (the Novellino, late 13th century) and “after” (the Italian Marco Polo, early 14th century).^(DELI 1999) Boccaccio has ''Postagli la mano sopra il petto'' “having laid his hand on his chest”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI|19, 425) It forms many compounds, such as ''soprannome'' “nickname” (Dante) and ''soprabito'' “overcoat” (1841), and makes the following consonant double (''sopraccapo'').^(Prati 1951|929)

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+ As a musical direction, ''sopra'' “at a higher pitch” is recorded before 1494, and it passed into French in 1703 and German in 1732, where it also tells a pianist which hand crosses over the other.^(DIFIT) Common modern phrases include ''al di sopra di ogni sospetto'' “above suspicion”, ''mettere una pietra sopra'' “to let bygones be bygones”, ''dormirci sopra'' “to sleep on it” and ''averne fin sopra i capelli'' “to be fed up”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1211 – A Florentine account book uses the adverb for “above, previously”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1219 – The Breve di Montieri has ''supra'' “concerning”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Garzo uses the preposition.^(DELI 1999)

+ * before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''sopra'' “about, concerning”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1353 – Boccaccio uses it for “on, upon (someone)”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * before 1494 – ''Sopra'' is used as a musical direction.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1703 – The musical term is recorded in French.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # [[m|en|on]], upon, on top of, in contact with: ''Ho lasciato le chiavi sopra il frigorifero.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|above]], over, higher than, without contact: ''Gli elicotteri volavano sopra la città.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Over, covering: ''Mettiti un maglione sopra la camicia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # More than, [[m|en|beyond]]: ''bambini sopra i sei anni''.^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # About, on (a subject): ''un saggio sopra Leopardi''.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Over, indicating power or superiority.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Upon, one after another: ''un guaio sopra l'altro''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # On top, above: ''Il sugo va sotto, il formaggio sopra.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|upstairs]], on a higher floor: ''I vicini di sopra fanno un gran rumore.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Earlier in a text: ''come detto sopra''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) ''Come sopra'' means “as above, ditto”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(invariable)'' The top, upper part: ''il sopra del mobile''.^(Wiktionary)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[disopra]]

+ * [[sossopra]]

+ * [[soprannome]]

+ * [[soprabito]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sovra]]

+ * [[soprano]]

+ * [[sovrano]]

+ * [[super-]]

+ * [[la|suprā]]

+ * [[la|super]]

+ * [[fr|sur]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Before a personal pronoun it takes ''di'' (''sopra di lei''), and in some phrases it is joined to a noun with ''a'' (''sopra al letto'').^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The opposite is [[sotto]].^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}