esattamente Italian · revision 37866

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1357, Constitutiones Aegidianae (as exactamente)|origins=la exigō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /e.zat.taˈmen.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''esattamente'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|it|esatto|-mente]]: the adjective “exact” with the adverb suffix.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(TLIO)^(GDLI) The adjective is a learned word from [[la|exāctus|t=exact, precise]], the past participle of [[m|la|exigō|t=to drive out; to demand; to weigh exactly]].^(LEI|21, 858)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the vernacular version of the ''Constitutiones Aegidianae'' of 1357, from the Umbria–Romagna area, in the Latin-like spelling ''exactamente'' and the sense “carefully, precisely”.^(TLIO) GRADIT dates the word to before 1572.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th and 17th centuries it meant “with care, with precision”: the GDLI quotes Cosimo Bartoli, Tasso, who wrote that Demetrius of Phalerum spoke about style “più che alcun altro esattamente” (more precisely than anyone else), and Galileo.^(GDLI|5, 296)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The modern use as a reply, “exactly, quite so”, appears beside the older sense of “in the right way, correctly”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) With a negation it softens a contradiction: ''non è esattamente vero'' “it is not quite true”.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ In southern dialects the popular form of the adjective, without its first syllable, is doubled to make an adverb: Tarantino ''sáttə-sáttə'' and Barlettano ''satt-satt'' mean “exactly, just right”.^(LEI|21, 858)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1357 – ''exactamente'' appears in the ''Constitutiones Aegidianae''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1572 – GRADIT's date of first record.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|exactly]], [[m|en|precisely]], accurately: ''Ha misurato esattamente la stanza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # just, quite, in every respect: ''È esattamente quello che volevo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # (as a reply) exactly, that's right: ''«Parti domani?» «Esattamente.»''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[esatto]]

+ * [[esattezza]]

+ * [[la|exāctus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In a negative sentence it softens what is said: ''non è esattamente simpatico'' “he is not exactly pleasant”.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}