controllo Italian · revision 37867

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1666, Agostino Sagredo|origins=frm contrerole}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /konˈtrɔl.lo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''controllo''' ''m'' (plural controlli)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|contrôle|t=check, verification]], recorded in French in 1611.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The French word is a shortened form of [[frm|contrerole]] (14th century), literally “counter-roll”, a register kept in duplicate so that the accounts could be checked against it.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|1085) It is made of [[m|frm|contre|t=against]] and [[m|frm|role|t=roll, register]], which goes back to [[la|rotulus|t=little wheel; roll]], a diminutive of [[m|la|rota|t=wheel]].^(GDLI|3, 700) The medieval Latin form was [[m|la-med|contrarotulum]].^(DEI|1085) The ending ⟨-ollo⟩ adapts the French ⟨-ôle⟩, as in [[consolle]] and [[percalle]].^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The French verb [[m|fr|contrôler]] (1210, as ⟨contreroller⟩) and the noun [[m|fr|contrôleur]] (1292) gave [[controllare]] and [[controllore]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) An earlier adaptation of ⟨contrerolleur⟩, ⟨contrarolo⟩, is in a document of 1506 and in Machiavelli.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first records are scattered: in 1666 Agostino Sagredo uses ''controllo'' for a controller, and in 1798 the assemblies of the Cisalpine Republic use it for the register of the men and operations of a military corps.^(DELI 1999) The sense “checking, verification” is recorded in 1812 in Bernardoni.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word and its family spread in Italy during the Napoleonic period and won out despite the purists.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo in 1869 still called ''controllare'' a foreign word and suggested ''riscontrare'' or ''sindacare'' in its place.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The senses “power, command” and “self-control”, recorded from 1921 (Giuseppe Antonio Borgese), are calques of English ''control''.^(DELI 1999) ''Controllo delle nascite'' is a loan translation of English ''birth control'', a phrase of 1914 credited to Margaret Sanger; in 1935 Panzini still gave it in English.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ Today the word covers inspections of every kind (''controllo dei passaporti'', ''controllo di qualità''), the office or place where they happen, medical check-ups, control of a vehicle and, in business, the control of a company through a majority of its shares.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1506 – The adaptation ''contrarolo'' “controller” appears in a document.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1611 – French ''contrôle'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1666 – Agostino Sagredo uses ''controllo'' for a controller.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1798 – It is used for a military register in the Cisalpine Republic.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1812 – Bernardoni records the sense “checking”, and rejects it.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1921 – Borgese uses it for “mastery, command”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1935 – Panzini gives ''birth control'' in English.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|check]], [[m|en|inspection]], verification: ''il controllo dei biglietti'', ''un controllo di qualità''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(medicine)'' [[m|en|checkup]], a follow-up visit: ''Devo tornare dal medico per un controllo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|surveillance]], supervision, especially by the police or the military: ''La zona è sotto il controllo dell'esercito.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # the office, people or place where checks are made: ''Ci hanno fermati al controllo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # regulation of an activity by an authority: ''il controllo degli affitti''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|command]], mastery: ''perdere il controllo della macchina''; self-control: ''perdere il controllo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(finance)'' control of a company through a majority of its shares.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[controllare]]

+ * [[controllore]]

+ * [[autocontrollo]]

+ * [[controlleria]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[controllabile]]

+ * [[controllabilità]]

+ * [[controllato]]

+ * [[ruolo]]

+ * [[fr|contrôle]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''sotto controllo'' “under control”, ''fuori controllo'' “out of control” and ''controllo delle nascite'' “birth control”.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}