attento Italian · revision 37891

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=mid-13th century, Guidotto da Bologna|origins=la attendō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /atˈtɛn.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''attento''' (feminine attenta, masculine plural attenti, feminine plural attente, superlative attentissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|attentus|t=attentive, intent]], the past participle of [[m|la|attendō|t=to direct one's mind to]], from [[m|la|ad-]] and [[m|la|tendō|t=to stretch]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(OLD 2012) DELI classes it, with [[attenzione]], as a learned word, but the LEI counts it among the inherited words, and records it in the dialects from Liguria and Lombardy to Emilia.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|3, 2071) Devoto and Wiktionary note that the participle may also have been crossed with that of [[m|la|attineō]].^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary) The same adjective is [[ca|atent]], [[es|atento]], [[pt|atento]] and Romansh [[m|rm|attent]].^(LEI|3, 2071) The rarer [[attentivo]] is probably from [[fro|attentif]].^(LEI|3, 2071)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The earliest records are from the 13th century: the TLIO's first is Ugo di Perso, a Cremonese poet, and the LEI has ''atento'' in Guidotto da Bologna in the middle of the century and in Matteo dei Libri at its end.^(TLIO)^(LEI|3, 2071) Zingarelli dates the word to about 1261.^(Zingarelli 2010) DELI and GRADIT give Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308), for someone who keeps his mind turned to an object.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian already had ''stare attento'' “to pay attention” and ''fare attento'' “to warn”.^(TLIO) Tommaseo distinguished ''attento'' from ''intento'', which he found rarer and more intense.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|1, 726) ''Attenti!'' as the command to stand at attention is recorded in 1865.^(DELI 1999) Today the adjective also describes careful work, and as an exclamation it warns of danger.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-13th century – Guidotto da Bologna uses ''atento''.^(LEI|3, 2071)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''attento'' in the ''Convivio''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1406 – ''Attenzione'' is recorded in Francesco da Buti.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1865 – ''Attenti!'' is recorded as a military command.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|attentive]], paying attention: ''Gli studenti erano attenti alla spiegazione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|careful]], diligent, considerate: ''un infermiere attento''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Done with care, [[m|en|thorough]]: ''una lettura attenta del contratto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Watch out!, careful!: ''Attento, il pavimento è bagnato!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[attenzione]]

+ * [[attentamente]]

+ * [[attenti]]

+ * [[disattento]]

+ * [[inattento]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attendere]]

+ * [[tendere]]

+ * [[la|attentus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Stare attento'' means “to pay attention” or “to be careful”, and said in a threatening tone it is a warning: ''Stai attento a quello che racconti in giro!''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) An old noun ''attento'' “aim, intent; expectation” is recorded by the TLIO and Tommaseo.^(TLIO)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|1, 727)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}