però Italian · revision 37916

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=12th–13th century, Ritmo laurenziano|origins=la per, la hic}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /peˈrɔ/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|per hoc|t=through this; for this reason]], a phrase of [[m|la|per|t=through]] and [[m|la|hoc|t=this]], the neuter of [[m|la|hic]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Its first meaning was causal, “therefore”, which Florentine still keeps.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini explains the adversative meaning “but” from negative or contrasting clauses of result, where “so don't speak” could be heard as “but don't speak”.^(Nocentini 2010) [[es|pero]] went through the same change and also moved the stress back, while Italian keeps it on the last syllable.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907) The parallel phrase with [[m|la|prō]] gave [[fro|poruec]] “therefore”.^(DEI)^(Körting 1907)

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+ Latin [[m|la|per]] goes back to [[ine-pro|*péri|t=across, around]], like [[grc|περί|tr=perí|t=around]] and [[sa|परि|tr=pári]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The pronoun [[m|la|hic]] is built on one of the many demonstrative stems of the parent language, with the particle [[m|la|-ce]] added.^(de Vaan 2008)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is ''peroe'' in the ''Ritmo laurenziano'' (12th–13th century), in the sense “since, because”, while Nocentini and Devoto–Oli date the word to the 11th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The adversative sense “but, however” is first recorded in Giacomo da Lentini (before 1250).^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old and literary Italian used ''però'' freely for “therefore”: Petrarch writes “tempo non mi parea da far riparo / contra colpi d'Amor: però m'andai / secur, senza sospetto” (it did not seem a time to guard against Love's blows, so I went on safe and unsuspecting).^(GRADIT 2003) Tommaseo still explained the passage from one meaning to the other and noted that the Tuscans liked to say ''e però'', also written ''epperò''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ Reinforced ''ma però'' “but however” is very old: Dante has “ma però di levarsi era neente” (but still there was no getting up), and Castiglione used it too; formal language now avoids it.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The compound ''però che'', ''perocché'' “because” goes back to the 12th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) At the start of a sentence ''però!'' expresses surprise or admiration.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) Maltese borrowed the word.^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 11th century – Nocentini and Devoto–Oli date the first record.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * 12th–13th century – ''Peroe'' “because” appears in the ''Ritmo laurenziano''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 12th century – ''Perocché'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomo da Lentini uses ''però'' for “but”.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # [[m|en|but]], [[m|en|however]], with stronger contrast than ''ma''; it can also follow the words it contrasts: ''Il film era lungo, però non mi sono annoiato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|nevertheless]], all the same (after a concessive clause): ''Anche se è tardi, devi però finire i compiti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Reinforced by ''ma'': ''ma però''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary, archaic)'' [[m|en|therefore]], for this reason, often as ''e però''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ===Interjection===

+ # Expresses surprise or approval: ''Però, che bella casa!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[perocché]]

+ * [[epperò]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[per]]

+ * [[perciò]]

+ * [[es|pero]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ Doubled, ''però però'' introduces a criticism or a reservation.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}