spiacere Italian · revision 37919

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=late 12th century, Proverbia quae dicuntur super natura feminarum|origins=la placeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /spjaˈt͡ʃe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spiacere''' (first-person singular present spiàccio, first-person singular past historic spiàcqui, past participle spiaciùto, auxiliary èssere)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|it|s-|piacere]], with the prefix that reverses the meaning of the base, so that it means “not to please”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto 1968)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Treccani describes it as a shortened form of [[dispiacere]], with ⟨dis-⟩ reduced to ⟨s-⟩.^(Treccani 2011) Nocentini and Meyer-Lübke instead derive it from [[la-vul|*displaceō|alt=*displacēre]], a remodelling of [[la|displiceō|t=to displease]] on the simple verb [[m|la|placeō|t=to please]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The same Vulgar Latin verb is continued by [[fro|desplaisir]], [[fr|déplaire]], [[pro|desplazer]], [[ca|desplaure]], [[es|desplacer]] and [[pt|desprazer]].^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin verb is a stative in ⟨-ē-⟩.^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan reconstructs [[itc-pro|*plakē-]] and finds a direct match only in Tocharian; a link with the root of [[grc|πλήσσω|tr=plḗssō|t=to strike]] is possible in form but hard to reconcile in meaning.^(de Vaan 2008)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the ''Proverbia quae dicuntur super natura feminarum'', a Venetian poem of the last quarter of the 12th century, which says “eu dirai tutavia, cui qe debia splasere” (I will say it all the same, whomever it may displease).^(TLIO)^(GDLI) DELI dates the sense “to cause resentment or bitterness” to the 13th century, to Ugieri Apugliese, who wrote that “la guerra molto mi spiace, / ke frutta pistolenza” (war displeases me greatly, for it bears pestilence).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the verb covered any unpleasant feeling caused in someone, the disapproval of a political party and God's displeasure at sin.^(TLIO) The negative present subjunctive was already used as a mild apology or a request for a favour, in the manner of ''non ti spiaccia''.^(TLIO) Dante wrote “ché perder tempo a chi più sa più spiace” (for losing time grieves him most who knows most), and Petrarch “quel ch'a te spiacque” (what displeased you).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI)

+

+ The nominalized infinitive ''spiacere'' “sorrow, displeasure” is recorded from Ubertino del Bianco d'Arezzo (before 1269) and used by Boccaccio, but it is now obsolete.^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) The present participle ''spiacente'' is found in a poet of the Sicilian school (before 1250) in the sense “displeasing”, and with the modern sense “sorry” in Ippolito Nievo (before 1861); ''spiacevole'' “unpleasant” goes back to Fra Giordano (before 1311).^(DELI 1999) The pronominal ''spiacersi'' “to be sorry” is recorded only in 1873, in Tommaseo.^(DELI 1999) Today the verb lives above all in polite formulas such as ''mi spiace'' and ''se non le spiace''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – ''Splasere'' appears in the Venetian ''Proverbia quae dicuntur super natura feminarum''.^(TLIO)^(GDLI)

+ * Before 1250 – ''Spiacente'' is used by a poet of the Sicilian school.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1269 – The noun ''spiacere'' “sorrow” is recorded in Ubertino del Bianco d'Arezzo.^(TLIO)

+ * 13th century – Ugieri Apugliese uses the verb for “to cause resentment”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1311 – ''Spiacevole'' is recorded in Fra Giordano.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1861 – Ippolito Nievo uses ''spiacente'' for “sorry”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1873 – Tommaseo records the pronominal ''spiacersi''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To cause [[m|en|regret]], to make someone sorry (with the person in the dative, often impersonal): ''Le spiace di aver perso il treno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # In polite formulas, to soften a refusal or ask leave: ''Mi spiace, oggi il negozio è chiuso'', ''Ti spiace se apro la finestra?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To [[m|en|displease]], to be disliked or cause annoyance: ''Quel tono arrogante spiacque a molti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''spiacersi'': to be sorry, to regret: ''Si spiacque molto dell'accaduto.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spiacente]]

+ * [[spiacevole]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[piacere]]

+ * [[dispiacere]]

+ * [[la|displiceō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Spiacere'' is conjugated like ''piacere'' and takes ''essere''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary labels it a literary variant of ''dispiacere'', but GRADIT counts it among the words of high use, mostly in ''mi spiace''.^(Wiktionary)^(GRADIT 2003)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}