scelta Italian · revision 37920

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=la legō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʃel.ta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''scelta''' ''f'' (plural scelte)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine of [[scelto|t=chosen]], the past participle of [[scegliere|t=to choose]], used as a noun.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ DELI and GRADIT derive the verb from [[la-vul|*exēligō|alt=*exēligere]], formed from [[m|la|ex-]] and [[la|ēligō|t=to pick out, choose]].^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(REW 1935) Nocentini prefers [[m|la|sēligō|t=to select]], from [[m|la|legō|t=to gather]] with [[m|la|sē-|t=apart]], and calls the prefixed form an unnecessary complication: an initial /s/ before a front vowel can give the same /ʃ/, as in [[scemare]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is Bono Giamboni (before 1292), with the sense “the act of choosing”.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) The GDLI quotes his translation of Orosius on a man who put his relatives to death “non facendone scelta neuna” (without choosing among them).^(GDLI|17, 914)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Boccaccio has a woman fall in love with a young man “a sua scelta”, of her own choosing.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|4, 626) Ariosto uses ''a scelta'' “as one prefers” (1516) and the sense “the best part, the pick” (1532), which replaced ''eletta'' in the last edition of the ''Orlando furioso''.^(DELI 1999) ''Di prima scelta'' “top quality” is recorded in 1959.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Modern usage adds ''l'imbarazzo della scelta'' “too many options to choose from”, ''scelta di vita'' “life choice” and the football term ''scelta del campo'', the choice of ends at the start of a match.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''scelta''.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses the verb ''scegliere''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio's ''Decameron'' has ''a sua scelta''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|4, 626)

+ * 1516 – Ariosto uses ''a scelta''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1532 – Ariosto uses ''scelta'' for “the best part”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1959 – ''Di prima scelta'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|choice]]: the act of choosing among several possibilities: ''Hai fatto la scelta giusta.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An option, an alternative: ''non avere scelta'', to have no choice, ''scelta obbligata'', a forced choice.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # The selection of a person for a task or post.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A range of things to choose from: ''In quel negozio c'è poca scelta.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A grade of quality: ''di prima scelta'', top quality, ''di seconda scelta'', second-rate.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A [[m|en|selection]] of works, an anthology: ''una scelta di racconti''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(philosophy)'' The act of will that settles on one decision among others.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scegliere]]

+ * [[scegliticcio]]

+ * [[sceltezza]]

+ * [[scelto]]

+ * [[eleggere]]

+ * [[selezione]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''A scelta'' means “as one prefers”, and ''scelta di tempo'' is timing, doing something at the right moment.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}