giovane Italian · revision 37934

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=13th century|origins=la iuvenis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈd͡ʒo.va.ne/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''giovane''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural giovani, superlative giovanissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+ The literary variant is [[giovine]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Old forms include [[roa-oit|giovano]], [[roa-oit|gioane]] and [[roa-oit|giovene]].^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) In the old Venetian texts the word is [[roa-oit|çovene]].^(TLIO)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|iuvenis|t=young; young person]], through a spoken form [[la-vul|*iovenis]] with /o/ in the first syllable.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The unstressed vowel after the stress opened to /a/, as usual in words stressed on the third-to-last syllable.^(Devoto 1968)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The same word is [[fr|jeune]], [[oc|jove]], [[ca|jove]], [[es|joven]], [[pt|jovem]] and [[ro|june]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin word is an old Indo-European adjective.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010) It is related to [[sa|युवन्|tr=yúvan|t=young]], [[cu|юнъ|tr=junŭ|t=young]] and [[lt|jáunas|t=young]], and, with a suffix in -k-, to [[goh|jung]], English [[m|en|young]] and [[m|la|iuvencus|t=young bullock]], the source of [[giovenco]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*h₂iu-h₁en-|t=having vital force]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur super natura feminarum''.^(TLIO) DELI finds the adjective in 13th-century Florentine texts, “younger”, distinguishing two people of the same name, in Bono Giamboni (before 1292), and the noun in Guittone d'Arezzo (before 1294).^(DELI 1999) In one of Guittone's poems a speaker says “Giovane sono, gioventa vogli' usare” (I am young, I want to enjoy my youth).^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Guittone also uses the word for “inexperienced”, and a 14th-century Bible translation for “having the qualities of youth”.^(DELI 1999) In the papers of the merchant Francesco Datini (1400) a ''giovane'' is a shop assistant or clerk, as in ''giovane di bottega''.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) The senses “recently born or formed” (1869) and of wine and cheese “not aged” (1887) are modern.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In the 18th and 19th centuries ''giovane'' and ''giovine'' alternated, and Mazzini named his association ''Giovine Italia'' (1831).^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) The family includes ''giovinezza'' (late 13th century), of which Dante says “giovinezza è colmo de la naturale vita” (youth is the peak of natural life), ''giovanile'' (before 1294) and ''giovanotto'' (15th century).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) In advertising the adjective now also means “for young people”, as in ''moda giovane''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – ''Giovane'' is recorded in Florentine texts.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses the noun and the adjective ''giovanile''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante defines ''giovinezza'' in the ''Convivio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1400 – The Datini papers use ''giovane'' for a shop assistant.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1831 – Mazzini founds the ''Giovine Italia''.^(Treccani 2011)

+ * 1869 – The sense “recently born or formed” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|young]], between adolescence and maturity, or not yet old: ''È morto giovane, a trentadue anni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Too young for something, inexperienced: ''Sei ancora giovane per capire.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Younger, and after a name, the Younger: ''Plinio il Giovane''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|youthful]] in looks or spirit: ''Mia nonna è rimasta giovane di carattere.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Meant for the young: ''moda giovane''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Of animals and plants, born or planted recently.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Of states and institutions, recently formed, and of wine or cheese, not aged.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A young man or woman, a [[m|en|youth]]: ''I giovani di oggi leggono poco.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A shop [[m|en|assistant]] or apprentice: ''giovane di bottega''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[giovinezza]]

+ * [[gioventù]]

+ * [[giovanile]]

+ * [[giovanotto]]

+ * [[giovanetto]]

+ * [[giovinetto]]

+ * [[giovinastro]]

+ * [[giovincello]]

+ * [[ringiovanire]]

+ * [[giovanilismo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[giovanilista]]

+ * [[giovanilistico]]

+ * [[giovenco]]

+ * [[la|iuvenis]]

+ * [[fr|jeune]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Da giovane'' means “in one's youth”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) ''Giovine'' is now literary.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}