attenzione Italian · revision 37944

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 13th century, Bonvesin da la Riva|origins=la attendō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /at.tenˈt͡sjo.ne/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''attenzione''' ''f'' (plural attenzioni)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older spellings include [[roa-oit|atentïon]] and [[roa-oit|attention]].^(TLIO) The Renaissance spelling ''attentione'' is recorded from 1548 to 1681.^(LEI|3, 2068)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|attentiō|t=application of the mind, attention]], from [[m|la|attendō|t=to turn the mind to]] with the suffix [[m|la|-tiō]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Zingarelli derives it from the participle [[m|la|attentus|t=attentive]] instead.^(Zingarelli 2010) The Latin verb lives on in the popular word [[attendere]].^(LEI|3, 2053)

+

+ The Latin noun was taken in the same learned way into [[rm|attenziun]], [[fr|attention]] (1536), [[ca|atenció]] (about 1284, in Ramon Llull), [[es|atención]] (1300) and [[pt|atenção]] (16th century).^(LEI|3, 2068) DEI and the GDLI think that the sense “courtesy, kind act” came from the French noun.^(DEI|353)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Milanese poems of Bonvesin da la Riva, from the late 13th century, with the sense “application of the mind or the senses to something”.^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI dates the sense “intense concentration of the mind” to Francesco da Buti, before 1406.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the word could also mean regard or indulgence towards someone.^(TLIO) DEI notes it in 16th-century philosophy, at the same time as French ''attention''.^(DEI|353) The sense “kind, considerate act”, today mostly in the plural, is dated 1669 by the LEI and 1699 by DELI, both from Filippo Corsini.^(LEI|3, 2068)^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo's dictionary follows Antonio Rosmini in separating an intellectual attention, which is voluntary, from a sensory one, and criticises Condillac for confusing them.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|1, 728)

+

+ Used alone as an exclamation, ''attenzione!'' warns of a danger or asks people to listen.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) In business letters ''alla cortese attenzione di'' introduces the person a letter or parcel is for.^(GRADIT 2003) Psychology uses it for the process that selects information by its relevance.^(Zingarelli 2010) In the slang of Campania ''un'attenzione'' is a “gift” in the sense of a bribe, as a Milan newspaper explained in 1999.^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009) The word is found in nearly every dialect, from Milanese ''attenzión'' to Sicilian ''attenzioni''.^(LEI|3, 2068)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 13th century – Bonvesin da la Riva uses ''attenzione'' in Milanese.^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1406 – Francesco da Buti uses it for concentration of the mind.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1536 – French ''attention'' is first recorded.^(LEI|3, 2068)

+ * 1548 – The spelling ''attentione'' appears in Alunno.^(LEI|3, 2068)

+ * 1669 – Filippo Corsini uses it for a kind act.^(LEI|3, 2068)

+ * 1999 – The ''Corriere della Sera'' explains the Campanian slang sense “bribe”.^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|attention]], concentration of the mind and senses on something: ''Ho letto il contratto con molta attenzione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|care]], caution: ''Guida con attenzione, la strada è ghiacciata.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(usually plural)'' A kind or considerate act: ''La nonna ci riempie di attenzioni ogni volta che passiamo da lei.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''alla cortese attenzione di'': for the attention of (in letters and on parcels).^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(psychology)'' The process by which the mind selects information by its relevance.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Look out!, [[m|en|careful]]!: ''Attenzione, il pavimento è bagnato!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[disattenzione]]

+ * [[attenzionare]]

+ * [[inattenzione]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attento]]

+ * [[attendere]]

+ * [[la|attentio]]

+ * [[fr|attention]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The usual verb phrases are ''fare attenzione'' and ''prestare attenzione'' “to pay attention”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The diminutive is ''attenzioncella''.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}