personale Italian · revision 37962

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1344, Giovanni Villani|origins=la persōna}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /per.soˈna.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''personale''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural personali, superlative personalissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|persōnālis|t=personal]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI)^(Wiktionary) In Latin it was a term of the jurists Paulus and Ulpian and, for the grammatical person, of the grammarian Diomedes; it is formed from [[la|persōna|t=mask; character; person]] with the suffix [[m|la|-ālis]].^(DEI)^(OLD 2012) The noun is the adjective used as a noun;^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wikizionario) GRADIT compares [[fr|personnel]], and Sabatini–Coletti and the Italian Wiktionary take the sense “staff” from French.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wikizionario)

+

+ The origin of the Latin noun is unknown: one proposal derives it from [[ett|𐌘𐌄𐌓𐌔𐌖|tr=φersu|t=mask, masked actor]]; another, already made by Roman writers, from [[la|personō|alt=personāre|t=to sound through]], which the different vowel length makes unlikely.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is Giovanni Villani (before 1344), with the sense “of the person, of the individual”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Tommaseo quotes his chronicle on the duties owed by a town: “Promisono le fazioni reali, e personali, siccome propria terra del contado di Firenze” (They promised the duties on property and on persons, as a land belonging to the territory of Florence).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adjective long belonged to the language of law and taxation, as in Matteo Villani's “servigio personale” (personal service), and to grammar from the 19th century.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(DEI) As a masculine noun it meant a person's figure or build from Scipione Maffei (before 1755), and Goldoni wrote “Amo il suo personale” (I love her figure).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|13, 112)

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+ The sense “all the people employed in an office or service” is first recorded in 1790, in a newspaper;^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Tommaseo still rejected ''il personale insegnante'' as neither elegant nor necessary.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The feminine noun ''la personale'', short for ''mostra personale'', a solo exhibition of a living artist, dates from 1950.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) In basketball ''fallo personale'' is a personal foul.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1344 – Giovanni Villani uses ''personale''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1755 – Scipione Maffei uses the noun for a person's figure.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1790 – The noun “staff” is recorded in a newspaper.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1950 – ''La personale'' “solo exhibition” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|personal]], belonging to or concerning a single person: ''Ognuno ha i suoi gusti personali.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|private]], confidential: ''È una lettera personale, non aprirla.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Individual, subjective; original: ''Il suo modo di cantare è molto personale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of the body: ''igiene personale'', personal hygiene.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Personal: ''pronome personale''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|staff]], [[m|en|personnel]]: the employees of a firm, office or service: ''Il personale del museo sciopera domani.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person's figure or build: ''avere un bel personale''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # The personal sphere, private matters.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(basketball)'' A personal foul.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(feminine)'' A solo [[m|en|exhibition]] of one artist's work: ''Il pittore inaugura una personale a Torino.''^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[personalità]]

+ * [[personalmente]]

+ * [[personalismo]]

+ * [[personalizzare]]

+ * [[impersonale]]

+ * [[interpersonale]]

+ * [[spersonalizzare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[persona]]

+ * [[personaggio]]

+ * [[la|persōna]]

+ * [[fr|personnel]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''A titolo personale'' means “in a private capacity, without involving others”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}