scegliere Italian · revision 38013

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Brunetto Latini|origins=la legō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʃeʎ.ʎe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Regional: /ˈʃɛʎ.ʎe.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''scegliere''' (first-person singular present scélgo, first-person singular past historic scélsi, past participle scélto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ The literary [[scerre]] is a second type of the same verb.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(LEI|22, 114) Old forms include [[roa-oit|scelgere]].^(GDLI|17, 908)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is inherited from Latin, but the exact base is disputed.^(LEI)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI, GRADIT and Wiktionary derive it from [[la-vul|*exēligō|alt=*exēligere]], a compound of [[la|ex-]] and [[m|la|ēligō|t=to choose]], as Diez and Meyer-Lübke proposed.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(REW 1935) Nocentini and the LEI prefer [[la|sēligō|t=to choose, select]], attested in Latin as early as Varro, from [[m|la|legō|t=to gather]] with the separative prefix [[m|la|sē-|alt=se(d)-]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|22, 114) The reconstruction was proposed above all to explain the initial /ʃ/, but in Italian /s/ before a front vowel can give the same sound, as in [[scemo]] and [[scimmia]], so it is not needed.^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|22, 114)

+

+ Gallo-Romance and Ibero-Romance continue a [[la-vul|*exligō|alt=*exligere]], with the vowel before the stress lost: [[fro|eslire]], [[pro|eslire]] and [[osp|esleer]].^(LEI|22, 114) It was adapted as [[scn|assiddiyiri]].^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3381) Italian also has the learned [[eleggere]] “to elect”, from [[m|la|ēligō]], and [[selezione]], from the family of [[m|la|sēligō]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Brunetto Latini, before 1294, in the sense “to pick out the best of several persons, things or solutions”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The noun ''scelta'' “choice” is in Bono Giamboni before 1292.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the verb also meant “to sort, separate, distinguish”, close to [[cernere]].^(DEI|3381) Ariosto used it in 1516 for “to take the best part, separating it from the worse”.^(DELI 1999) The sense “to prefer to do something” is recorded by Tommaseo in 1872, and in 1950 Migliorini noted ''scegliere la libertà'', an allusion to Victor Kravchenko's anti-Bolshevik book ''I Chose Freedom''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The participle ''scelto'' “select, choice” and the noun ''scelta'' formed set phrases: ''a scelta'' “as one prefers” (Ariosto, 1516) and ''di prima scelta'' “first-rate” (1959).^(DELI 1999) ''Sceglitore'' was a worker who sorted wool, already in Medieval Latin in 1317–1319.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – ''Scelta'' “choice” in Bono Giamboni.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''scegliere''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1317–1319 – Medieval Latin ''sceglitor'', a wool sorter.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1516 – Ariosto uses ''a scelta'' and the sense “to take the best part”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1872 – Tommaseo records the sense “to prefer”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|choose]], select among several things the one that best suits a purpose: ''Abbiamo scelto un tavolo vicino alla finestra.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To choose a person for a role or task: ''La squadra ha scelto un nuovo allenatore.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(intransitive, absolute)'' To make a choice: ''Prenditi tempo per scegliere'', ''c'è poco da scegliere'' “there is little choice”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|prefer]], decide on: ''Ha scelto di restare.''^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[scelta]]

+ * [[scelto]]

+ * [[sceglitore]]

+ * [[prescegliere]]

+ * [[trascegliere]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[eleggere]]

+ * [[leggere]]

+ * [[selezione]]

+ * [[la|sēligō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The verb is irregular: ''scelgo'', ''scegli''; past historic ''scelsi''; past participle ''scelto''.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''Scegliere fior da fiore'' means “to pick only the best”.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}