sorpresa Italian · revision 38039

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation, semantic loan|attested=1585}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /sorˈpre.za/, /sorˈpre.sa/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''sorpresa''' ''f'' (plural sorprese)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine of [[sorpreso]], the past participle of [[sorprendere]], used as a noun.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary) The verb is formed [[af|it|sor-|prendere]], literally “to take from above”, and DELI sees it at least in part as a calque, Nocentini as a loan, of [[fr|surprendre]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

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+ The senses of the noun follow [[m|fr|surprise]]: [[fro|sorprise]] is recorded about 1160 for the act of surprising, and the French word was used for an astonishing event from 1549 and for astonishment from 1649.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Treccani and Sabatini–Coletti call the sense “astonishing thing” a calque of the French word.^(Treccani 2011)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) DEI also records an older [[roa-oit|sorpriso]] in the 13th century and in Dante, in rhyme.^(DEI|3559)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the word to 1585, in the military sense “surprise attack”;^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) DELI's first record, in Francesco Panigarola before 1594, is the act of surprising.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) Panigarola writes “Per far sorprese non molta gente si richiede, ma scelta” (to make surprise attacks one needs not many men, but picked ones).^(GDLI|19, 500) DELI rejects an earlier record given by the Crusca and Tommaseo as a forgery.^(DELI 1999)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th century the word was mostly military: Tommaseo quotes writers on fortification and cavalry who speak of ''scalate o sorprese'', escalades or surprise attacks.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI|19, 500) The sense “astonishment” is recorded in Frugoni in 1680, and DEI dates “an unexpected thing” to Antonio Cesari in the 18th century.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3559)

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+ In modern Italian a ''sorpresa'' is also an unannounced visit, the small gift inside an Easter egg, and a kind of pasta for broth shaped like an unfilled ''cappelletto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The phrases ''a sorpresa'' and ''di sorpresa'' mean “unexpected, unawares”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1160 – Old French ''sorprise'' “act of surprising”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1585 – ''Sorpresa'' “surprise attack”.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1594 – Francesco Panigarola uses the word.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1680 – Francesco Frugoni uses it for astonishment.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 18th century – ''Sorpresa'' “unexpected thing” in Antonio Cesari.^(DEI|3559)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|surprise]], astonishment at something unexpected: ''Lo guardò con un’espressione di sorpresa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # An unexpected event that causes surprise, pleasant or not: ''Il risultato delle elezioni è stato una sorpresa per tutti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Something done or given unexpectedly to please someone: ''Per il suo compleanno gli abbiamo preparato una sorpresa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # The small [[m|en|gift]] hidden inside an Easter egg or a sweet.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(military)'' A surprise attack meant to catch the enemy unprepared.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|19, 500)

+ # An unannounced visit.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # A kind of pasta for broth, like a ''cappelletto'' without filling.^(GRADIT 2003)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sorpresina]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sorprendere]]

+ * [[sorpreso]]

+ * [[prendere]]

+ * [[fr|surprise]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Di sorpresa'' “unawares” goes with ''cogliere'' or ''prendere'': ''cogliere qualcuno di sorpresa'';^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) ''a sorpresa'' “surprise” follows a noun, as in ''festa a sorpresa''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}