regola Italian · revision 38077

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=la regō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈrɛ.ɡo.la/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''regola''' ''f'' (plural regole)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote ''regula''.^(GDLI|15, 731)^(Prati 1951)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|rēgula|t=straight stick, ruler; rule]], a learned or semi-learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin noun is formed from [[m|la|regō|t=to guide straight, rule]] with a diminutive suffix.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) It first meant a straight bar of wood or metal, then a rule of conduct in the moral sense, matching [[grc|κανών|tr=kanṓn]].^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ The popular outcomes of the Latin word kept the concrete sense of a bar: [[lmo|rega]] “iron for barrel hoops”, Logudorese “reya” “honeycomb”, [[oc|relha]] “lever”, [[es|reja]] “grille” and [[pt|relha]] “ploughshare”.^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) The abstract “rule” came back in learned forms: [[fr|règle]], [[es|regla]] and [[pt|regra]].^(REW 1935)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) [[en|rule]] comes from [[fro|rieule]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Several derivatives took their senses from French: [[regolamento]] in the sense “ordinance” after [[fr|règlement]], [[regolamentare]] after [[m|fr|réglementaire]], and [[regolarizzare]] after [[m|fr|régulariser]] (1794).^(DELI 1999) The verb [[regolare]] seems to be a Romance formation, although a rare [[la-lat|regulō|alt=regulāre]] existed in the 5th century (Caelius Aurelianus).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is the rule of a religious order, the norms by which its founder governs the life of the community, before 1292 in Bono Giamboni.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT dates the first record to the second half of the 13th century.^(GRADIT 2003) Dante uses the word for “measure, manner” (1300–1313): the rain of the third circle of Hell has a “regola e qualità” that never changes.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “precept, norm of what one should do” is recorded before 1311 in Giordano da Pisa, a norm drawn from experience or custom in 1354 in Iacopo Passavanti, the orderly course of events before 1519 in Leonardo, and a method for solving problems before 1642 in Galileo's “rule of three”.^(DELI 1999) The plural ''regole'' “menstruation” is recorded before 1711 in Giovanni Battista Morgagni and is still popular usage.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ In the lands of the old Venetian Republic, Trentino and Cadore a ''regola'' was a rural community holding pastures in common, and Medieval Latin ''regula'' had this sense at Padua from the 13th century.^(DEI|3224)^(DIFIT)^(REW 1935) In Tuscany and at Tarquinia in Lazio ''regola'' is also the wooden rattle of Holy Week.^(Cortelazzo & Marcato 1998)

+

+ Many fixed phrases are built on the word: ''di regola'' “as a rule”, ''in regola'' “in order”, ''a regola d'arte'' “expertly”, ''avere le carte in regola'' “to have the right qualifications”, and the proverb ''l'eccezione conferma la regola''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''regola'' for the rule of a religious order.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses it for “measure, manner”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1311 – Giordano da Pisa uses it for “precept”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1354 – Iacopo Passavanti uses it for a norm drawn from experience.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1452 – ''Regola'' as a rural community in the Veneto.^(DIFIT)

+ * Before 1519 – Leonardo uses it for the orderly course of events.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1642 – Galileo writes of the ''regola del tre''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1711 – Morgagni uses the plural for “menstruation”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The constant [[m|en|order]] seen in a series of events: ''Questi fenomeni si ripetono senza alcuna regola.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A [[m|en|rule]], a [[m|en|precept]] prescribing how to act in a given case or activity, based on experience or convention: ''Le regole del gioco valgono per tutti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(linguistics)'' A norm of correct usage: ''le regole della grammatica''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A practical method for solving problems or doing calculations: ''la regola del tre''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # The rule of a religious order, and the text that sets it out: ''la regola benedettina''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|moderation]], restraint: ''Mangia senza regola.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The normal, usual state of things: ''Qui i ritardi sono ormai la regola.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(popular, in the plural)'' [[m|en|menstruation]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(regional, historical)'' In the old Venetian territories, Trentino and Cadore, a minor territorial unit, a community holding common land.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT)^(DEI|3224)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[regolare]]

+ * [[regolamento]]

+ * [[regolamentare]]

+ * [[regolarità]]

+ * [[regolarizzare]]

+ * [[regolatore]]

+ * [[regolazione]]

+ * [[regolabile]]

+ * [[irregolare]]

+ * [[sregolato]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[reggere]]

+ * [[la|rēgula]]

+ * [[fr|règle]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}