guardia Italian · revision 38085

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=gem-pro *wardōną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɡwar.dja/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''guardia''' ''f'' (plural guardie)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|it|guardare|-ia|t1=to look at; to guard]], from the verb, probably with an abstract suffix.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Nocentini 2010) The verb is a medieval Germanic loan, from [[gem-pro|*wardōną|alt=*wardōn|t=to watch, be on guard]], the source of [[goh|wartēn]] and [[ang|weardian]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ DELI adds that the noun has its own antecedent in [[got|𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌳𐌾𐌰|tr=wardja|t=guard, watchman]], with [[la-lat|*guardia]], and Gabrielli derives it straight from Gothic.^(DELI 1999)^(Gabrielli 2020) Zaccaria thought a direct loan of [[gem-pro|*wardō|alt=*warda]] likelier than a derivative of the verb, because a word for the sentry was too important among the invaders not to be taken over directly, and place names show posts of “warda” in the Lombard period.^(Zaccaria 1901)^(Körting 1907) The old language also had [[roa-oit|guarda]], the plain verbal noun, which Prati explains as drawn into the nouns in “-ia” like “custodia”;^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|1886) Devoto and DEI also think of the influence of [[custodia]].^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|1886)

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+ The same formation is [[fr|garde]] and [[es|guarda]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Bono Giamboni, before 1292, both for the act of watching over something and for a body of soldiers guarding a place; the form ''guarda'' is in the same century, in Giacomino da Verona and Meo de' Tolomei.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 14th century ''guardia'' meant both the watch and the sentry, in Compagni, Dante and Villani,^(Zaccaria 1901) and Dante used it for a defence or rampart: ''per guardia de le mura'' (to protect the walls).^(Treccani 2011) The Tuscan proverb ''Buona guardia schiva ria ventura'' (a good watch avoids bad luck) is recorded by Tommaseo.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ Later senses follow the duties of the guard: the shift of duty of soldiers, nurses and doctors (''medico di guardia'' is recorded in 1887, ''guardia medica'' for the emergency medical service in 1939–1940), whole corps such as the ''guardia di finanza'' and the ''guardia forestale'' (1905), the police officer in familiar speech, and the defensive position in fencing and boxing.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) In older Italian ''guardia'' was also the hospital nurse.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ German took ''Guardia'' in 1563 for the body of soldiers and in 1570 for the guard of a sword hilt.^(DIFIT) The word passed into Polish as ''gwardia'' and, from there into Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''guardia''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – The variant ''guarda'' in Giacomino da Verona.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1563 – German ''Guardia'' “guard of soldiers”.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1808 – ''Guardia'' as a masculine noun for a forest or field warden.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * 1887 – ''Medico di guardia''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1905 – ''Guardia forestale'' in Giovanni Pascoli.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1939–1940 – ''Guardia medica''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of watching over and protecting something; [[m|en|watch]], [[m|en|custody]]: ''fare la guardia'', ''cane da guardia'' “watchdog”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A turn of duty, especially at night or on holidays, of soldiers, doctors, nurses or a ship's crew: ''Domenica il dottore è di guardia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A person or group charged with guarding someone or something; a [[m|en|sentry]]: ''Due guardie sorvegliavano il portone.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A military or civil corps: ''guardia di finanza'' (the Italian customs and finance police), ''guardia svizzera'', ''guardia del corpo'' “bodyguard”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A police officer or municipal policeman: ''Qualcuno ha chiamato le guardie.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(fencing, boxing)'' The guard position: ''abbassare la guardia'', also figuratively.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(basketball)'' A [[m|en|guard]], the player who brings the ball forward.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The guard of a sword hilt; the danger mark on a river bank (''livello di guardia''); the endpaper of a book (''foglio di guardia'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[guardiano]]

+ * [[guardiola]]

+ * [[guardina]]

+ * [[avanguardia]]

+ * [[retroguardia]]

+ * [[guardia del corpo]]

+ * [[guardia medica]]

+ * [[cambio della guardia]]

+ * [[controguardia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[guardare]]

+ * [[riguardo]]

+ * [[sguardo]]

+ * [[fr|garde]]

+ * [[en|guard]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Guardia'' is also a masculine invariable noun in Tuscan (''il guardia''), from 1808, for a forest or game warden or a field guard.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) Many compounds have ''guarda-'' rather than ''guardia'' (''guardaboschi'', ''guardacaccia''); ''guardiamarina'' imitates French ''garde-marine'', and ''guardiacaccia'' is a cross of ''guardacaccia'' with ''guardia''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}