raccontare Italian · revision 38088

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1260–1261|origins=la putō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /rak.konˈta.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''raccontare''' (first-person singular present raccónto, first-person singular past historic raccontài, past participle raccontàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ An older spelling is [[roa-oit|racontare]], and the archaic past participle is ''racconto''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|it|ra-|contare]], from “contare” in its sense “to tell, relate”, with the prefix “ra-” as a reinforcement, parallel to “ri-” in archaic [[ricontare]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The GDLI analyses the prefix as Latin [[m|la|re-]] plus [[m|la|ad-]] with intensive force.^(GDLI|15, 229)

+

+ [[contare|alt=Contare]] is [[la|computō|t=to reckon, count]], from [[m|la|con-]] and [[m|la|putō|t=to reckon, think]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) The sense “to tell” developed early in the Romance languages from “to enumerate, give an account”, and only French separates the two in spelling: [[fr|compter|t=to count]] and [[m|fr|conter|t=to tell]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini dates the word to 1260–1261, and Zingarelli to about 1261.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Zingarelli 2010) DELI's first record, with the sense “to report words or events, especially by word of mouth”, is in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 14th century the Bible translations use it for narrating in writing, in a plain tone.^(DELI 1999) Boccaccio has the woman's maid “il raccontò” to her mistress, and the Italian translation of Gregory the Great's ''Dialogues'' uses the old participle: “tutto quello che mi avete racconto” (all that you have told me).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI|15, 229) Zingarelli also gives an obsolete sense “to mention, count among”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) The noun [[racconto]] is recorded in Castelvetro in 1570 for what is told, and in Tasso in 1594 for the act of telling.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Modern usage has many idioms: ''raccontare per filo e per segno'' “to tell in every detail”, ''poterla raccontare'' “to live to tell the tale”, and ''a chi la racconti?'' “who do you think you're fooling?”.^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1260–1261 – Nocentini's date of first record.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Late 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses ''raccontare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – Bible translations use it for narrating in writing.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – ''Raccontabile'' in the Italian Livy.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1570 – Castelvetro uses ''racconto'' “story”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|tell]], to report facts or words, especially by word of mouth: ''Mi ha raccontato tutto quello che è successo alla festa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|narrate]] a story, real or invented: ''Ogni sera il nonno ci raccontava una fiaba.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of a book or film, to have as its subject: ''Il romanzo racconta la vita di un pescatore.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To talk about someone or something: ''Raccontami del tuo nuovo lavoro.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''raccontarla'': to try to make someone believe something untrue: ''a chi la racconti?''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[racconto]]

+ * [[raccontabile]]

+ * [[raccontatore]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[contare]]

+ * [[conto]]

+ * [[narrare]]

+ * [[fr|conter]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The reflexive ''raccontarsi'' means “to talk about oneself”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) An obsolete second ''raccontarsi'', “to make peace, be reconciled”, formed from [[accontare]], is found in the old Italian translation of Seneca's letters.^(GDLI|15, 229)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}