animale Italian · revision 38115

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1252–1258, Storie de Troia e de Roma (Rome)|origins=ine-pro *h₂enh₁mos}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /a.niˈma.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''animale''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural animali)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also had ''anemale'', and the old and poetic plural ''animai'' appears in Dante.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[bor|la|animal|t=living being, animal]] and the adjective [[m|la|animālis|t=living, animate]], both from [[m|la|anima|t=breath, soul]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The noun is the adjective's neuter [[m|la|animāle]] used as a noun, with the final vowel lost.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The LEI finds it hard to decide whether the Italian word is a learned form or a Tuscan development of the popular [[roa-oit|anemale]], while [[fr|animal]], [[ca|animal]], [[es|animal]] and [[pt|animal]] are learned.^(LEI|2, 1338) The popular outcomes survive in the dialects, often for one kind of animal: [[egl|nimal]] at Parma and [[egl|nimä]] at Reggio mean “pig”, [[fur|nemal]] “ox”, and [[rm|armal]] “head of cattle”.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|208) The plural [[la|animalia]] gave [[fro|aumaille|t=cattle]], [[es|alimaña|t=vermin]] and [[ro|nămaie|t=small livestock]].^(REW 1935)^(LEI|2, 1338) [[sc|animale]] is inherited.^(LEI|2, 1338)

+

+ The word for soul and [[m|la|animus|t=mind, spirit]] go back to [[itc-pro|*anamo-|t=breath, spirit]] and [[ine-pro|*h₂enh₁mos|t=breath]], from a root meaning to breathe.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record of the noun is the Roman ''Storie de Troia e de Roma'' of 1252–1258.^(TLIO) DELI dates “beast” to Bondie Dietaiuti in the 13th century and “living being” to Brunetto Latini, before 1294, who defines man as “animale razionale mortale” (a rational, mortal animal).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) The adjective is in Guittone d'Arezzo before 1294 in the sense “of a beast, brutish”.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adjective first meant “of the soul”: in the ''Vita nuova'' (1293–1294) Dante speaks of “lo spirito animale”, the animal spirit, which receives the perceptions of the senses.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) The sense “of living beings” follows in the ''Paradiso''.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) For Dante the noun could still mean a human being, as in Francesca's address “O animal grazïoso e benigno” (O gracious and kindly living creature).^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ Boccaccio, in 1348–1353, was the first to call a coarse, dull-witted man an ''animale''.^(DELI 1999) Science added ''regno animale'', ''calore animale'' and ''elettricità animale'' by the 18th and 19th centuries, with the adjective in the sense “of or from animals”.^(LEI|2, 1349)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The modern figurative ''animale politico'' or ''animale da palcoscenico'' is a person with an instinct for a field.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) [[animalista|alt=Animalista]], now an animal-rights campaigner, is recorded in 1877.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1252–1258 – First record, in the ''Storie de Troia e de Roma''.^(TLIO)

+ * 13th century – Bondie Dietaiuti uses ''animale'' “beast”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1293–1294 – Dante's ''Vita nuova'' has the adjective “of the soul”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses the noun for any living being.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio calls a boorish man an ''animale''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Mid-14th century – ''Animalità'' in the ''Scala del Paradiso''.^(LEI|2, 1338)

+ * 1673 – ''Animalesco'' in Paolo Segneri.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1877 – ''Animalista'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|animal]], any living organism with senses and the power of voluntary movement: ''La foresta pluviale ospita migliaia di animali diversi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(biology)'' A member of the animal kingdom, which must feed on plants or other animals; with a capital, the kingdom ''Animali''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # In everyday use, a [[bestia|alt=beast]], as opposed to a human being: ''In quella fattoria tengono animali da cortile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A coarse, ignorant or stupid person, also as an insult: ''Smettila di urlare, animale!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A person with a natural gift for an activity: ''un animale politico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of animals or living beings: ''fisiologia animale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Obtained from animals: ''grassi animali''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Bodily, instinctive, as opposed to spiritual: ''Lo spingeva un istinto animale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary)'' Of the soul.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[animalesco]]

+ * [[animalista]]

+ * [[animalità]]

+ * [[animaletto]]

+ * [[animalismo]]

+ * [[animalistico]]

+ * [[animalmente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[animaleria]]

+ * [[animare]]

+ * [[anima]]

+ * [[animo]]

+ * [[bestia]]

+ * [[la|animal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In northern dialects the word often names one animal in particular, especially the pig.^(DEI|208)^(Körting 1907) Common phrases are ''animale domestico'' (pet; domestic animal) and ''animale da compagnia'' (pet).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}