scherzo Italian · revision 38139

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=1339, anonymous Bolognese poem|origins=lng *skerzōn}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈsker.t͡so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''scherzo''' ''m'' (plural scherzi)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older and dialect forms include [[roa-oit|scérzo]], [[roa-oit|scrizo]] and [[roa-oit|scrizzo]].^(GDLI|17, 975)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun formed in Italian from the verb [[scherzare|t=to joke, play]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI, Nocentini and the TLIO take the verb from [[lng|*skerzōn|t=to frolic, jump about]], and compare [[gmh|scherzen|t=to leap for joy, enjoy oneself]] and [[de|scherzen|t=to joke]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(TLIO) Wiktionary traces it further to [[gem-pro|*skertaną|t=to hop, jump]] and [[ine-pro|*(s)kerd-|t=to dance, jump]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Zaccaria thought instead that the verb came straight from Middle High German, probably after the year 1000 through the contacts between Italians and Germans, since it is unknown in the older Germanic languages and in the other Romance languages.^(Zaccaria 1901|456)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is an anonymous Bolognese poem of 1339.^(TLIO) DELI and GRADIT date the word to Petrarch, before 1374, with the sense “the act of joking”: “Ingiuria da corruccio e non da scherzo” (an insult made in anger, not in jest).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A joke can turn sour: ''scherzo'' meant “a nasty trick, an unpleasant surprise” in the phrase ''fecero de bructi scrizi'' (they played some ugly tricks) at Nepi in 1464, and Sassetti wrote ''un male scherzo'' in 1576.^(DELI 1999) ''Per scherzo'' “not in earnest” is recorded before 1552, ''scherzi d'acqua'' for fountains with playful jets in 1679, and ''scherzo di natura'', a freak of nature, in Tommaseo in 1872, after Milanese ''scherz de natura'' (1843).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In music ''scherzo'' was first a light vocal composition of the 17th century;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DIFIT) DELI dates the sense “capricious piece of music” to 1765, and later it named a lively movement in triple time, first as part of a symphony and then, in the Romantic period, a piece for piano on its own.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DIFIT) The musical word was borrowed by German (''Schertzi'', 1619), French (1821) and English (1852).^(DIFIT)^(Etymonline) The sense “something very easy” is recorded only in 1959.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1339 – An anonymous Bolognese poem has the first record.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1374 – Petrarch uses ''scherzo'' “jest”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1464 – ''Scrizi'' “nasty tricks” at Nepi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1619 – German ''Schertzi'' is recorded in music.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1765 – The musical sense is recorded in Italian.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1821 – French ''scherzo'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1852 – English ''scherzo'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)^(DIFIT)

+ * 1959 – The sense “something very easy” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Joking, [[m|en|jest]]: saying or doing something not seriously: ''L'ha detto per scherzo, ma nessuno ha riso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|joke]], a prank: ''I compagni gli hanno fatto uno scherzo con il telefono.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An unpleasant surprise; a dirty [[m|en|trick]]: ''Il gelo di aprile ha giocato un brutto scherzo alle viti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Something very easy, a [[m|en|trifle]]: ''Per lei tradurre quel contratto è stato uno scherzo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literature)'' A short poem in a light, playful tone.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(music)'' A [[m|en|scherzo]]: a lively piece or movement in triple time.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[scherzoso]]

+ * [[scherzosamente]]

+ * [[scherzosità]]

+ * [[scherzetto]]

+ * [[scherzevole]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scherzare]]

+ * [[de|Scherz]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''scherzi a parte'' (joking apart), ''per scherzo'' (for fun), ''neanche per scherzo'' (not on any account), ''stare allo scherzo'' (to take a joke) and ''scherzo da prete'', a joke in bad taste.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) DEI notes that ''schèrzo'', with an open vowel, is widely heard even in Tuscany.^(DEI|3385)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}