toccare Italian · revision 38187

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250, Cielo d'Alcamo|origins=la-vul *toccō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /tokˈka.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''toccare''' (first-person singular present tócco, first-person singular past historic toccài, past participle toccàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*toccō|alt=*toccāre|t=to knock, to tap lightly with the hand]], formed on the imitative sound sequence ⟨tocc-⟩, the knock of a blow.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) DELI calls this, first proposed by Schuchardt in 1896, the common opinion.^(DELI 1999) The verb is panromance: [[fr|toucher]], [[oc|tocar]], [[ca|tocar]], [[es|tocar]], [[pt|tocar]], [[sc|toccare]] and [[ro|toca|t=to beat; to chop]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Meyer-Lübke files these under a sound word ⟨tok⟩, “blow”, and in many of the languages the verb still means “to knock” or “to ring”.^(REW 1935) The verb is also found in Medieval Latin texts.^(DEI|3807)^(GDLI)

+

+ Other etymologies have been proposed.^(DELI 1999) Nigra and Ascoli derived the verb from a [[la|*tudicō|alt=*tudicāre]], from [[m|la|tundō|t=to beat]], with the sense “to tap lightly”;^(DELI 1999) Nicholson in 1929 suggested [[m|la|turbinō|t=to whirl]], and Pisani in 1951 a [[m|la-vul|*taccō|alt=*taccāre]] from a frequentative of [[m|la|tangō|t=to touch]].^(DELI 1999) The older view, held by Diez and Zaccaria, was a Germanic verb [[gem-pro|*tukkōną|alt=*tukkōn|t=to jerk, to pull]], related to [[goh|zucchōn]];^(Körting 1907)^(Zaccaria 1901) Körting found the meaning hard to reconcile with that source.^(Körting 1907)^(Zaccaria 1901) Wiktionary leaves the choice open between an onomatopoeia and [[frk|*tukkōn|t=to touch, to hit]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the ''Contrasto'' of Cielo d'Alcamo, before 1250, in the sense “to feel or press with the hand”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) DEI's first author is Guido Guinizzelli.^(DEI|3807)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The senses multiplied in the 14th century: Dante used the verb for coming close enough to touch something and for treating a subject briefly, the commentator known as the ''Ottimo'' for playing an instrument, Boccaccio for using or tampering with things and for falling to someone's lot, and Boccaccio and Petrarch for moving someone's feelings.^(DELI 1999) San Bernardino da Siena, before 1444, used it for “to happen”, and Ramusio before 1557 for “to concern”.^(DELI 1999) The sense of playing an instrument by touching it is above all Ibero-Romance, and, from it come ''toccata'', the keyboard piece (before 1712, Magalotti), and ''tocco'', the stroke of a bell.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) Since in the medieval reckoning one stroke marked the sixth hour, about midday, ''il tocco'' came to mean one o'clock in Tuscany.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The participle ''tocco'' “touched” gave the adjective meaning “a bit mad”, short for ''toccato nel cervello'', and ''toccante'' “moving” was long rejected by purists as a copy of French ''touchant''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Toccare ferro'', to touch iron against bad luck, is recorded by Panzini in 1931, the Italian counterpart of French ''toucher du bois''.^(DEI|3807) English took the musical term ''toccata'' in 1724, and German formed ''tokkieren'', a painter's word for retouching, in 1774–86.^(DEI|3807)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – Cielo d'Alcamo uses ''toccare'' “to touch with the hand”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses it for treating a subject briefly.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses it for “to fall to someone's lot” and “to tamper with”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1444 – San Bernardino da Siena uses it for “to happen”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1685 – ''Toccante'' “moving” is recorded in Salvini.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1712 – Magalotti uses ''toccata'' for a keyboard piece.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1724 – English borrows ''toccata''.^(DEI|3807)

+ * 1858 – ''Toccasana'' “cure-all” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1931 – Panzini records ''toccare ferro''.^(DEI|3807)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|touch]]: to bring the hand, another part of the body or an object into contact with someone or something: ''Non toccare il forno, scotta!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' Of things, to be in contact with: ''La libreria tocca il soffitto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To reach a place or a level: ''toccare terra'', ''il lago ha toccato il livello più basso da anni''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To use, handle or tamper with: ''Chi ha toccato le mie carte?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive, figurative)'' To [[m|en|move]] or affect someone's feelings, or to hurt them where it matters to them.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive, figurative)'' To concern: ''la faccenda mi tocca da vicino''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To mention or deal briefly with a subject: ''toccare un argomento''.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(intransitive, + a)'' To fall to someone, to be someone's turn or duty: ''Adesso tocca a te.''^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To have to: ''Mi è toccato rifare tutto.''^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To happen to, to befall: ''gli è toccata una bella fortuna''.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tocco]]

+ * [[toccata]]

+ * [[toccante]]

+ * [[toccato]]

+ * [[toccabile]]

+ * [[toccamento]]

+ * [[toccasana]]

+ * [[toccaferro]]

+ * [[toccamano]]

+ * [[ritoccare]]

+ * [[ritocco]]

+ * [[rintoccare]]

+ * [[rintocco]]

+ * [[intoccabile]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fr|toucher]]

+ * [[en|touch]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Set phrases include ''toccare ferro'' (touch wood), ''toccare con mano'' (to see for oneself), ''toccare il fondo'' (to hit rock bottom) and ''toccare il cielo con un dito'' (to be overjoyed).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) The literary past participle is ''tocco''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}