litigare Italian · revision 38230

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1294, Brunetto Latini|origins=la līs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /li.tiˈɡa.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''litigare''' (first-person singular present lìtigo, first-person singular past historic litigài, past participle litigàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ The Tuscan form is [[leticare]], and [[liticare]] is less common.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|lītigō|alt=lītigāre|t=to quarrel; to go to law]], a legal term formed from [[m|la|līs|t=lawsuit; dispute]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) The Latin verb is formed like [[m|la|iurgō|t=to quarrel]] from [[m|la|ius|alt=iūs|t=law]] and [[m|la|rēmigō|t=to row]], which Devoto explains as old compounds with [[m|la|agō|t=to drive, do]].^(DEI|2251)^(Devoto 1968) The inherited outcomes of the verb are [[es|lidiar]] and [[pt|lidar]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Tuscan [[leticare]] has a hypercorrect /k/, as if the /g/ were a northern softening of /k/, the way [[faticare]] stands beside northern forms.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Old Latin had [[m|la|stlīs|t=lawsuit]] beside the usual form, and de Vaan reconstructs [[itc-pro|*slīti-|t=accusation, dispute]], perhaps from a root [[ine-pro|*sliH-]] shared with Celtic words for accusing.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is Brunetto Latini, before 1294, in the sense “to be party to a lawsuit”;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) Zingarelli gives 1268.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The sense “to quarrel with harsh words” is in Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Domenico Cavalca's advice not to quarrel with a quarrelsome man is echoed in Tuscan proverbs such as ''il diavolo non litiga mai solo'', “the devil never quarrels alone”.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) ''Litigante'', “party to a dispute”, is in the 14th-century ''Ottimo'' commentary on Dante, ''litigio'' in Dante, and ''litigioso'' in the first half of the 14th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The reflexive ''litigarsi qualcosa'', “to fight over something”, is recorded by Tommaseo in 1869, and Belli's Roman ''liticasse'' dates from 1833.^(DELI 1999) Manzoni used the verb jokingly for fingers fumbling with buttons.^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The noun ''litigata'', “a quarrel”, is from 1932.^(Nocentini 2010) In modern Italian ''litigare'' is the everyday word for quarrelling and also for falling out and ending a friendship or a relationship, while the legal sense has become uncommon.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1268 – Zingarelli's date for the verb.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''litigare'' “to go to law”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for “to quarrel”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – ''Litigante'' is recorded in the ''Ottimo'' commentary.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1833 – Belli has Roman ''liticasse'' “to fight over”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1869 – Tommaseo records ''litigarsi'' “to dispute something”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1932 – ''Litigata'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|quarrel]], argue violently, often with insults: ''I due fratelli litigano per ogni sciocchezza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To fall out, break off a friendship or relationship: ''Hanno litigato e non si parlano da mesi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(law, uncommon)'' To be in [[m|en|litigation]]: ''Litigano da anni per la casa dei nonni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive, also litigarsi)'' To compete for, fight over something: ''litigarsi l'ultimo posto libero''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative, jocular)'' To fumble clumsily with something.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[litigante]]

+ * [[litigata]]

+ * [[litigio]]

+ * [[litigioso]]

+ * [[litighino]]

+ * [[litigone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lite]]

+ * [[la|lis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}