gestire Italian · revision 38340

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=back-formation|attested=1877, Fanfani and Arlìa|origins=la gerō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /d͡ʒesˈti.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gestire''' (first-person singular present gestìsco, first-person singular past historic gestìi, past participle gestìto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ In the sense “to manage” it is a back-formation from [[gestione|t=management]], modelled on pairs such as [[passione]] and [[patire]].^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|1795)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) Devoto–Oli and Sabatini–Coletti derive it from [[gestore|t=manager]] instead.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) DELI takes it to be the older learned verb for “to gesticulate”, [[la|gestiō|alt=gestīre]] (see Usage notes), which took on the meaning of the nouns for manager and management, words of quite another origin.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT and the GDLI form it from [[m|la|gestus]], the past participle of [[m|la|gerō|t=to carry on, manage]], with the ending [[m|it|-ire]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|6, 710) Nocentini dates the new sense to the second half of the 19th century and ascribes it to the noun for management.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is a condemnation: in 1877 Fanfani and Arlìa wrote that in Italian ''gestire'' means to make gestures, not to administer, and called the use a blunder.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) DEI dates it from 1890.^(DEI|1795)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In 1919 Antonio Gramsci used it for directing a whole society, calling for a disciplined revolutionary vanguard able to ''gestire la società comunista'' (run communist society).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|6, 710) In the 20th century writers used it for running a business: Pirandello for a literary enterprise, Lorenzo Viani for a wine shop, Pavese for a lorry service.^(GDLI|6, 710)

+

+ Today it is used for running an activity on one's own or someone else's account, for conducting a negotiation, and figuratively for handling one's time, strength or public image; in computing it is said of a system controlling the storage of and access to data.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The reflexive ''gestirsi'' means to organize one's own life sensibly.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1834 – ''Gestore'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1877 – Fanfani and Arlìa condemn ''gestire'' “to administer”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1890 – DEI's date for the verb in this sense.^(DEI|1795)

+ * 1919 – Antonio Gramsci uses it for directing a society.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|manage]], run or administer a business or activity, on one's own or another's account: ''Mio zio gestisce un piccolo albergo al mare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To conduct or direct an undertaking: ''Sarà lei a gestire le trattative con i fornitori.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|handle]] wisely, to dole out: ''Devi imparare a gestire meglio le tue energie.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(computing)'' To control the functions of a system, such as storage and access to data.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # (reflexive ''gestirsi'') To organize oneself sensibly: ''Con tre lavori, fa fatica a gestirsi.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cogestire]]

+ * [[gestibile]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gestionale]]

+ * [[gestione]]

+ * [[gestore]]

+ * [[gesto]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate, literary ''gestire'' means “to gesticulate”: it is [[la|gestiō|alt=gestīre]], from ''gestus'' “gesture”, and is recorded before 1527 in Machiavelli (“Io lo veggo gestire”, I see him gesticulating).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|6, 710) DELI and DEI number it ''gestire''¹, GRADIT ''gestire''².^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|1795)^(GRADIT 2003) Manzoni has Ferrer “atteggiandosi e gestendo insieme” (striking attitudes and gesturing at once).^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ Both verbs take ''-isc-'' in the present: ''gestisco'', ''gestisci''.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}