sbagliare Italian · revision 38348

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1440}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /zbaʎˈʎa.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sbagliare''' (first-person singular present sbàglio, first-person singular past historic sbagliài, past participle sbagliàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably formed from [[abbagliare|t=to dazzle]] with a change of prefix, [[s-]] taking the place of [[a-]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Nocentini adds that the verb was at first reflexive, meaning “to be dazzled, to be mistaken”.^(Nocentini 2010) DEI and the Gabrielli start instead from an old verb [[roa-oit|bagliare]], whose participle is found in Cavalca in the 14th century, while the GDLI takes the prefix to be an intensive one from [[la|ex-]] and Devoto–Oli a privative one.^(DEI|3350)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(GDLI|17, 624)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Sabatini–Coletti calls the origin uncertain.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The same formation is [[scn|sbagghiari]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The family of [[bagliore]] “glare” is itself of disputed origin.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI finds [[la|varius|t=varied]] difficult in its sounds and a cross of [[la|badius|t=bay]] with a Greek word for “shining” complicated; the LEI proposes [[xtg|*balios|t=shining]], a pre-Roman word perhaps of Celtic origin.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini prefers [[la-vul|*balius]] from [[grc|βαλιός|tr=baliós|t=dappled]], a variant of [[m|grc|φαλιός|tr=phaliós|t=white, shining]].^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini dates the verb to about 1440.^(Nocentini 2010) DELI and GRADIT give 1666, in Lorenzo Magalotti, with the intransitive sense “to make a mistake”, and DEI 1667.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|3350)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The transitive sense, getting something wrong or missing it (''sbagliare il colpo''), is recorded before 1735 in Niccolò Forteguerri, whose golden lance “never misses its blow”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|17, 624) The sense “to mistake one person or thing for another” follows before 1789 in Giuseppe Baretti, the reflexive ''sbagliarsi'' “to be wrong” in 1855, and “to behave wrongly” in 1872, in Tommaseo–Bellini.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Manzoni's ''I promessi sposi'' has a man who modestly said he had mistaken his vocation (''aveva sbagliato la vocazione'').^(GDLI|17, 624) The noun [[sbaglio]] “mistake” is recorded in the 17th century, in Redi.^(DEI|3350) The proverb ''sbagliando s'impara'' (one learns by making mistakes) and the polite ''se non sbaglio'' (if I'm not mistaken) are part of everyday Italian.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1440 – The verb is first recorded, as ''sbagliarsi''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1666 – Lorenzo Magalotti uses the intransitive “to make a mistake”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 17th century – Francesco Redi uses the noun ''sbaglio''.^(DEI|3350)

+ * Before 1735 – Niccolò Forteguerri uses the transitive “to miss, get wrong”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1789 – Giuseppe Baretti uses the sense “to mistake for another”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1855 – Ugolini records the reflexive ''sbagliarsi''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1872 – Tommaseo–Bellini has the sense “to behave wrongly”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To make a [[m|en|mistake]], to be wrong in judging or doing something: ''Hai sbagliato a fidarti di loro.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To do wrong, to commit a fault: ''Ho sbagliato e chiedo scusa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To get something wrong, to do it badly; to [[m|en|miss]] a target: ''Ha sbagliato il rigore all'ultimo minuto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To mistake one person or thing for another: ''sbagliare strada, sbagliare numero''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To make a bad choice of: ''Ho sbagliato mestiere.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(reflexive, sbagliarsi)'' To be [[m|en|mistaken]]: ''Forse mi sbaglio, ma l'ho già visto.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sbaglio]]

+ * [[sbagliato]]

+ * [[risbagliare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[abbagliare]]

+ * [[bagliore]]

+ * [[abbaglio]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Se non sbaglio'', ''non vorrei sbagliare'' and ''sbaglierò'' soften an opinion.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) ''Sbagliando s'impara'' and ''sbaglia anche il prete all'altare'' (even the priest makes mistakes at the altar) are proverbs.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}