locale Italian · revision 38349

+ {{homograph|1|local}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1292–1293, Dante, Vita nuova|origins=la locus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /loˈka.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''locale''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural locali)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective is a learned word, [[bor|la-lat|locālis|t=of place]], from [[la|locus|t=place]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI notes that the Latin word belonged to the scholastic tradition, where it rendered Aristotle's [[grc|κατὰ τόπον|tr=katà tópon|t=with respect to place]]; for Nocentini it was a grammatical term.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The same learned word is [[fr|local]] (1314) and [[es|local]], while the inherited outcome of the Latin adjective is [[es|lugar]] and [[pt|lugar]] “place”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|2257) Wiktionary compares [[scn|lucali]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Latin [[m|la|locus]] had an older form [[la|stlocus]]; its origin is unclear.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan rejects the old link with [[ine-pro|*stel-|t=to place]], since no suffix of that shape is known, and Wiktionary reports the same doubt.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is Dante's ''Vita nuova'' (about 1292–1293), where the word describes motion in physical space, a technical use of philosophy.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) The sense “proper to a particular place” is found before 1364 in Zanobi da Strata, and the medical sense “affecting only one part of the body” before 1338 in Bindo Bonichi.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the adjective belonged to philosophy: ''moto locale'' was movement from place to place, ''distanza locale'' the measurable distance between two points, and the soul, unlike the body, was said to be ''non locale''.^(TLIO)^(GDLI|9, 1) The everyday sense “of a particular place” came to the fore later, with ''colore locale'' (local colour) and ''treno locale'' (1942), the slow train that stops at every station.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ Modern uses include the local authorities (''enti locali''), ''anestesia locale'', and in astronomy whatever belongs to our own galaxy.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) As a noun, mostly in the plural, ''i locali'' are the people of a place.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) DELI thinks [[località]] owes at least its sense “place, site” to [[fr|localité]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1292–1293 – Dante uses ''locale'' in the ''Vita nuova''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1338 – Bindo Bonichi uses the medical sense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1364 – Zanobi da Strata uses the sense “proper to a place”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1942 – ''Treno locale'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|local]], proper to or typical of a particular place: ''Abbiamo assaggiato i formaggi locali.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Limited to a particular place or area: ''un'epidemia locale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Of place: ''un complemento con valore locale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(medicine)'' Affecting only one part of the body: ''un'infiammazione locale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' Relating to a [[m|en|neighbourhood]] of a point.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(astronomy)'' Belonging to our own [[m|en|galaxy]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(usually plural)'' An inhabitant of a place, a local: ''I locali conoscono le spiagge migliori.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A local train, stopping at every station.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[località]]

+ * [[localizzare]]

+ * [[localizzazione]]

+ * [[localmente]]

+ * [[localismo]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|room, premises}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1802|origins=la locus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /loˈka.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''locale''' ''m'' (plural ''locali'')^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun “room, premises” is [[bor|fr|local]], the French adjective used as a noun, and so goes back to the same Latin word as the adjective.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) GRADIT dates the French sense to 1789 and DEI to the 18th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|2257)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record of the Italian noun is of 1802.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The new noun met resistance: Ugolini wrote that it should not be used unless Italians wished to trail shamefully in the footsteps of the French, but the fifth edition of the Crusca dictionary admitted it without reservation.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|598) As late as 1840 Cherubini gave no Italian equivalent for the Milanese noun ''locàl'', and the word was debated in the Italian Senate.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|598) In 1853 D'Ayala built an example using it both ways, about the upkeep of military ''locali'' (buildings) being the task of the ''locali'' (local) engineers.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Sabatini–Coletti dates the sense “room” (an apartment of five ''locali'') to before 1863.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The sense “public place”, such as a bar, restaurant or nightclub, is now among the most common.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1789 – The French noun ''local'' is recorded in this sense.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1802 – First Italian record of the noun.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1855 – Ugolini condemns it as a Gallicism.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1863 – The sense “room of a dwelling” is recorded.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An enclosed space used for a particular purpose; [[m|en|premises]]: ''il locale caldaia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A [[m|en|room]] of a dwelling: ''Cercano un appartamento di tre locali.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A public place such as a bar, restaurant or [[m|en|nightclub]]: ''In centro hanno aperto un nuovo locale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[luogo]]

+ * [[la|locus]]

+ * [[fr|local]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ DEI records an older noun ''locale'' at L'Aquila in 1362, for a division of the city.^(DEI|2257) ''Far mente locale'' means to concentrate one's mind on something.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}