esempio Italian · revision 38354

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 12th century, Proverbia quae dicuntur (Venetian)|origins=la emō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /eˈzɛm.pjo/, /eˈzem.pjo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''esempio''' ''m'' (plural esempi)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian had many forms, among them [[roa-oit|esemplo]], [[roa-oit|essempio]], [[roa-oit|essemplo]], [[roa-oit|assempio]], [[roa-oit|assemplo]], [[roa-oit|assempro]] and [[roa-oit|asempro]].^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Old Perugian had [[roa-oit|ascempio]] (1342).^(LEI|22, 152)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned or semi-learned word, [[bor|la|exemplum|t=sample; model; example]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DEI calls it semi-learned and spread by the medieval schools,^(DEI|1535) and Sabatini–Coletti explains the many old variants as different degrees of closeness to the Latin model.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The popular, inherited outcome of the same Latin word is [[scempio]].^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Körting 1907)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin noun comes from [[m|la|eximō|t=to take out, set apart]], from [[m|la|ex-|t=out]] and [[m|la|emō|t=to take; to buy]]: the Latin noun was literally something taken out and set aside to serve as a model.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) It goes back to a form [[la|*exemlom]], with a /p/ inserted between /m/ and /l/;^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Leumann found the voiceless /p/ unusual and thought it might be due to [[m|la|exēmptus]].^(Wiktionary) The Latin word is continued as [[fr|exemple]] (12th century), [[pro|eissemple]], [[es|ejemplo]] and [[pt|exemplo]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907)^(DEI|1535)

+

+ The forms with ⟨-pi-⟩ show the Italian change of /pl/ to /pj/, while those with ⟨-pl-⟩ and ⟨-pr-⟩ stay closer to Latin.^(LEI|22, 152)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the ''Proverbia quae dicuntur'', a Venetian poem of the last quarter of the 12th century.^(TLIO) DELI's first dated sense is “a case that confirms or illustrates a statement”, in Bono Giamboni before 1292, in the form ''esemplo''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian an ''esempio'' was often a story told to edify and to prove a point, above all the moral tale of the preachers, the medieval ''exemplum''.^(TLIO)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The word also meant a model to follow or avoid, a person held up as such (''esemplo'' in Giordano da Pisa, 1303–1306), a lesson or warning, the original of a text from which copies were made, and a copy itself.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010) Dante has the painter's model: “come pintor che con essemplo pinga” (like a painter who paints from a model).^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The form ''esempio'' is first found in the Bible translations at the end of the 14th century, and the phrase ''per esempio'' is of the same century.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|1535) In 1528 Claudio Tolomei uses the word for a word, phrase or passage quoted to support a grammatical rule or a definition, the sense of dictionary examples.^(DELI 1999) The sense “a member that stands for its whole class”, as in a building that is an example of a style, is in the modern dictionaries.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Esempio'' can also mean an exemplary punishment, given to warn others.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – First record, in the Venetian ''Proverbia quae dicuntur''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''esemplo'' for a case that illustrates a statement.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1313 – The verb ''esemplare'' “to copy, imitate” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1303–1306 – Giordano da Pisa uses ''esemplo'' for a model of virtue or vice.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1342 – Perugian statutes have ''ascempio'' for an original text and a copy.^(LEI|22, 152)

+ * Late 14th century – The form ''esempio'' appears in the Bible translations.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1528 – Claudio Tolomei uses the word for a quotation that illustrates a rule.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person, action or behaviour seen as a [[m|en|model]] to imitate or avoid: ''Suo nonno era un esempio di generosità.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A lesson or warning; an exemplary [[m|en|punishment]] meant to deter others: ''Che questo errore ti serva da esempio.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # An [[m|en|example]], a particular case that illustrates or confirms a general statement: ''Fammi un esempio, così capisco meglio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A sentence or passage quoted in a dictionary or grammar to illustrate a use.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A typical member of a class or kind: ''Quella villa è un esempio di architettura liberty.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(medieval literature)'' A short edifying story, an [[m|en|exemplum]].^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' The original of a text; a copy.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[esemplare]]

+ * [[esemplarità]]

+ * [[esemplificare]]

+ * [[esemplificazione]]

+ * [[esemplificativo]]

+ * [[controesempio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scempio]]

+ * [[la|exemplum]]

+ * [[fr|exemple]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Per esempio'' and ''ad esempio'' introduce an example and are abbreviated ''p. es.'' or ''ad es.''; they can also soften a suggestion.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010) Other phrases are ''dare il buon esempio'' (to set a good example), ''prendere esempio da qualcuno'' (to follow someone's example) and ''senza esempio'' (unprecedented).^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}