silenzio Italian · revision 38444

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1306, Jacopone da Todi|origins=la sileō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /siˈlɛn.t͡sjo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''silenzio''' ''m'' (plural silenzi)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also had ''silenzo'' (Jacopone, Fra Giordano), ''scilenzio'', ''silencio'' and ''silensio'', and a feminine plural ''le silenzia''.^(GDLI)^(DEI|3494)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|silentium|t=silence]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin noun is formed from [[m|la|silens|alt=silēns|t=silent]], the present participle of [[m|la|sileō|t=to be silent]].^(DELI 1999)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan derives the verb from an adjective [[itc-pro|*silo-|t=quiet]] and [[ine-pro|*sh₁/₂i-ló-|t=silent]], perhaps related to [[la|sinō|t=to let]], with a sense “to come to rest”;^(de Vaan 2008) Germanic has a root [[gem-pro|*sil-|t=quiet]] of the same shape.^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini instead sees an imitative base, the sound “sss!” that commands silence, and compares [[grc|σιγάω|tr=sigáō|t=to be silent]] and [[goh|swīgēn|t=to be silent]].^(Nocentini 2010) Devoto too compares the Germanic and Greek words.^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The learned word is also [[fr|silence]], recorded from the 12th century, and [[es|silencio]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3494) Körting notes that it is a learned word everywhere.^(Körting 1907) The adjective [[silenzioso]] came through [[fr|silencieux]], and [[silenziare]] and [[silenziatore]] probably copy [[en|silence]] and [[m|en|silencer]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Jacopone da Todi, before 1306, for the complete absence of sounds and voices;^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3494) Jacopone wrote it ''silènzo''.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3494) Fra Giordano glossed the Latin ''factum est silentium in coelo'' as a half-hour of ''silenzo'' in heaven.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the absence of sound the word passed to the act of not speaking, and to a time without talk;^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DEI|3494) Giovanni Villani used it for a pause.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DEI|3494) Petrarch wrote that a silence, a solitary dread of a shady wood (''un silenzio, un solitario orrore / d'ombrosa selva''), had rarely pleased him so much.^(GDLI) DELI dates “failure to write letters” to Guidiccioni, before 1541, the monastic rule of silence to Manzoni's ''Fermo e Lucia'' (1821–1823) and the bugle call that orders silence for the night in barracks to 1824.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Modern Italian also uses it for keeping something quiet or forgetting it (''passare sotto silenzio''), and in law ''silenzio assenso'' is the principle that an administration's failure to answer counts as approval.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) Other phrases are ''silenzio stampa'' and ''silenzio radio'', radio silence in military or police operations.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) As an interjection ''silenzio!'' orders people to be quiet.^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1306 – Jacopone da Todi uses ''silènzo''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1541 – Guidiccioni uses it for not writing letters.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1533 – An isolated ''silentioso'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1821–1823 – Manzoni uses it for the monastic rule of silence.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1824 – It is recorded for the bugle call in barracks.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1913 – ''Silenziatore'' is recorded for an exhaust silencer.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|silence]], the complete absence of sounds and voices: ''Nel bosco regnava un silenzio profondo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|quiet]], peace: ''Ho bisogno di un po' di silenzio per studiare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # The act of not speaking, and a time without speech: ''Dopo la notizia ci fu un lungo silenzio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Not writing or giving news; a period when an artist does not produce work.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Keeping a fact secret; [[m|en|oblivion]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(military)'' The rule of quiet at night in barracks and colleges, and the bugle call that announces it.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(religion)'' The monastic rule that forbids talking at certain times.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Quiet!, be silent!^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[silenzioso]]

+ * [[silenziare]]

+ * [[silenziatore]]

+ * [[silenziosità]]

+ * [[silenziario]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[silente]]

+ * [[la|silentium]]

+ * [[fr|silence]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fare silenzio'' means “to be quiet”, ''rompere il silenzio'' “to be the first to speak” and ''ridurre al silenzio'' “to silence”, of an opponent or of enemy guns.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) A ''silenzio di tomba'' is total silence.^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}