anzi Italian · revision 38729

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1190, Raimbaut de Vaqueiras|origins=ine-pro *h₂ent-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈan.t͡si/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''anzi''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old spellings include [[roa-oit|ançi]], [[roa-oit|anci]], [[roa-oit|ansi]], [[roa-oit|anze]] and [[roa-oit|anço]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|antea|t=before, previously]], the adverb formed from [[m|la|ante|t=before]], according to one explanation DELI gives, or a comparative [[la-vul|*antius]], according to the other.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The dictionaries of current Italian give the Latin adverb, or the simple preposition in its form before a vowel, and Devoto, Körting and Wiktionary explain the final ⟨-i⟩ by the influence of [[avanti]] and [[anti]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto 1968)^(Körting 1907)^(Wiktionary) DEI calls the comparative needless, and Meyer-Lübke rejected it because its stress differs.^(DEI|236)^(REW 1935) The LEI, Nocentini and the TLIO accept the comparative, proposed by Ménage in 1694 and later by Thomas, Schuchardt and Gossen; the LEI calls it an attempt to strengthen a word that already expressed priority.^(LEI|2, 1652)^(Nocentini 2010)^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) Wiktionary also mentions [[la-lat|antesic]] in the account of the pilgrim Egeria.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The same word is [[fro|ainz]], [[pro|antz]], [[ca|ans]], [[fur|anzi]], [[sc|anzis]] and [[osp|anzes]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|2, 1652)^(REW 1935) The Latin preposition comes from [[itc-pro|*anti]], from [[ine-pro|*h₂énti]], the locative of a root noun [[m|ine-pro|*h₂ent-|t=front]]; the cognates include [[grc|ἀντί|tr=antí|t=opposite]], [[sa|अन्ति|tr=ánti|t=near, facing]] and [[hit|ḫanza|t=in front]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the ''Contrasto'' of the troubadour Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (c. 1190), in its Genoese part, and the preposition is in a Florentine document of 1211.^(TLIO) DELI's first record of ''ançi'' “instead, on the contrary” is the ''Ritmo laurenziano'' of the early 13th century, and the sense “before” is in Dante (1293–1294).^(DELI 1999) DEI notes ''anzi'' in medieval documents of 1100.^(DEI|236)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used ''anzi'' for “rather, instead”, for correcting a statement, for “before” in time and for “in front of” in place.^(TLIO) Dante asks in the ''Inferno'' “Chi se' tu che vieni anzi ora?” (“who are you that come before your time?”).^(GDLI|1, 532)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The temporal preposition is now only literary, as in Leopardi's ''anzi il chiarir dell'alba'' (“before the dawn grows light”), and the adverb “before” survives in ''poc'anzi'' “a little while ago”, recorded in this spelling from 1865 (''poco anzi'' before 1535, Berni).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(LEI|2, 1652)

+

+ Compounds formed early: ''innanzi'' (1211) and ''dinanzi'' (13th century) from Vulgar Latin phrases with *antius, ''dianzi'' (c. 1313, Dante), ''anzitempo'' (14th century), ''anziché'' (16th century, earlier as ''anzi… che'') and ''anzitutto'' (1842).^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|2, 1652) The phrase ''anzi che no'' “rather, somewhat” is already in Old Italian.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1100 – ''Anzi'' appears in medieval documents.^(DEI|236)

+ * c. 1190 – Raimbaut de Vaqueiras uses ''anzi'' in his ''Contrasto''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1211 – A Florentine document uses it as a preposition, and ''innanzi'' is recorded.^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1293–1294 – Dante uses ''anzi'' for “before”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1313 – Dante uses ''dianzi''.^(LEI|2, 1652)

+ * 1842 – ''Anzitutto'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1865 – ''Poc'anzi'' is recorded in the Tommaseo–Bellini dictionary.^(LEI|2, 1652)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # [[m|en|on the contrary]], instead, after a negative statement: ''Non mi annoio, anzi mi diverto molto.'' On its own, ''Anzi!'' answers “not at all”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Or [[m|en|rather]], or better, correcting or strengthening what has been said: ''Ti mando un messaggio, anzi ti chiamo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(literary)'' Before, earlier; now mainly in ''poc'anzi'' “a short while ago”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Preposition===

+ # ''(literary)'' Before (in time).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(archaic)'' In front of; compared with.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[anziché]]

+ * [[anzitutto]]

+ * [[anzitempo]]

+ * [[anzidetto]]

+ * [[dianzi]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ante]]

+ * [[anti]]

+ * [[innanzi]]

+ * [[dinanzi]]

+ * [[avanti]]

+ * [[anziano]]

+ * [[fro|ainz]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}