compito Italian · revision 38735

+ Italian has two words spelled ''compito'': the noun ''cómpito'' “task”, related to Latin ''computus'' “reckoning”, and the adjective ''compìto'' “polite”, the past participle of [[compire]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) GRADIT numbers the noun 1 and the adjective 2;^(GRADIT 2003) DELI and Nocentini treat them under different heads.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ {{homograph|1|task}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=back-formation|attested=1566, Lionardo Salviati|origins=la computō}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkom.pi.to/, /ˈkɔm.pi.to/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''compito''' ''m'' (plural compiti)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ The task is [[af|it|compitare|-o]], a noun formed from the verb in its old sense “to reckon, to compute”, according to DELI, GRADIT, DEI and Sabatini–Coletti.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|1037)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) “Compitare” is from [[la|computō|t=to reckon, to count]], which also gave [[contare]] and the learned [[computare]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Nocentini, Devoto–Oli and Treccani instead take the noun directly from [[m|la|computus|t=reckoning, account]], beside the learned [[computo]] and the popular [[conto]]: the first sense would have been “a reckoned amount of work given to someone”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The LEI also lists “compito” among the learned outcomes of “computus”, and records Old Florentine “compito” “calculation, total” in Giovanni Villani (before 1348).^(LEI|16, 829)

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+ Nocentini compares the history of [[fr|tâche]], from [[la-med|taxa|t=tax]], first a tax and then a task, the source of [[en|task]].^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record of the sense “assigned work, duty” is in Lionardo Salviati (1566);^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Nocentini and Devoto–Oli date the noun to the 14th century, and DEI gives the 14th century for the old sense “reckoning”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DEI|1037) In Old Florentine ''a compito'' meant “sparingly, in measured quantity”, a phrase still used by Ariosto (before 1533).^(LEI|16, 829)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Tommaseo's dictionary describes the ''compito'' as the amount of work set for someone or that one sets oneself, such as the flax a girl had to spin, and compares Latin ''pensum'', from ''pendere'' “to weigh”;^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) ''non uscir del compito'' meant to do exactly what one was told.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The school sense, a written exercise set by the teacher, is recorded from 1865.^(DELI 1999) ''Compito in classe'' is a test done in class, and ''compiti per casa'' homework.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses Old Florentine ''compito'' for a calculation.^(LEI|16, 829)

+ * 1566 – Salviati uses ''compito'' for assigned work.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1865 – The school sense is recorded by Tommaseo.^(DELI 1999)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|task]], a piece of work given to someone or that one sets oneself: ''Le hanno affidato un compito difficile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|duty]], a function; the role of a thing: ''È compito dell'arbitro far rispettare le regole.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A school exercise; in the plural, [[m|en|homework]]: ''Ha finito i compiti prima di cena.'' ''Compito in classe'': a written test.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The work handed in by a pupil: ''Il maestro sta correggendo i compiti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Reckoning, calculation.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[compitino]]

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+ {{homograph|2|polite}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1193, document from the Marche|origins=la compleō}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /komˈpi.to/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''compito''' (feminine compita, masculine plural compiti, feminine plural compite, superlative compitissimo)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective is the past participle of [[compire]], the form in “-ire” of [[compiere]], meaning “completed, perfect”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|1037)^(GRADIT 2003) “Compire” is [[inh|la-vul|*compliō|alt=*complīre]], a form of [[la|compleō|alt=complēre|t=to fill up, to complete]] that moved to the conjugation in “-īre”;^(LEI|16, 468) [[la-med|compliō|alt=complire]] is recorded in 726.^(LEI|16, 468) The same type is [[fro|complir]], [[ca|complir]], [[ro|cumpli]] and [[fur|compî]].^(LEI|16, 468) The LEI notes that “compire” and “compito” were widespread in medieval northern Italy, while Tuscany preferred “compiere” and [[compiuto]].^(LEI|16, 468)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is a document from the Marche of 1193, and DELI's is in Guido Guinizelli (before 1276), in the sense “completed, fully realised”.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) In Old Italian it also meant “whole, entire” and “perfect in its kind, endowed with every virtue”.^(TLIO)^(DEI|1037)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Petrarch writes ''La mia favola breve è già compita'' (“My brief tale is already finished”), and Dante has ''dolor compito'', a pain fully matching one's fury.^(GDLI)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Bembo remarked that ''compito'' was more graceful in verse but did not belong to prose, where ''compiuto'' was used.^(GDLI) From “perfect in every quality”, especially in social life, came the modern sense “well-mannered, courteous”;^(TLIO)^(DEI|1037) ''compitezza'' “politeness” is recorded in the 17th century.^(DEI|1037)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1193 – ''Compito'' appears in a document from the Marche.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1276 – Guinizelli uses it for “completed”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – DEI dates the sense “endowed with every virtue”.^(DEI|1037)

+ * 17th century – ''Compitezza'' “politeness” is recorded.^(DEI|1037)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|polite]], [[m|en|courteous]], with faultless manners: ''Il nuovo vicino è un signore molto compito.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' Completed, finished.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(literary)'' Whole, full, adequate.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[compitezza]]

+ * [[compitamente]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[computo]]

+ * [[conto]]

+ * [[compiere]]

+ * [[compiuto]]

+ * [[la|computus]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ The noun is stressed on the first syllable, ''cómpito'', and the adjective on the second, ''compìto''; the accent may be written to tell them apart.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary) DEI and the TLIO also record an old ''cómpito'' “crossroads”, from Latin ''compitum'', which survives in place names such as Compito.^(DEI|1037)^(TLIO)^(REW 1935)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}