riferire Italian · revision 38748

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=ine-pro *bʰer-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ri.feˈri.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''riferire''' (first-person singular present riferìsco, first-person singular past historic riferìi, past participle riferìto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''referire'', ''refferire'', ''reverire'' and ''rivirire''; the old and literary past participle ''referto'' survives as a noun.^(GDLI|16, 247)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned adaptation, [[bor|la|referō|alt=referre|t=to bring back; to report]], a compound of [[m|la|re-|t=back, again]] and [[m|la|ferō|t=to carry]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The Latin verb was moved to the Italian “-ire” conjugation on the model of other verbs from compounds of [[m|la|ferō]], such as [[conferire]], [[deferire]] and [[inferire]];^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)^(GDLI|16, 247) Devoto also thought of the influence of [[offrire]] and [[soffrire]].^(Devoto 1968) Latin [[m|la|referō]] meant both “to carry back” and “to give an account, to report, to put to a vote”, and also gave Italian [[referendum]], [[referto]], [[relazione]] and [[relativo]].^(Nocentini 2010) The same verb is [[fr|référer]] and [[es|referir]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Latin [[m|la|ferō]] goes back to [[itc-pro|*fere-]] and [[ine-pro|*bʰer-|t=to carry]], the source of [[grc|φέρω|tr=phérō]] and [[got|𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽|tr=bairan]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's earliest dated use is the pronominal ''riferirsi'' “to be related to” in Bono Giamboni's ''Vizi e virtù'' (before 1292).^(DELI 1999) The transitive sense “to repeat facts, news or words to others” is in the 14th-century translation of the life of Saint Jerome, where the monks come home and report what they found to Jerome;^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Zingarelli and Sabatini–Coletti date the verb to the 13th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “to ascribe something to a beginning or principle” is in Alberto della Piagentina (before 1332), and Iacopone has the old form ''rivirire''.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|16, 247) Giovanni Della Casa (before 1556) uses ''riferirsi'' for “to allude”, and Donato Giannotti (before 1573) the intransitive ''riferire'' “to make a report”, especially on matters within one's own responsibility.^(DELI 1999) The archaic ''riferire grazie'' meant “to give thanks”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) In 1848 Ugolini distinguished it as retelling what one has heard or seen, or setting down in writing something neither heard nor seen.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The noun ''riferimento'' appears in 1547 (Claudio Tolomei) for “relation, connection”; the bureaucratic ''in riferimento a'' and ''punto di riferimento'' “landmark, point of reference” are in Palazzi's dictionary of 1939–1940.^(DELI 1999) ''Riferibile'' dates from 1673 and ''irriferibile'' “unrepeatable” from 1970.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) In everyday use the verb also has the colour of telling tales: ''andare a riferire'' is to report something to a superior behind someone's back.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni has ''riferirsi'' “to be related to”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1332 – Alberto della Piagentina uses ''riferire'' for “to ascribe”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – The translation of the life of Saint Jerome has it for “to report”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1547 – Claudio Tolomei has ''riferimento''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1556 – Giovanni Della Casa uses ''riferirsi'' for “to allude”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1573 – Donato Giannotti uses it for “to make a report”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1673 – ''Riferibile'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1939–1940 – ''Punto di riferimento'' is in Palazzi's dictionary.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1970 – ''Irriferibile'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|report]], to pass on to others what one knows: ''Mi ha riferito tutto quello che si sono detti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To repeat indiscreetly, to tell on: ''Qualcuno ha riferito la cosa al preside.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To make a report, especially as part of one's duties: ''Il ministro riferirà domani in Parlamento.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To [[m|en|ascribe]], to attribute, to relate (one thing to another).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(science)'' To refer (a quantity) to a system of reference.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ===Pronominal verb===

+ # ''Riferirsi a'': to [[m|en|refer]] to, to [[m|en|allude]] to: ''Non parlavo di te, mi riferivo a tuo fratello.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''Riferirsi a'': to concern, to relate to: ''Questi dati si riferiscono all'anno scorso.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[riferimento]]

+ * [[riferibile]]

+ * [[irriferibile]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[referto]]

+ * [[relazione]]

+ * [[relativo]]

+ * [[referendum]]

+ * [[la|referō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A rare homograph ''riferire'' means “to wound again”: Gabrielli and GRADIT derive it from [[ferire]] with ''ri-'', Zingarelli from Latin ''referire'' (c. 1250, with the old form ''rifedire''); GDLI quotes it from Mostacci and Boccaccio.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI|16, 249)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}