responsabilità Italian · revision 38753

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1760, G. R. Carli|origins=la respondeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /res.pon.sa.bi.liˈta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''responsabilità''' ''f''^(Wiktionary)

+ The older form [[risponsabilità]] is now obsolete.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|it|responsabile|-ità]], formed on the model of [[fr|responsabilité]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI, following Ferdinand Brunot, explains that France took the word from [[en|responsibility]] and spread it all over Europe with the weighty sense that the events of the late 18th century had given it.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) GDLI dates the French word from 1783 and the English from 1766.^(GDLI)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The adjective itself was taken from [[fr|responsable]], formed on the past participle of [[la|respondeō|t=to answer; to pledge]]; it is recorded as [[risponsabile]] in 1657 and in its present form in 1706.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is Gian Rinaldo Carli in 1760, in the sense “the state of being responsible”;^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) Carli writes that he has no doubt his correspondent wishes only to discharge “quelle responsabilità che vi siete in vista del mondo addossata” (“the responsibilities you have taken upon yourself in the eyes of the world”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) GRADIT's date is 1785, in the diplomatic letters of Pietro Paolo Celesia.^(GRADIT 2003)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word spread in the political language of the late 18th century: Beccaria uses it, and Galiani writes ''risponsabilità''.^(GDLI) The sense “the position of one who answers for something” is recorded before 1799, and the legal sense, liability to a penalty for breaking a legal duty, in Romagnosi before 1835.^(DELI 1999) In the 19th and 20th centuries came the negative ''irresponsabilità'' (1875) and the verb ''responsabilizzare'', “to make responsible” (1961).^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ Modern Italian uses the word for a duty or charge, for the awareness of one's acts (''senso di responsabilità''), for blame, and for legal liability, as in ''responsabilità civile'' and ''società a responsabilità limitata'', a limited company.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1657 – ''Risponsabile'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1760 – Gian Rinaldo Carli uses ''responsabilità''.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ * 1783 – French ''responsabilité'' is recorded.^(GDLI)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1785 – Celesia uses the word in diplomatic letters.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1835 – Romagnosi uses it in the legal sense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1875 – ''Irresponsabilità'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|responsibility]]: the condition of being answerable for something, and the duty or charge that follows from it: ''Si è assunto la responsabilità del progetto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A sense of responsibility, awareness of the consequences of one's actions: ''Ha agito con grande responsabilità.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|blame]], fault: ''La responsabilità dell'errore è mia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(law)'' [[m|en|liability]]: the position of someone who must answer for a breach of an obligation or an unlawful act, as in ''responsabilità civile'' and ''penale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A post of control or coordination: ''Le hanno affidato la responsabilità del magazzino.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[irresponsabilità]]

+ * [[corresponsabilità]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[responsabile]]

+ * [[rispondere]]

+ * [[fr|responsabilité]]

+ * [[en|responsibility]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Responsabilità'' is invariable in the plural.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''Di responsabilità'' describes an important, demanding post.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}