montagna Italian · revision 38765

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Brunetto Latini|origins=la mōns}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /monˈtaɲ.ɲa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''montagna''' ''f'' (plural montagne)^(Wiktionary)

+ An old form is [[roa-oit|montagnia]].^(GDLI|10, 837)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*montānea|t=mountainous places]], from [[m|la|mōns|t=mountain]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|2502)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Nocentini explains it as a neuter plural taken as a feminine singular, and GRADIT and DEI as the feminine of [[m|la-lat|montāneus|t=mountainous]], used for classical [[m|la|montānus]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|2502) The form [[la-med|montania]] is attested in the 8th-century Reichenau Glossary and in Italy at Cava in 872 and 991.^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|2502)^(GDLI|10, 837) The DÉRom reconstructs a Proto-Romance noun “mountainous region; mountain”, built with a rare collective suffix on the word for “mountain”, and notes that it never reached written Latin: it was a word of the spoken language.^(DÉRom)

+

+ The same word is [[fr|montagne]] (12th century), [[oc|montanha]], [[ca|montanya]], [[es|montaña]], [[pt|montanha]] and [[rm|muntagna]]; it is missing in Romanian, Dalmatian, Friulian and Ladin.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DÉRom)^(DEI|2502) The Latin noun goes back to [[ine-pro|*mon-ti-|t=protrusion, height]], with cognates such as [[cy|mynydd|t=mountain]] and [[ae|maiti|t=height]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Brunetto Latini, before 1294.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In his ''Tesoretto'' the narrator, coming to his senses, looks around the mountain: “mi volsi e posi mente / intorno a la montagna, / e vidi turba magna / di diversi animali” (“I turned and looked around the mountain, and saw a great crowd of different animals”).^(GDLI|10, 837)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante uses the word for a mountainous region (1313–1319), and the figurative sense “huge quantity” (''una montagna di libri'') is in Gentile Sermini in the 15th century.^(DELI 1999) ''Montagne russe'', the roller coaster of fairs, is recorded in 1834, and ''mal di montagna'' “altitude sickness” in 1891.^(DELI 1999) The fable of the mountain in labour gives ''la montagna ha partorito un topolino'', said when great expectations end in a trifling result.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ In the Lepontine, Rhaetian and Orobic Alps ''montagna'' also means the summer pasture or the dairy hut there.^(GRADIT 2003) During the French Convention of 1792–1795 the ''Montagna'' was the radical group that sat in the highest seats, and ''montagnardo'' was taken from French ''montagnard'' in the 18th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) Derivatives include ''montagnoso'' and ''montagnino'', the brambling, both of the 14th century.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Medieval Latin ''montania'' appears in the Reichenau Glossary.^(Wiktionary)

+ * 872 – ''Montania'' is recorded at Cava.^(DEI|2502)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''montagna''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses it for a mountainous region.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 15th century – Gentile Sermini uses it for a great quantity.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1834 – ''Montagne russe'' “roller coaster” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – ''Mal di montagna'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|mountain]], a high rise of the earth's surface, above about 600–700 metres: ''Quest'estate vogliamo scalare una montagna delle Alpi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Mountains as a place to live or holiday: ''andare in montagna'', to go to the mountains.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A huge [[m|en|heap]] or quantity: ''Ho una montagna di lettere a cui rispondere.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A very big, heavy person.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(regional, Alps)'' A high summer [[m|en|pasture]], or its dairy hut.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(history, capitalised)'' The Mountain, the radical group in the French National Convention of 1792–1795.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[montagnoso]]

+ * [[montagnolo]]

+ * [[montagnola]]

+ * [[montagnino]]

+ * [[montagnardo]]

+ * [[montagnese]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[monte]]

+ * [[montano]]

+ * [[la|mōns]]

+ * [[fr|montagne]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}