atto Italian · revision 38777

+ Italian has two words spelled ''atto'': the noun “act”, from Latin ''actus'', and the adjective “fit, suitable”, from Latin ''aptus''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI, Nocentini and GRADIT number the noun 1 and the adjective 2.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ {{homograph|1|act}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1276, Panuccio del Bagno|origins=ine-pro *h₂eǵ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈat.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''atto''' ''m'' (plural atti)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The act is [[bor|la|āctus|t=a doing, an action; act of a play]], the action noun of [[m|la|agō|t=to drive, to do]].^(DEI)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(LEI|1, 497)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini and DELI start from the neuter [[m|la|āctum|t=a thing done]], the past participle used as a noun, and Nocentini sees the noun [[m|la|āctus]] merged with it, especially in the senses “part of a play” and “legal act”;^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) GRADIT also points to the plural [[m|la|ācta|t=deeds, records]].^(GRADIT 2003) DEI and the LEI call it semi-learned.^(DEI)^(LEI|1, 497)

+

+ The same word is [[fr|acte]], [[ca|acte]], [[es|acto]], [[pt|auto]] and [[ro|act]];^(LEI|1, 497)^(Nocentini 2010) Spanish and Portuguese also have the directly transmitted [[m|es|auto]], and the phrase [[pt|auto da fé]] came into Italian through [[fr|autodafé]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|1, 497) The Italian phrase for an act of parliament is a calque of [[en|act of parliament]].^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|1, 497)

+

+ The Latin verb continues [[itc-pro|*agō]], from [[ine-pro|*h₂eǵ-|t=to drive, to lead]], the root of [[grc|ἄγω|tr=ágō|t=to lead]] and [[sa|अजति|tr=ájati|t=drives]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The LEI's first record of the sense “deed, action”, as the realisation of a will open to moral judgement, is in Panuccio del Bagno (1276).^(LEI|1, 497) DELI's first is the philosophical sense, “what is realised” as opposed to what is only possible, in the late-13th-century Italian translation of Brunetto Latini's ''Tresor''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “behaviour, action” appears in Jacopone da Todi (before 1306), “exercise of an office” in Dante (before 1321), and “document with legal force” in Dino Compagni (1310–1312).^(DELI 1999) The theatrical sense, each part into which a play is divided, is recorded early in the 14th century in a translation of Cicero,^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT) and passed into German as ''Atto'' (1802).^(DIFIT) The plural ''atti'', the written record of the decisions of an assembly or meeting, is in Guicciardini (before 1540), and “oral declaration” in Segneri (1669).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In the 17th century ''atto'' also became the name of the short prayers that profess a virtue, such as the ''atto di fede'' and the ''atto di dolore''.^(DEI|357)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Fixed phrases include ''all'atto pratico'', when it comes to doing it, and ''nell'atto di'', at the very moment of doing something.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1276 – Panuccio del Bagno uses ''atto'' for “deed”.^(LEI|1, 497)

+ * Late 13th century – The philosophical sense appears in the translation of the ''Tresor''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1306 – Jacopone da Todi uses it for “behaviour”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses it for a legal document.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Early 14th century – The theatrical sense is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1540 – Guicciardini uses ''atti'' for the record of an assembly.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 17th century – ''Atto'' names a prayer such as the ''atto di fede''.^(DEI|357)

+ * 1802 – German ''Atto'' “act of a play” is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|act]], a deed that shows a will or feeling: ''un atto di generosità''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|gesture]], movement: ''Fece l'atto di alzarsi, poi si fermò.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # An attitude, posture: ''in atto di preghiera''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(philosophy)'' [[m|en|actuality]], what is fully realised, as opposed to potency.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(theatre)'' An act of a play or opera: ''una commedia in tre atti''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(law)'' A [[m|en|deed]], document or act with legal force; in the plural, the records or proceedings of a body.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(religion)'' A short prayer professing a virtue: ''atto di fede'', ''atto di dolore''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DEI|357)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[atteggiare]]

+ * [[atteggiamento]]

+ * [[attuale]]

+ * [[attualità]]

+ * [[attuare]]

+ * [[attuazione]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|fit, suitable}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1298, Questioni filosofiche|origins=la apiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈat.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''atto''' (feminine atta, masculine plural atti, feminine plural atte)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective is [[inh|la|aptus|t=fastened; fitting, suited]], the past participle of [[m|la|apiō|t=to fasten, to tie]], whose sense moved from “well attached” to “suited”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI) The LEI counts it among the popular continuations of the Latin word, with [[fro|ate]] and [[pro|at|t=what is needed]]; forms written with p before t only follow Latin spelling.^(LEI|3, 377)^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The learned forms are [[fr|apte]] and [[es|apto]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|3, 377)

+

+ Nocentini places the rare Latin verb in the oldest Indo-European vocabulary and compares [[sa|आप्नोति|tr=āpnoti|t=reaches, obtains]], as well as [[hit|ēpmi|t=I take]].^(Nocentini 2010) Wiktionary also connects it with [[ine-pro|*h₂ep-|t=to join, to fit]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the ''Questioni filosofiche'' (1298, south-eastern Tuscany), in the sense “well suited to a purpose”.^(TLIO) DELI and the LEI give Jacopone da Todi (before 1306) for “capable, apt” of a person.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|3, 377)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian ''atto'' also meant “inclined, liable to”, “orderly” and “worthy”, and ''atto a'' before a verb came close to the suffix ''-abile''.^(TLIO) Boccaccio used it for “fitting”, and Ariosto for “nimble, agile”, a sense now archaic.^(DEI|357)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Dialects keep it in Lucca for “ready, inclined” and in Orvieto for “capable”.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|357) In the modern language it is mostly a formal and bureaucratic word, as in ''atto alle armi'', fit for military service.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1298 – ''Atto'' “suited” appears in the ''Questioni filosofiche''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1306 – Jacopone da Todi uses it for “capable”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1312 – Dino Compagni uses ''atto a'' for “fit for”.^(LEI|3, 377)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(formal)'' Fit, qualified, [[m|en|suitable]] (with ''a''): ''È stato giudicato atto al lavoro in quota.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Appropriate, adequate to a purpose: ''Servono strumenti atti a misurare la pressione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(archaic)'' [[m|en|nimble]], agile.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[riattare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[attivo]]

+ * [[attore]]

+ * [[azione]]

+ * [[agire]]

+ * [[adatto]]

+ * [[attitudine]]

+ * [[la|actus]]

+ * [[la|aptus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}