sconosciuto Italian · revision 38839

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1336–1338, Boccaccio, Filocolo|origins=la cognōscō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /sko.noʃˈʃu.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sconosciuto''' (feminine sconosciuta, masculine plural sconosciuti, feminine plural sconosciute)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|isconosciuto]] and [[roa-oit|scognosciuto]], and in Naples [[roa-oit|scanussuto]], in Treviso [[roa-oit|ysconosuta]].^(LEI|15, 526)^(GDLI)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the past participle of [[sconoscere|t=to fail to recognize]], formed from [[conoscere|t=to know]] with the prefix [[s-]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The verb continues [[la|cognōscō|t=to get to know]], whose outcomes cover most of the Romance area.^(LEI|15, 526)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The LEI's first record is Boccaccio's ''Filocolo'' (1336–1338), in the sense “not known; never visited or explored”.^(LEI|15, 526) DELI's first record is Giovanni Villani (before 1348).^(DELI 1999) Petrarch has the line ''M'andava sconosciuto e pellegrino'', “I went about unknown and a pilgrim”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Jacopo Passavanti (1354) used it for a person without fame, the obscure man of whom “the whole world” later spoke.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) DEI records an old sense “not knowing God, pagan” in the 14th-century ''La Spagna''.^(DEI|3413) As a noun, “an unknown person, a stranger”, it is recorded in Lodovico Castelvetro in 1570.^(DELI 1999) From the 17th century it is also said of what has never been felt or tried before, and of something whose cause or nature has not been found.^(LEI|15, 526)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ In literary use it can mean “not properly appreciated”, the same as ''misconosciuto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The ironic ''illustre sconosciuto'' is a person of no fame at all.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1336–1338 – Boccaccio uses ''sconosciuto'' in the ''Filocolo''.^(LEI|15, 526)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses it.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1354 – Jacopo Passavanti uses it for “obscure, without fame”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1570 – Lodovico Castelvetro uses it as a noun for an unknown person.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1650 – The sense “never felt or tried before” is recorded.^(LEI|15, 526)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|unknown]]; never visited or explored: ''Navigavano verso isole sconosciute.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Whose identity has not been established: ''Il ladro è rimasto sconosciuto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Not famous, [[m|en|obscure]]: ''un pittore sconosciuto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Whose nature or cause is not known: ''una malattia di origine sconosciuta''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Never felt or tried before: ''Provò una gioia sconosciuta.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary)'' Not properly appreciated, [[misconosciuto]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|stranger]], a person whose identity is not known: ''Non aprire la porta agli sconosciuti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sconosciutamente]]

+ * [[semisconosciuto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[conoscere]]

+ * [[sconoscere]]

+ * [[conosciuto]]

+ * [[la|cognosco]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Illustre sconosciuto'' (literally “illustrious unknown”) is said ironically of someone nobody has heard of.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}