copia Italian · revision 38858

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1260–1261, Brunetto Latini|origins=la ops}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkɔ.pja/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''copia''' ''f'' (plural copie, diminutive (uncommon) copiétta, augmentative copióne m, pejorative copiàccia)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|cōpia|t=abundance, plenty]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin noun is formed from [[m|la|co-]] and the stem of [[m|la|ops|t=wealth, means]], through an adjective [[m|la|cōps|t=well supplied]] with the suffix [[m|la|-ia]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[fro|copie]] and [[es|copia]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The sense “copy” grew out of “abundance”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI follows Colòri (1999): in chanceries and among notaries, to “make copy” of a document, after a Latin phrase of the same kind, was to allow someone to consult it.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini instead thinks of Latin phrases meaning “to reproduce in abundance”, said of manuscript texts.^(Nocentini 2010) Battaglia and DEI derive the noun from [[la-med|copiō|alt=copiāre|t=to reproduce in large numbers]].^(GDLI)^(DEI|1096) DELI, Nocentini, GRADIT and Devoto–Oli give the two senses separate articles, in different orders.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is Brunetto Latini's ''Rettorica'', about 1260–61, in the sense “abundance, a great quantity”.^(TLIO) The sense “copy” follows in a Pisan document of 1264.^(TLIO) DELI dates “abundance” from Bono Giamboni (before 1292) and “faithful transcription of an original text” from the statutes of Olivola, 1310–13.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian also used ''copia'' for an armed host, for the means or chance to do something, and for eloquence (''copia di dire'').^(TLIO)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) To ''fare copia di sé'' was to make oneself available, and of a woman to give herself freely.^(TLIO)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Machiavelli used the plural ''copie'' for troops.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ The sense “copy” widened from texts to things: an exact reproduction or a work of art copied from another artist's original (before 1455, Ghiberti), a printed specimen of a work (before 1642, Galileo) and a print of a photograph or a film (1865).^(DELI 1999) The formula ''copia conforme'', certifying that a copy matches the original, is recorded in 1796.^(DELI 1999) The derivative ''copione'', the script of a play or film, is first found in Collodi in 1881.^(DELI 1999) Today the sense “abundance” is literary.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1260–1261 – Brunetto Latini uses ''copia'' “abundance”.^(TLIO)

+ * 1264 – A Pisan document has the sense “copy”.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1455 – Ghiberti uses it for a copy of a work of art.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1642 – Galileo uses it for a printed specimen of a work.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1796 – ''Copia conforme'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1865 – Tommaseo records the sense “photographic print”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1881 – Collodi uses ''copione'' “script”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|copy]], a faithful transcription of a text: ''Mi serve una copia del contratto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A reproduction of a work of art, sometimes a [[m|en|forgery]]: ''Quel quadro non è l'originale ma una copia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A duplicate made mechanically or photographically, a photocopy or a photographic print: ''Fammi due copie di questa pagina.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A single printed copy of a book, newspaper or record: ''Il romanzo ha venduto centomila copie.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A person who closely resembles another: ''Tua figlia è la copia di tua madre.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' [[m|en|abundance]], a great quantity: ''in gran copia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[copiosità]]

+ * [[copioso]]

+ * [[copialettere]]

+ * [[copiare]]

+ * [[copiativo]]

+ * [[copiatrice]]

+ * [[copiatura]]

+ * [[copione]]

+ * [[copista]]

+ * [[copisteria]]

+ * [[scopiazzare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[opulento]]

+ * [[la|cōpia]]

+ * [[fr|copie]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Brutta copia'' is the first draft of a piece of writing, also figuratively a poor imitation, and ''bella copia'' the clean final version.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) An unrelated Old Italian ''copia'', a kind of leather of unknown origin, is recorded in a Florentine account book of 1453.^(GDLI|3, 748)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}