gara Italian · revision 38881

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=borrowing|attested=1310–1312, Dino Compagni|origins=ar غارة}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɡa.ra/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gara''' ''f'' (plural gare)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) DELI calls it a word of unknown origin, but thinks worth further study the proposal that it is [[bor|ar|غارة|tr=ġāra|t=raid, foray]], which entered Spanish with the Arabic article as [[osp|algara|t=cavalry raid]].^(DELI 1999) Nocentini accepts the Arabic source, and DEI, GRADIT, Devoto–Oli and GDLI give it as likely.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|1762)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI) The sense would have passed from “raid” to “armed clash” and then to “contest”.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GDLI) The same Arabic word is [[pt|algara]], and Spanish has the derivative [[m|es|algarada]].^(REW 1935)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Alessio, noting that the word is not popular in the dialects of the south and Sicily, preferred [[la|aurīgō|t=to drive a chariot]], through a reduced form that would also explain [[regata]].^(DELI 1999) DELI finds this too dependent on adjustments, and the LEI rejects it because the Latin long vowel would have been kept.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|3, 2501) Zaccaria derived the word, through French, from [[frk|*warōn|t=to watch, to guard]], and doubted the Arabic source because Arabic had lent Romance words for things rather than for ideas;^(Zaccaria 1901) DEI excludes the Germanic verb and Meyer-Lübke found it unlikely in sense.^(DEI|1762)^(REW 1935) Prati left the origin open.^(Prati 1951|482)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Dino Compagni's ''Cronica'' (1310–1312), where ''i cittadini si cominciorono a dividere per gara d'ufici'', “the citizens began to split apart through rivalry for public offices”.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(GDLI) In Old Italian the word meant rivalry or contention for some result.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Old Italian ''Livio volgarizzato'' tells of a family that seemed born ''a gareggiare e combattere co' tribuni e colla plebe'', “to vie and fight with the tribunes and the people”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) The TLIO also records ''gara'' for an armed clash, and phrases such as ''a gara'', ''pigliare gara'' “to come into conflict” and ''vincere la gara'' “to prevail”.^(TLIO) Ariosto's ''Orlando furioso'' begins its plot with ''una gara / tra il conte Orlando e il suo cugin Rinaldo'', “a quarrel between Count Orlando and his cousin Rinaldo”.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ The sense “quarrel, dispute” is now obsolete.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) Today the word means above all a sporting contest.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The administrative ''gara d'appalto'', a competition between firms for a public contract, is recorded in Carducci in 1878.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Prati notes a regional sense “angry whim” in the dialects of Siena and the mountains of Pistoia.^(Prati 1951|482)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses ''gara'' for “rivalry”.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * 14th century – ''Gareggiare'' “to vie” appears in the ''Livio volgarizzato''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1551 – Bernardo Segni uses ''gareggiamento''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1562 – ''Garoso'' “quarrelsome” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1590 – Bernardino Baldi uses ''gareggiare'' for taking part in a race.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1878 – Carducci uses ''gara'' for a tender.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|competition]], contest, [[m|en|race]] between people or teams trying to outdo each other: ''La gara di nuoto comincia alle dieci.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(by extension)'' Rivalry in doing something, especially something praiseworthy: ''In paese c'è stata una gara di generosità per la famiglia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(administration)'' A [[m|en|tender]], short for ''gara d'appalto'': a competition in which a public contract goes to the best offer.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' Dispute, quarrel.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gareggiamento]]

+ * [[gareggiare]]

+ * [[garoso]]

+ * [[sgarare]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fare a gara'' means to compete in doing something, often ironically, and ''fuori gara'' is said of an athlete who takes part without being ranked.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}