paga Italian · revision 38883

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpa.ɡa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''paga''' ''f'' (plural paghe)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a deverbal noun of [[pagare|t=to pay]], formed without a suffix.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) GRADIT compares [[la-med|paga]], recorded in 1187.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The verb continues [[la|pācō|t=to pacify, to make quiet]], a derivative of [[m|la|pāx|t=peace]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini explains the change of meaning: “to quieten” came to mean quietening a creditor with money, and so “to pay”.^(Nocentini 2010) The verb is pan-Romance: [[fr|payer]], [[oc|pagar]], [[ca|pagar]], [[es|pagar]], [[pt|pagar]] and [[sc|pagare]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is a Sienese letter of 1262, where the word means an instalment of a payment, and the sense “wages” follows in Brunetto Latini (before 1294).^(DELI 1999) In Latini's ''Rettorica'' the ambassadors are told to collect ''la paga'' from the chamberlain to cover their expenses.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the Middle Ages ''paga'' was above all the pay of soldiers, and Giovanni Villani tells of an escort that brought ''la paga di tutta la gente del Re'', “the pay of all the King's men”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GRADIT 2003) By metonymy the word could also name the paid soldier himself, a sense now obsolete.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Tommaseo defined it as a fixed sum paid at fixed times, to soldiers and also to civil officials.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ The ironic sense “reward”, said of poor thanks for one's efforts, is dated 1871, from Tommaseo's dictionary.^(DELI 1999) In colloquial use ''paga'' is also a beating or defeat at a game.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) From the middle of the 20th century the noun follows another noun like an adjective in ''busta paga'', the pay packet or payslip, used by Pratolini and Marotta.^(DELI 1999) The diminutive ''paghetta'' meant part of the pay in Machiavelli (1503) and, from 1970, the pocket money parents give their children.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1187 – Medieval Latin ''paga'' is recorded.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1262 – A Sienese letter uses ''paga'' for an instalment.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for “wages”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1503 – Machiavelli uses the diminutive ''paghetta''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1871 – The ironic sense “reward” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1905 – ''Il paga'', “the one who pays”, is recorded.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ * 1945–1955 – Pratolini writes ''busta paga''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1970 – ''Paghetta'' “pocket money” enters the Zingarelli dictionary.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|pay]], [[m|en|wages]]: the money paid, usually at regular times, for work: ''Gli operai aspettano la paga di fine mese.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(historical)'' The pay of soldiers, especially of [[m|en|mercenary|alt=mercenaries]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+ # ''(figurative, often ironic)'' Reward, recompense: ''Questa è la paga per anni di lavoro?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A defeat at a game or contest.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' An [[m|en|instalment]] of a payment.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' A paid soldier.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(uncommon; masculine and feminine, invariable)'' The one who pays, a payer: ''essere il paga''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[paghetta]]

+ * [[paghista]]

+ * [[soprappaga]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pagare]]

+ * [[pagamento]]

+ * [[pagatore]]

+ * [[la|paco]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Paga'' “payer” is the verb form ''paga'', third person singular or imperative of [[pagare]], used as a noun, and is recorded from 1905;^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) De Amicis wrote ''essere il paga della compagnia'', “to be the one who pays for the group”, and ''una mala paga'' is a bad payer.^(GDLI)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In ''busta paga'', ''libro paga'' and ''ufficio paga'' the noun follows another noun and does not change, so the plural is ''buste paga''.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}