spostare Italian · revision 38932

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1584, Vincenzo Galilei|origins=la pōnō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /sposˈta.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spostare''' (first-person singular present spòsto, first-person singular past historic spostài, past participle spostàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a verb formed [[af|it|s-|posto|-are|t2=place]], with [[s-]] in its sense of removal: “to put out of place”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary) GDLI traces the prefix to Latin [[m|la|ex-]], which expresses moving away.^(GDLI) The noun [[posto]] comes from [[la|positus|t=placed]], the past participle of [[m|la|pōnō|t=to put]].^(Wikizionario)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Wikizionario also mentions an explanation from moving an animal from stall, a [[posta]], of the stable to another.^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is from Vincenzo Galilei in 1584, with the sense “to move someone or something from its place”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Tommaseo quotes Galilei's dialogue on the lute, ''Fronimo'', for the musical sense “to transpose”, of pieces that could be played ''senz'averle a spostare'' (“without having to transpose them”).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Anton Maria Salvini has the noun ''spostamento'' before 1728, and the reflexive “to move from one's place” is recorded in Milan in 1820.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo–Bellini (1873) gives a figurative sense “to upset, to unsettle financially”, which Zingarelli now marks as disused.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) Tommaseo also speaks of shifting an accent, as in ''umíle'' for ''umile''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The past participle ''spostato'' became a noun in 1876 for a misfit, someone out of place in society;^(DELI 1999) Rigutini in 1886 accepted it though it matched French ''déplacé'', and Panzini in 1905 called it typical of the age.^(DELI 1999) Modern Italian also uses the verb for moving a date or appointment, for transferring an employee, and in chemistry for shifting an equilibrium.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1584 – Vincenzo Galilei uses ''spostare''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1728 – Anton Maria Salvini uses ''spostamento''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1820 – The reflexive ''spostarsi'' is recorded in Milan.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1873 – Tommaseo–Bellini records the sense “to unsettle, to damage”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1876 – ''Spostato'' “misfit” is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|move]], shift something from its place: ''Aiutami a spostare il divano verso la finestra.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To move a person aside: ''Mi ha spostato con una spallata.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|transfer]] to another place or office: ''L'hanno spostato nella sede di Torino.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To put off or bring forward in time, [[m|en|reschedule]]: ''Possiamo spostare la cena a venerdì?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To change (plans, a situation).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To turn (attention, a discussion) to something else.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(chemistry)'' To shift the equilibrium of a system.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(music, dated)'' To [[m|en|transpose]].^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+ # ''(reflexive, spostarsi)'' To move, change position or place: ''Spostati un po', non vedo lo schermo.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spostamento]]

+ * [[spostato]]

+ * [[spostabile]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[posto]]

+ * [[porre]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Non spostarsi di un passo'' is to stay put, or figuratively to refuse to budge from one's position.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}