pollo Italian · revision 38958

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1230–1260, Mugello tithe records|origins=la pullus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpol.lo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pollo''' ''m'' (plural polli)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|pullo]], [[roa-oit|pulli]] and [[roa-oit|pui]].^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|pullus|t=young of an animal; chick|alt=pullum]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) From the same Latin word come [[pulcino]], [[pollone]] and [[pullulare]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The same word is [[oc|pol]], [[ca|poll]] and [[es|pollo]]; the feminine gave [[fr|poule|t=hen]], which replaced [[m|la|gallīna]] in central France.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3004)

+

+ The origin of the Latin noun is disputed.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Nocentini and DEI compare [[grc|πῶλος|tr=pôlos|t=foal]] and [[goh|folo|t=foal]]; the OLD derives it from [[itc-pro|*putslos]], comparing [[sa|पुत्र|tr=putrá|t=son]], and Wiktionary gives both explanations.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3004)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is the Mugello tithe records of 1230–1260, which the TLIO also gives as its first source; the sense is “cock or hen”, especially as food.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) In Old Italian ''pollo'' could also mean the young of any animal, as in Latin.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DEI|3004)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Boccaccio, describing the plague in the ''Decameron'', has oxen, donkeys, sheep, pigs and fowl (''i polli'') wandering the abandoned fields.^(GDLI|13, 785) Old Italian proverbs used the word: ''fare assai polli di un uovo'' was to get more from something than is fair, and ''meglio a presente uova che domani polli'' is the Old Italian form of “a bird in the hand”.^(TLIO)

+

+ The figurative sense “a naive, gullible person” is recorded by Fanfani in 1863;^(DELI 1999) ''pollastro'' had a similar sense already in Burchiello (before 1449), and ''pollastra'' for an attractive, naive girl (1947) is a calque of French slang ''poule''.^(DELI 1999) ''Pollo d'India'' first named the guinea fowl and then the turkey brought from Mexico in the 16th century.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DEI|3004) Set phrases include ''conoscere i propri polli'' “to know who one is dealing with” and ''far ridere i polli'' “to be ridiculous”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1162 – Medieval Latin ''pollaster'' is recorded at Padua.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1230–1260 – The Mugello tithe records have ''pollo''.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * 1262 – ''Pollastro'' “young chicken” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1344 – ''Pollastra'' “young hen” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1350 – ''Pollaio'' “henhouse” is in a translation of Crescenzi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1863 – Fanfani records ''pollo'' for a gullible person.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1884 – ''Pollicoltore'' “poultry farmer” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|chicken]]: the domestic cock or hen, especially a young one raised for meat and eggs.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Chicken as food: ''pollo arrosto'', ''brodo di pollo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative, colloquial)'' A naive person who is easily fooled, a [[m|en|sucker]]: ''Ci è cascato come un pollo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(slang)'' Among drug users, a small-time dealer.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(archaic)'' ''Pollo d'India'': the guinea fowl; later the [[m|en|turkey]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pollaio]]

+ * [[pollaiolo]]

+ * [[pollame]]

+ * [[pollanca]]

+ * [[pollastra]]

+ * [[pollastro]]

+ * [[polleria]]

+ * [[pollicoltore]]

+ * [[pollicoltura]]

+ * [[pollino]]

+ * [[pollivendolo]]

+ * [[appollaiarsi]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pollare]]

+ * [[pulcino]]

+ * [[pullulare]]

+ * [[pollone]]

+ * [[puledro]]

+ * [[la|pullus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Andare a letto con i polli'' is to go to bed very early.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) ''Pollo sultano'' is the purple swamphen.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}