attore Italian · revision 39034

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1252–1258, Storie de Troia e de Roma (Rome)|origins=la agō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /atˈto.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''attore''' ''m'' (plural attori, feminine attrice)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include [[m|roa-oit|atore]], [[m|roa-oit|actore]] and Sicilian [[m|roa-oit|atturi]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|actor|alt=āctor|t=doer, performer; pleader]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(LEI) The Latin noun is the agent noun of [[m|la|agō|t=to drive, do, act]], formed from its past participle [[m|la|āctus]] with the suffix [[m|la|-tor]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(GDLI) The verb continues the Proto-Indo-European root [[m|ine-pro|*h₂eǵ-|t=to drive, lead]], also seen in [[grc|ἄγω|tr=ágō|t=to lead]] and [[sa|अजति|tr=ájati|t=drives]].^(de Vaan 2008) The same learned noun is [[fr|acteur]], [[es|actor]], [[pt|actor]] and [[ro|actor]].^(LEI)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ According to the LEI the word first came into Italian with its legal, administrative or general Latin senses, “agent, doer”, “one who brings a lawsuit”, “steward”; the theatrical sense, it says, was unknown to Latin, and French has it only from Molière (1664).^(LEI) The feminine [[attrice]] appears for the stage in 1817.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Roman ''Storie de Troia e de Roma'' of 1252–1258.^(TLIO) The early senses are “executor, doer”, “author, originator” and, in law, the party who brings an action against another; an ''attore di pace'' was an arbiter.^(TLIO) The theatrical sense is found at the beginning of the 14th century in a vernacular translation of Cicero, which advises the reader to be diligent in the last part of his duty, as good poets and industrious ''attori'' are.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(LEI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The legal sense “plaintiff” is recorded from Giovanni dalle Celle (1388), and Old Italian also used the word for a steward or manager of estates, a sense now obsolete.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI)^(GRADIT 2003) The stage sense spread in the 16th and 17th centuries.^(LEI) Alfieri writes of having to take the part of Creon himself because no actor was able to.^(LEI)^(GDLI)

+

+ From 1742 the word also names one who plays an active part in real events, and, from the 19th century one who feigns feelings, a hypocrite.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI) Nineteenth-century Italian companies had the ''attor giovane'', the young lead, a role that called for good looks and brio.^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) Narratology has recently given ''attore'' the sense of the concrete character who fills an abstract narrative role (''attante'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1252–1258 – ''Attore'' appears in the ''Storie de Troia e de Roma''.^(TLIO)

+ * Early 14th century – A translation of Cicero uses ''attori'' for stage performers.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ * 1388 – Giovanni dalle Celle uses ''attore'' for one who brings a lawsuit.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI)

+ * 1664 – French ''acteur'' takes the theatrical sense in Molière.^(LEI)

+ * 1742 – Domenico Maria Manni uses ''attore'' for one who takes an active part in events.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1817 – ''Attrice'' “actress” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1865 – Tommaseo–Bellini records ''attore'' for one who feigns.^(LEI)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|actor]]: one who plays a part in a theatre, film, radio or television production: ''Quell'attore ha vinto un premio per il suo ultimo film.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' One who skilfully [[fingere|alt=feigns]] feelings he does not have: ''Non credergli, sta solo recitando: è un attore nato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative)'' One who takes an active part in a real event, as opposed to a spectator: ''Furono attori, non testimoni, di quella rivoluzione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(law)'' The [[m|en|plaintiff]], the party who brings an action, as opposed to the ''convenuto'' (defendant).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary criticism)'' In structural analysis of narrative, the character who fills an abstract role (''attante'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(sociology)'' The individual as the subject of social action.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[attrice]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[agire]]

+ * [[atto]]

+ * [[azione]]

+ * [[la|actor]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The feminine is ''attrice'', also as an adjective in law: ''la parte attrice'' “the plaintiff”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''Primo attore'' is the lead actor.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}