posta Italian · revision 39119

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=la pōnō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpɔs.ta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''posta''' ''f'' (plural poste)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|positus|alt=pŏsita|t=placed, set]], a form of the past participle of [[m|la|pōnō|t=to put, to place]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The sources read the form in two ways: DELI, GRADIT and Sabatini–Coletti take it as a neuter plural, “(places) set, fixed”, while Nocentini, Devoto–Oli and Wiktionary take it as a feminine singular, an adjective of [[la|mansio|t=stopping place]], so “fixed stopping place”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) The same participle gave [[posto]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|339)

+

+ DELI quotes Migliorini and Duro on the history: the oldest sense is “stop, station”, then “the place where the coaches of the courier services stopped and changed horses”, and, from there “postal service”.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini adds that the relay stations for changing horses on long journeys gave their name, from the 17th century, to the mail carried by that system, and that [[fr|poste]] and [[es|posta]] come from Italian and spread the word across Europe.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907) The Latin verb itself goes back to a compound [[itc-pro|*po-sine/o-|t=to put down]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record DELI gives is in Bono Giamboni, before 1292, in the old sense “pleasure, will” (as in ''a posta'' “at one's pleasure”).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The sense “fixed point for a stop” is in the ''Laudi'' of Urbino about 1300, and the hunter's waiting place, where he stands still for the game, in Dante, before 1321.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The ''posta'' as a stage for coaches, travellers and couriers on the main roads is recorded in the 14th century, in the Italian ''Milione'' of Marco Polo.^(DELI 1999) Other senses followed: the stake in a game or bet (before 1400, Sacchetti) and an animal's stall (1517–1524, Ariosto).^(DELI 1999) Dante's ''alla posta'' already shows the place where one waits, the source of the phrase ''fare la posta'' “to lie in wait for someone”.^(GDLI|13, 1055)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ Postal services grew from the couriers of the merchants of the 14th century, and DEI dates the first service in the modern sense to Francesco Tasso (Taxis), at Venice in 1502;^(DEI|3036) Prati places the beginning of the organised service in Austria about 1500.^(Prati 1951|799) Tommaso Garzoni in 1585 uses ''posta'' for the place where letters are handed in, and the sense “public mail service” is recorded in 1730–1736 (Lione Pascoli), “letters received” in 1891 (Petrocchi).^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|799) The adjective ''postale'' appears in Vincenzo Monti in 1809, and ''postino'', in 1839–1841, spread probably from Rome and replaced the Tuscan ''procaccia''.^(DELI 1999)

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+ French took ''poste'' in the sense “relay of horses” (1480), “post office” (1655) and “postal service” (1869), and German ''Post'' is recorded about 1500.^(DIFIT) Wiktionary lists many later borrowings, among them [[cs|pošta]], [[hu|posta]] and [[de|Post]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''posta'' for “pleasure, will”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1300 – The ''Laudi'' of Urbino use it for a fixed stopping place.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for a hunter's waiting place.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – The Italian ''Milione'' uses it for a coaching stage.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1400 – Sacchetti uses it for a stake in a game.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1480 – French ''poste'' “relay of horses” is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1502 – Francesco Tasso organises a postal service at Venice.^(DEI|3036)

+ * 1585 – Garzoni uses ''posta'' for the place where letters are handed in.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1730–1736 – The sense “mail service” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1809 – ''Postale'' appears in Vincenzo Monti.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – Petrocchi records ''posta'' “correspondence”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|mail]], [[m|en|post]]: the public service that collects, sorts and delivers letters and parcels: ''Ti mando il libro per posta.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural, capitalised)'' ''le Poste'', the postal administration and its staff.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|post office]]: ''Devo passare alla posta prima delle sei.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The letters and parcels delivered; [[m|en|correspondence]]; also ''posta elettronica'', e-mail.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A newspaper column or a broadcast made up of letters from readers or listeners: ''la posta del cuore''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(hunting)'' The place where the hunter waits for the game, ''fare la posta a qualcuno'' “to lie in wait for someone”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A [[m|en|stake]] in a game or bet: ''la posta in gioco'' “what is at stake”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(dated)'' A fixed place to stop or stay; the stall of an animal in a stable; a ship's mooring; a pitch in a market.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(historical)'' A coaching stage, where horses were changed; the coach that ran between stages.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[postale]]

+ * [[postino]]

+ * [[postagiro]]

+ * [[postelegrafico]]

+ * [[postelegrafonico]]

+ * [[apposta]]

+ * [[impostare]]

+ * [[fermoposta]]

+ * [[postacelere]]

+ * [[posteggiare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[posto]]

+ * [[porre]]

+ * [[fr|poste]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Two minor words share the spelling.^(GRADIT 2003) ''Posta'' with a closed /o/, a regional Tuscan noun formed from ''posto'' “placed”, means the placing or planting of something (''la posta dei semi'') and, in old use, a footprint, as in Dante's ''dietro a le poste de le care piante'' “behind the footprints of the dear feet”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) An obsolete ''posta'' “abscess” of the 14th century is a shortening of ''postema''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|13, 1055) ''A bella posta'' and the adverb ''apposta'' mean “on purpose”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}