spiegazione Italian · revision 39124

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=before 1653, Luigi Giuglaris|origins=la plicō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /spje.ɡatˈt͡sjo.ne/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spiegazione''' ''f'' (plural spiegazioni)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[spiegare]] “to explain” with the suffix [[-zione]], on the model of [[la|explicātiō|t=unfolding; explanation]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) GRADIT gives the Latin noun as the source directly.^(GRADIT 2003) The verb is the popular outcome of [[la|explicō|t=to unfold, untangle; explain]], a compound of [[m|la|ex-]] and [[m|la|plicō|t=to fold]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) The learned forms of the same Latin words are [[esplicare]] and [[esplicazione]].^(Wiktionary)^(Nocentini 2010) Körting notes that only Italian has the noun in a popular form; elsewhere it is a learned word, as in [[fr|explication]].^(Körting 1907)

+

+ De Vaan, as Wiktionary reports him, takes [[m|la|plicō]] as probably a back-formation from compounds, ultimately from [[ine-pro|*pleḱ-|t=to plait]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is Luigi Giuglaris, before 1653, for the explaining of what is hard to understand.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT dates the word to 1687 and Nocentini and Devoto–Oli to the 17th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 18th century the word took on the sense of an account of one's own or another's thoughts about words or deeds that had been misunderstood;^(DELI 1999) DELI records it before 1806 in Carlo Gozzi.^(DELI 1999) From this comes the modern ''spiegazione'' between people who disagree, a clarifying talk.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Manzoni uses the verb ''spiegarsi'' for coming to such an explanation with Lucia.^(DELI 1999) Today the word also means a teacher's explanation, a reason or cause, and written instructions.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1653 – Luigi Giuglaris uses ''spiegazione''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1687 – GRADIT's date for the word.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1806 – Carlo Gozzi uses it for clearing up a misunderstanding.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1825–1827 – Manzoni uses ''spiegarsi'' “to come to an explanation”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|explanation]], the making clear of something obscure or difficult: ''Non ho capito, mi serve una spiegazione più semplice.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # An exposition of a subject, especially a teacher's: ''la spiegazione della lezione''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # (usually plural) Instructions for use: ''Leggi le spiegazioni prima di montare il mobile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[motivo|alt=reason]], cause or justification: ''Non trovo una spiegazione al suo silenzio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A clarifying talk between people in disagreement: ''Abbiamo avuto una spiegazione e ora siamo di nuovo amici.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spiegare]]

+ * [[spiegabile]]

+ * [[esplicazione]]

+ * [[la|explicātiō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Esigere'' or ''pretendere una spiegazione'' is to demand an explanation, and ''venire a una spiegazione con qualcuno'' to have it out with someone.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}