valigia Italian · revision 39205

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1348–1353, Boccaccio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /vaˈli.d͡ʒa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''valigia''' ''f'' (plural valigie or valige)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older forms are ''valige'' (14th century, Antonio Pucci), now southern and regional, and ''valice'' (16th century, Tansillo), still used in Rome.^(DEI|3980)^(Prati 1951|1035)^(DELI 1999) Dialect forms include [[vec|valìs]], [[lmo|valìs]], Ligurian ''valize'', Neapolitan ''balìcia'' and Tuscan ''ballìgia''.^(DEI|3980)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is uncertain, as DELI, GRADIT and Devoto–Oli say.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The word is found as [[la-med|valisia]] and [[m|la-med|valixia]].^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011) Wiktionary and Nocentini see Italian “valigia” as a borrowing from the northern dialects (Milanese “valìs”), whose voiced /z/ was replaced in Tuscany by ⟨gi⟩.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) For the source of the Medieval Latin word there are several proposals:^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ * Alessio (in DEI) derives it from [[la|bilīx|t=woven with a double thread]], a compound of [[m|la|bi-|t=two]] and [[m|la|līcium|t=thread]]: the first “valigia” would have been a coarse cloth rolled up and tied with a strap around the clothes.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini thinks this the most plausible explanation.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Devoto proposed [[ar|وَلِيهَة|tr=walīha|t=large sack of grain]], the explanation that Zingarelli, Gabrielli and Sabatini–Coletti give with a question mark.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ * Wiktionary also gives [[xtg|*valisia|t=leather bag]], from the root [[ine-pro|*welH-]].^(Wiktionary)

+ * V. Pisani suggested an abstract noun from [[la|bāiulus|t=porter]], though the change of b- to v- is a difficulty.^(DELI 1999)

+ Prati called it a word of unknown origin.^(Prati 1951|1035)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The word is related to [[fr|valise]] and [[es|valija]], but it is not clear which language took it from which.^(Wiktionary) Nocentini says the Italian word passed into French and into [[gmh|velīs]], the source of [[de|Felleisen]];^(Nocentini 2010)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Tommaseo knew the derivation from the German word.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is Boccaccio's ''Decameron'' (1348–1353), where a traveller has the saddle and the ''valigia'' put on his palfrey: the sense was a bag of stout cloth strapped behind the saddle, holding a rider's clothes.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI) Antonio Pucci used ''valige'' for a purse, and Arrighetto for a belly, in the 14th century.^(DEI|3980)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th century a crowd of derivatives appeared: ''valigetta'' (Cellini), ''valigione'' (Mauro), ''valigiotto'' (Guicciardini), and ''svaligiare'', to rob a traveller of his bags.^(DEI|3980)^(Prati 1951|1035)^(Nocentini 2010) The ''valigiaio'' who made and sold bags is recorded before 1625, and Florio has ''valigiaro'' in 1598.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo described the 19th-century ''valigia'' as a leather case, smaller than a trunk, which soldiers carried on their backs.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The ''valigia postale'' was the mail bag of the stagecoach era, and the ''valigia delle Indie'' was the postal and passenger service between Britain and the East Indies, after English ''Indian mail'' and French ''malle des Indes''.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) In international law the ''valigia diplomatica'' is the sealed diplomatic bag.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) ''Fare le valigie'', to pack, also means to leave a place.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Italian lent the word to [[sq|valixhe]] and Ladino ''validja''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses ''valigia'' in the ''Decameron''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 14th century – Antonio Pucci uses the form ''valige''.^(DEI|3980)

+ * 16th century – ''Valigetta'' (Cellini) and ''svaligiare'' are recorded.^(DEI|3980)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1598 – Florio records ''valigiaro''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1879 – ''Valigeria'', a factory or shop selling bags, appears in Tommaseo's dictionary.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1942 – The form ''valige'' is recorded as a southern regionalism.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|suitcase]]: a case, usually box-shaped, of leather, cloth, plastic or other material, with a handle, for carrying clothes and belongings when travelling: ''Ho lasciato la valigia in albergo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(by extension)'' A rigid carrying [[m|en|case]] for a bulky object: ''la valigia del violino''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(history)'' ''valigia postale'': the mail bag of the stagecoach era, ''valigia delle Indie'': the mail and passenger service between Britain and the East Indies.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(law)'' ''valigia diplomatica'': the [[m|en|diplomatic bag]], exempt from customs and police checks.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[valigeria]]

+ * [[valigiaio]]

+ * [[valigetta]]

+ * [[svaligiare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[baule]]

+ * [[fr|valise]]

+ * [[es|valija]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The plural is ''valigie'' or, less often, ''valige''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Fare le valigie'' means “to pack” and, figuratively, “to clear out, leave”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}