difficoltà Italian · revision 39236

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=la difficilis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /dif.fi.kolˈta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''difficoltà''' ''f'' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include [[m|roa-oit|difficultà]], [[m|roa-oit|difficultade]], [[m|roa-oit|difficultate]] and [[m|roa-oit|dificultà]].^(TLIO) ''Difficultà'' survives as an archaic and popular form.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|difficultās|t=difficulty; scarcity]], from [[m|la|difficilis|t=difficult]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI and Zingarelli analyse the Latin noun as [[m|la|dis-]] and [[m|la|facultās|t=ability, ease]], while the Oxford Latin Dictionary and Wiktionary derive it from [[m|la|difficilis]] with the suffix [[m|la|-tās]].^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The same Latin word gave Engadine [[m|rm|difficultà]], [[fr|difficulté]] (1239), [[es|dificultad]] and [[pt|dificuldade]].^(LEI|20, 373) The LEI separates the Italian forms that underwent popular sound changes from the northern forms that spread from Florence into the standard language and the south.^(LEI|20, 373)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is Bono Giamboni's translation of Orosius, of 1292.^(TLIO) DELI's first date is Giordano da Pisa, in 1303–1306, for “the quality of being difficult”: ''Se questo è di tanta difficultà e pericolo'' “if this is so difficult and dangerous”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian already used the word for a road full of obstacles, for a text hard to understand, for a bodily function performed with effort, for an obstacle, for poverty and for reluctance.^(TLIO) DELI dates “complication, obstacle” to the 14th-century Italian Livy, “objection” to Savonarola before 1498 and the plural “lack of money” to Giovanni Della Casa before 1556.^(DELI 1999) An Old Florentine text of 1322–1332 uses ''difficultade'' for a doubtful or disputed point.^(LEI|20, 373) The adjective [[difficoltoso]] is recorded from 1585.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses the word in his Orosius.^(TLIO)

+ * 1303–1306 – Giordano da Pisa uses ''difficultà'' for the quality of being difficult.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – The Italian Livy uses it for “obstacle”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1498 – Savonarola uses it for “objection”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1556 – Giovanni Della Casa uses the plural for money troubles.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1585 – ''Difficoltoso'' is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|difficulty]]: the quality of being difficult: ''la difficoltà dell'esame''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An [[m|en|obstacle]], a complication: ''Abbiamo incontrato parecchie difficoltà lungo la strada.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # An impairment of a bodily function: ''difficoltà di respirazione''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Effort, trouble: ''Saliva le scale con difficoltà.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # An [[m|en|objection]]: ''Non ha fatto difficoltà a prestarmi la macchina.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A difficult situation: ''trovarsi in difficoltà''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(chiefly plural)'' Financial straits: ''difficoltà economiche''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[difficoltoso]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[difficile]]

+ * [[facoltà]]

+ * [[la|difficultās]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Difficoltà'' is feminine and invariable.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Common phrases are ''mettere in difficoltà'', to put someone in a tight spot, and ''fare difficoltà'', to raise objections.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}