Etymological Content

Phonetic analysis 

*All words from the source text are the same words in modern standard Italian.

  1. (Latin) PAUCU > (Source text/modern standard Italian) POCO

[páw-ku] > [pכ-ko]

  1. PAUCU > POCU
    1. [páw-ku] > [pכ-ku]
    2. Diphthong /AW/ resolved to low mid /כ/
  2. POCU > POCO
    1. [pכ-ku] > [pכ-ko]
    2. Word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back

 

  1. SYLVA > SELVA

[síl-wa] > [sél-va]

  1. SYLVA > SELVA
    1. [síl-wa] > [sél-wa]
    2. Grapheme change from /y/ high front to /e/ mid low front
  2. SELVA > SELVA
    1. [sél-wa] > [sél-va]
    2. Semiconsonant [wa] high back undergoes lenition to becomes the fricative labio-dental voiced [v]

 

  1. RADIUS > RAGGIO

[rá-djus] > [rá-dʒo]

  1. RADIUS > RAGGIUS
    1. [rá-djus] > [rá-dʒ-us]
    2. Regular palatalization /d + j/ “DI” to /dʒ/ “GG” through gemination; evolution from yod /d + j/ voiced palatal approximant to affricate postalveolar voiced /dʒ/
  2. RAGGIUS > RAGGIU
    1. [rá-dʒius] > [rá-dʒu]
    2. Loss of final /-s/
  3. RAGGIU > RAGGIO
    1. [rá-dʒu] > [rá-dʒo]
    2. Word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back

 

  1. STATIONEM > STAGIONE

[sta-tji-o-nem] > [sta-dʒone]

  1. STATIONEM > STAGIONEM
    1. [sta-tji-o-nem] > [sta-dʒo-nem]
    2. Exception: /t + j/ is supposed to yield /t∫/ affricate alveolar voiceless, but instead yields /dʒ/ “GI” affricate postalveolar voiced
  2. STAGIONEM > STAGIONE
    1. [sta-dʒo-nem] > [sta-dʒone]
    2. Loss of word final /M/

 

  1. DULCIS > DOLCE

[dúl-kis] > [dol-t∫e]

  1. DULCIS > DOLCIS
    1. [dúl-kis] > [dol-kis]
    2. Evolution of stressed syllable vowel /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back
  2. DOLCIS > DOLCIS
    1. [dol-kis] > [dol-t∫is]
    2. Regular palatalization of /k + i/ “CI” to /t∫/ affricate alveolar voiceless
  3. DOLCIS > DOLCES
    1. [dol-t∫is] > [dol-t∫es]
    2. Evolution of word final /i/ high front to /e/ mid low front
  4. DOLCES > DOLCE
    1. [dol-t∫es] > [dol-t∫e]
    2. Loss of final /-s/

 

  1. PLAGIA > PIAGGIA

[plá-gia] > [pjá-dʒa]

  1. PLAGIA > PIAGIA
    1. [plá-gia] > [pjá-gia]
    2. Regular palatalization of /PL-/ to /pj/ “PI” fricative palatal voiced
  2. PIAGIA > PIAGIA
    1. [pjá-gia] > [pjá-dʒi-a]
    2. Regular palatalization of /g + i/ to /dʒ/ “GI” affricate postalveolar voiced
  3. PIAGIA > PIAGGIA
    1. [pjá-dʒi-a] > [pjá-dʒa]
    2. Gemination of /G/ to “GG” for consonant lengthening  

 

  1. DIRECTUS > DRITTO

[di-rek-tus] > [drit-to]

  1. DIRECTUS > DRECTUS
    1. [di-rek-tus] > [drek-tus]
    2. Syncope of unstressed vowel “ĭ”
  2. DRECTUS > DRETTUS
    1. [drek-tus] > [dret-tus]
    2. Regular palatalization of /k + t/ cluster to /tt/ voiceless through assimilation
  3. DRETTUS > DRITTUS
    1. [dret-tus] > [drit-tus]
    2. Evolution of /e/ mid low front to /i/ high front
  4. DRITTUS > DRITTOS
    1. [drit-tus] > [drit-tos]
    2. Evolution of word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back
  5. DRITTOS > DRITTO
    1. [drit-tos] > [drit-to]
    2. Loss of final /-s/

 

  1. MEDIUS > MEZZO

[me-dj-us] > [med-dʒo]

  1. MEDIUS > MEZZUS
    1. [me-dj-us] > [me-dʒ-us]
    2. Regular palatalization of /d + j/ “DI” to /dʒ/ “ZZ” through gemination
  2. MEZZUS > MEZZOS
    1. [me-dʒ-us] > [med-dʒos]
    2. Evolution of word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back
  3. MEZZOS > MEZZO
    1. [med-dʒos] > [med-dʒo]
    2. Loss of final /-s/

 

  1. MORTEM > MORTE

[mor-tem] > [mor-te]

  1. MORTEM > MORTE
    1. [mor-tem] > [mor-te]
    2. Loss of final /-m/

 

  1. MATUTINUM > MATTINO

[ma-tu-ti-num] > [mat-ti-no]

  1. MATUTINUM > MATTINUM
    1. [ma-tu-ti-num] > [mat-ti-num]
    2. Syncope of unstressed vowel /u/
  2. MATTINUM > MATTINOM
    1. [mat-ti-num] > [mat-ti-nom]
    2. Evolution of word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back
  3. MATTINOM > MATTINO
    1. [mat-ti-nom] > [mat-ti-no]
    2. Loss of final /-m/

 

  1. PAVOREM > PAURA

[pa-wo-rem] > [pa-u-ra]

  1. PAVOREM > PAUREM
    1. [pa-wo-rem] > [pa-u-rem]
    2. Diphthongization of /AW/ “AV” to /u/ high back
  2. PAUREM > PAURAM
    1. [pa-u-rem] > [pa-u-ram]
    2. Evolution of word final /e/ mid low front to /a/ low front
  3. PAURAM > PAURA
    1. [pa-u-ram] > [pa-u-ra]
    2. Loss of final /-m/

 

  1. ANIMUS > ANIMO

[a-ni-mus] > [a-ni-mo]

  1. ANIMUS > ANIMOS
    1. [a-ni-mus] > [a-ni-mos]
    2. Evolution of word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back
  2. ANIMOS > ANIMO
    1. [a-ni-mos] > [a-ni-mo]
    2. Loss of final /-s/

 

Analysis of verbal morphology

*Vulgar Latin etymon > Word in Divina Commedia > modern Italian

  1. DICERE > DIR > DIRE
    [di-ke-re] > [di-r] > [di-re]
  1. Class IV verb in present indicative; rhizotonic; first and second plural endings -iamo -iate are taken from the Latin -IAMUS -IATIS; three allomorphs dic- [dit∫-] dic- [dik-] dit- [dit-] by analogy; For the Divina Commedia, Dante drops the end vowel “E” for stylistic reasons to fit the meter of the poem
  1. DICERE > DICERE
    [di-ke-re] > [di-t∫e-re]

Regular palatalization of /k + e/ “CE” to /t∫/ affricate alveolar voiceless

2. DICERE > DICRE
[di-t∫e-re] > [dic-re]

Syncope of the unstressed vowel “E”

3. DICRE > DIRE
[dic-re] > [di-re]

Complete lenition of “C”

 

  1. ERAT > ERA > ERA
    [er-at] > [e-ra] > [e-ra]
  1. Class II verb in imperfect form; arhizotonic; in Vulgar Latin, it is the imperfect form of the word ESSE; in modern Italian, it is the imperfect indicative form of the word ESSERE; Italian forms retain the Latin stress pattern, so the stress falls on the penultimate syllable; no allomorphic changes
  1. ERAT > ERA
    [er-at] > [e-ra]

Loss of word final /-T/

 

  1. SPERARE > SPERAR > SPERARE
    [spe-ra-re] > [sper-ar] > [spe-ra-re]
  1. Class I verb in present indicative; arhizotonic; no allomporhy, all stems in Latin and modern Italian are sper-; regular phonetic change
  1. SPERARE > SPERAR
    [spe-ra-re] > [sper-ar]

For the Divina Commedia, Dante drops the end vowel “E” for stylistic reasons to fit the  meter of the poem; modern Italian SPERARE remains faithful to the Latin etymon

 

  1. RENOVAT > RINOVA > RINNOVA
    [re-no-vat] > [ri-no-va] > [rin-no-va]
  1. Class I verb in present indicative; arhizotonic; no allomorphy, all stems in Latin are renov- and in modern Italian rinnov-; regular phonetic change
  1. RENOVAT > RINOVAT
    [re-no-vat] > [ri-no-vat]

Evolution of /e/ mid low front to /i/ high front

2. RINOVAT > RINOVA
[ri-no-vat] > [ri-no-va]

Loss of final /-t/


3. RINOVA > RINNOVA
[ri-no-va] > [rin-no-va]

Gemination of “N” to “NN” for consonant strengthening

 

  1. TRACTARE > TRATTAR > TRATTARE
    [trac-ta-re] > [trat-tar] > [trat-tar-e]
  1. Class I verb in present indicative; arhizotonic; no allomorphy, all stems in Latin are tract- and in modern Italian tratt-; regular phonetic change
  1. TRACTARE > TRATARE
    [trac-ta-re] > [tra-tar-e]

Lenition of “C”

2. TRATARE > TRATTARE
[tra-tar-e] > [trat-tar-e]

Gemination of “T” to “TT” for consonant strengthening

TRATTARE > TRATTAR

For the Divina Commedia, Dante drops the end vowel “E” for stylistic reasons to fit the  meter of the poem

 

  1. FUGIEBAT > FUGGIVA > FUGGIVA
    [fu-gi-e-bat] > [fud-dʒi-va] > [fud-dʒi-va]
  1. Class IV verb in imperfect form; arhizotonic; in Vulgar Latin, it is the imperfect form of the word FUGERE; in modern Italian, it is the imperfect indicative form of the word FUGGIRE; all stems in Latin are fugieba- and in modern Italian fuggiv-; no allomorphy, regular phonetic change
  1. FUGIEBAT > FUGIBAT
    [fu-gi-e-bat] > [fu-gi-bat]

Syncope of the unstressed vowel “E”

2. FUGIBAT > FUGGIBAT
[fu-gi-bat] > [fug-gi-bat]

Gemination of “G” to “GG” for consonant strengthening   

3. FUGGIBAT > FUGGIBAT
[fug-gi-bat] > [fud-dʒi-bat]

Regular palatalization of /g + i/ to /dʒ/ “GI” affricate postalveolar voiced

4. FUGGIBAT > FUGGIVAT
[fud-dʒi-bat] > [fud-dʒi-vat]

Sound change from “B”voiced bilabial plosive to “V” voiced labiodental fricative

5. FUGGIVAT > FUGGIVA
[fud-dʒi-vat] > [fud-dʒi-va]

Loss of final /-t/

 

Analysis of noun/adjective morphology

From Dante’s Divina Commedia

  1. Tant’ è amara che poco è più morte (line 7)

MORTEM > MORTE

  1. Belongs to the 3rd declension, singular any gender noun; from the Accusative group with ending /-EM/ in classical Latin
  2. Reconstructed Popular Latin two-case system: follows 3rd declension non-nominative for nouns that didn’t reduce to gender; loss of word final /-M/
  3. Reconstructed pre-Italian noun morphology: kept final ending /-E/ non-nominative for either gender

MORTEM > MORTE
[mor-tem] > [mor-te]

  1. MORTEM > MORTE
    1. [mor-tem] > [mor-te]
    2. Loss of final /-m/

 

____________________________________________________________________________

  1. mi ritrovai per una selva oscura (line 2)

SYLVA > SELVA

  1. Belongs to the 1st declension, nominative feminine singular noun
  2. Reconstructed Popular Latin two-case system: follows 1st declension, nominative singular
  3. Reconstructed pre-Italian noun morphology: case difference is lost, follows “-A” ending

SYLVA > SELVA
[síl-wa] > [sél-va]

  1. SYLVA > SELVA
    1. [síl-wa] > [sél-wa]
    2. Grapheme change from /y/ high front to /e/ mid low front
  2. SELVA > SELVA
    1. [sél-wa] > [sél-va]
    2. Semiconsonant [wa] high back undergoes fortition to become the fricative labio-dental voiced [v]

____________________________________________________________________________

  1. che m’avea di paura il cor compunto (line 15)

ILLE > IL

  1. Masculine singular article; original Latin Demonstrative
  2. Follows regular phonetic evolution of Romance definite articles; loss of word final /-E/ and degemination of “LL” to “L”

ILLE > IL
[il-le] > [il]

  1. ILLE > ILE
    1. [il-le] > [il-e]
    2. Degemination of “LL” to “L”
  2. ILE > IL
    1. [il-e] > [il]
    2. Loss of word final /-E/

____________________________________________________________________________

  1. Io non so ben ridir com’ i’ v’intrai (line 10)

EGO > IO

  1. Subject pronoun, tonic
  2. Case difference from Latin remains
  3. Loss of intervocalic -G- and regular evolution of E > I

EGO > IO
[e-go] > [i-o]

  1. EGO > IGO
    1. [e-go] > [i-go]
    2. Regular evolution of /e/ mid low front to /i/ high front
  2. IGO > IO
    1. [i-go] > [i-o]
    2. Loss of intervocalic -G-

____________________________________________________________________________

  1. ma per trattar del ben ch’i’ vi trovai (line 8)

VOS > VI

  1. Object pronoun, atonic
  2. From the non-subject Latin “vos”
  3. Follows regular phonetic evolution

VOS > VI
[vo-s] > [vi]

  1. VOS > VIS
    1. [vo-s] > [vi-s]
    2. Regular evolution of /o/ mid high back to /i/ high front
  2. VIS > VI
    1. [vi-s] > [vi]
    2. Loss of word final /-s/

____________________________________________________________________________

  1. vestite già de’ raggi del pianeta (line 17)

RADIUS > RAGGIO; RADII > RAGGI

  1. Plural masculine noun, follows Genitive -I ending; follows 2nd declension in Classical Latin
  2. Reconstructed Popular Latin two-case system: follows the 2nd declension, plural nominative form
  3. Reconstructed pre-Italian noun morphology: kept final ending -I from the original nominative form

RADIUS > RAGGIO
[rá-djus] > [rá-dʒo]

  1. RADIUS > RAGGIUS
    1. [rá-djus] > [rá-dʒus]
    2. Regular palatalization /d + j/ “DI” to /dʒ/ “GG” through gemination; evolution from yod /d + j/ voiced palatal approximant to affricate postalveolar voiced /dʒ/
  2. RAGGIUS > RAGGIU
    1. [rá-dʒius] > [rá-dʒu]
    2. Loss of final /-s/
  3. RAGGIU > RAGGIO
    1. [rá-dʒu] > [rá-dʒo]
    2. Word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back

 

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