A new tribute to the great poet of Italian literature. In this 2021 dedicated to the XNUMXth anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri Alighieri the Nuovo Devoto-Oli has decided to propose a significant initiative. On the social page of the famous dictionary of the Italian language, some words that the great poet introduced in his works will be repeated. And in particular of the Divine Comedy. Everyone knows that Dante was one of the first authors of our literature to have adopted the vernacular. His works starting from the Divine Comedy written with the use of the vulgar language known at that time. It is due to him and to the authors who will come later, to have spread many terms that we use today in the common language. But few know their origin.
Among the words of the Nuovo Devoto-Oli those used by the great poet
So here is the Nuovo Devoto-Oli decided to pay homage to the Supreme poet and his intuitions on the use of the vulgar language of the time, what would later become our Italian. A tribute precisely in this 2021, the seventh centennial of the death of Dante Alighieri. The Nuovo Devoto-Oli has thus decided to re-propose some terms introduced by the Supreme Poet which are still alive today in our language. With the hashtag #DivineParoleNDO you can discover these terms.
The first word: Latin
And here on the social networks and on the Facebook page of the dictionary the first word was published. It is "Latino". The quotation refers to "Yes, that to represent me is more Latin" taken from Canto III of Paradise. And the Nuovo Devoto-Oli also offers the explanation for those who want to know more. The word means "clear, intelligible, easy". "The Latin term within the Divine Comedy - still writes the dictionary - takes on different meanings and has been used several times by Dante. In the canticle of Hell, with the meaning of "Italian" and again in Paradise, to also mean "language, way of expressing oneself".
As many Dante lovers know, the Florentine poet wrote many works in Latin, especially those aimed at an audience of intellectuals. However, he soon understood the importance of using the vernacular as a tool for a greater understanding of his texts to a wider audience of readers. Hence the choice to adopt the Italian vernacular in the other works and in particular in the Commedia, which becomes the most representative work of the "mission" of salvation that Dante intended to accomplish.
The 2021 edition of Nuovo Devoto-Oli, as reported on the dictionary page, is available in all bookstores. It is the vocabulary of contemporary Italian par excellence. It contains 110.000 entries, 300.000 definitions, 1.500 neologisms. A leaner volume and a richer and more interactive digital edition. The dictionary also includes three new linguistic first aid sections “To say it in Italian”, “A question of style”, “Mined words”.
