Never heard of theenantiosemia? It is a fascinating phenomenon of the Italian language, always so rich and multifaceted, so A word can also mean his opposite. This phenomenon, also present in other languages, derives from the historical evolution and the varied use of the terms over time. The term enantiosemia comes from Greek “enantíos“((opposite) And “stenma“((sign), indicating a word that expresses at the same time two opposite meanings. It is a form of polysemiawhere a word acquires contrasting meanings over time. For example, in Italian, the verb “rent” can mean both “rented” and “rented”.
The phenomenon has been the subject of study by many scholars over the centuries. Just think that already in the ninth century, the Arab grammatics dealt with this theme, and that in the Renaissance era, philologists such as Julius Cesare Scaliger they noticed the presence of enantiosemias in the classical languagesfor example in ancient Latin, where “OBSUS“It could mean both” fat “and” thin “. Here are some examples of Italian words that, depending on the context, take on opposite meanings:
- Rent: it can mean both “rented” and “rented”.
- Hunt: derivative from the Latin “Captiareia”, in turn from “capoke” (take) can indicate both “chase“(e.g. hunt a prey) be”remove“(e.g. hunt someone at home).
- Weekday: can refer to both working days both to the holiday period, therefore of vacation. This ambivalence finds reason in the Double Latin origin: on the one hand “Ferialis”, relating to the holidays dedicated to religious holidays, on the other the ecclesiastical use in which “Feria” indicated the non -holiday days of the week.
- Guest: indicates both who hosts is who is hosted. Also in this case the origin is Latin and the term of reference is “Hospes”, which remarked the mutual duties of hospitality, without distinguishing between those who offered it and those who received it.
- Scary: it can describe both who is afraid both what Trust fear.
- Sprinkle: means both “remove the powder “be”sprinkle With a powder substance “(e.g. sprinkle the icing sugar on a dessert).
- Bar: it can mean both “close“(e.g. barrier) be”open“(e.g. bars the eyes).
- History: can refer to both a story invented both to a fact that really incident.
- Pull: it can mean both “launch” is “take towards“.
There are different reasons so theenantiosemia. Often these terms fromHistorical evolution of the languagewhere colloquial use and cultural influences led a word to take on opposite meanings. This phenomenon, it is easy to imagine it, can create ambiguity in daily communication, making it necessary to rely on the context To understand the exact meaning of the word.
