Da capo a piedi: modi e locuzioni del lessico del corpo umano nei Promessi sposi (1840-1842)

This paper aims to examine, in the context of various types of idiomatic phrases and proverbs of Promessi sposi (1840-1842), the so-called somatic idioms, in particular those that contain lexemes referring to parts or organs of human anatomy. Examples are given, especially, of two categories of somatic idioms: first of all, those that have little attestation in the literary tradition prior to the novel, and of which vocabularies identify as the first example the Promessi sposi. Secondly, are analysed some of those found by the Author in vocabularies and writers, as documented in Manzoni’s marginalia and linguistic works. The arguments given can help reveal Manzoni’s idea of an Italian language formed with the common background of all dialects and prove that his novel convey the expressions examined in the current Italian phraseology.