vanni

van +‎ -ni

• IPA^(key): [ˈvɒnːi]
• Hyphenation: van‧ni

vanni

1. (limited usage) infinitive of van, only in the phrase "vanni van"

   Van otthon kenyér? — Is there bread at home?

   Vanni van, csak már ötnapos. — Yes, there is, but it's five days old.

• The usual infinitive of van is lenni.
• The expression "infinitive + conjugated form of the same verb" is used when the verb would be the topic of the sentence.
• When the verb (or rather, its infinitive) is the topic, it means that the speaker wants to restrict the meaning of the sentence to the exact meaning of the verb, and not imply the usual associations with it. That is, the meaning of the word is admitted but there is an added sense of unimportance or pointlessness (cf. in vain or no matter).
• In the example sentence above: The speaker points out that there is bread, but the usual implication that it can be eaten may not be true.
• If the predicate of the statement with a restricted meaning includes an adjective, then it can be repeated with -nak or -nek to express the same meaning of pointlessness.

  Szép ez a ruha! — This dress is beautiful!

  Szépnek szép, csak éppen kicsi rám. — It may well be beautiful, only it's too small for me.

Possibly from Latin vannus (“winnowing basket”) (for similarity between the movement of wings and that of shaking the basket).

• IPA^(key): /ˈvan.ni/, [ˈvän̺n̺i]
• Stress: vànni
• Hyphenation: van‧ni

vanni m pl

1. (poetic, often figuratively) vans, wings
   • 1472, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno, Le Monnier (1994), Canto XXVII, p. 399, vv. 40-42:

     Ravenna sta come stata è molt'anni: ¶ l'aguglia da Polenta la si cova, ¶ sì che Cervia ricuopre co' suoi vanni

     Ravenna stands as it long years has stood: ¶ the Eagle of Polenta there is brooding, ¶ so that she covers Cervia with her vans.

   • 1827, Ugo Foscolo, "Inno terzo - Pallade", Le grazie (Opere di Ugo Foscolo, Mursia (1967)):

     Un suon, qual di lontana arpa, che scorre ¶ sopra i vanni de' Zeffiri soave; [...]

     A sound, like that of a distant harp, flowing ¶ gently above the wings of the Zephyrs;

vannī

1. present passive infinitive of vannō

vanni

1. Alternative form of fannen