Abstract

The usage of the word gianduia as a common noun for clothing, originating from the proper noun of the Piedmontese mask, emerges from texts dating back to the second half of the 19th century, both within and outside of Piedmont. This particular use of gianduia, which is not recorded by the reference lexicographic tools (including general, etymological, and historical dictionaries for Italian and the Piedmontese dialect), proves to be driven by specific cultural and political factors, thus serving as an emblematic case study of their influence on language. In this essay, instances of gianduia related to clothing are gathered as well as analysed according to the historical and linguistic context in which they occur.