Evidenziarlo

Evidenziarlo is the form obtained by combining the Italian verb evidenziare (to highlight, to emphasize, to make evident) with the direct object clitic lo. It represents the infinitive evidenziare in which the pronoun lo is attached, forming a single word. The term is used primarily in grammatical, linguistic, and editing contexts to indicate the specific action of highlighting a masculine singular object.

Etymology and meaning: evidenziare derives from evidenza, meaning evidence or prominence, and the attached pronoun lo specifies the object to be highlighted. The construction evidenziarlo is part of standard Italian morphology in which clitics can attach to the end of an infinitive, an imperative, or a gerund, depending on the syntactic position of the verb. The feminine form would be evidenziarla, and the plural forms evidenziarli (maschile) or evidenziarle (femminile) correspond to highlighting multiple objects.

Grammatical use: Evidenziarlo functions as an infinitive with a clitic pronoun and can act as the subject or object of a sentence, depending on the syntactic role. For example: Devo evidenziarlo nel testo (I must highlight it in the text). Evidenziarlo è fondamentale (Highlighting it is fundamental). The form is common in instructional, editorial, and technical writing, where precise actions on specific items are described concisely.

Alternatives and style: In formal or stylistically varied Italian, speakers may prefer perifrastic constructions such as mettere in evidenza or enfatizzare, rather than relying on the contracted infinitive with a pronoun. The choice can depend on tone, register, and whether emphasis on the object is central to the sentence.

See also: evidenza, evidenziare, mettere in evidenza, pronome clitico, grammatica italiana.