Frammentari

Frammentari is an Italian adjective meaning fragmentary, describing something that exists in parts, is incomplete, or composed of fragments. It is used to characterize information, objects, or narratives that are partial, non-continuous, or assembled from separated pieces. The feminine singular form is frammentaria, while the masculine plural is frammentari and the feminine plural frammentarie. The base noun is frammento (fragment), which derives from Latin fragmentum, itself from frangere “to break.”

In usage, frammentari often appears in discussions of data, texts, or artifacts that lack completeness. For example, one might speak of a raccolta frammentaria di appunti (a fragmentary collection of notes), fonti frammentarie (fragmentary sources), or a racconto frammentario (fragmentary or mosaic-style narrative). The term can convey a neutral descriptive sense or a critical nuance, suggesting gaps, partial understanding, or non-linear organization.

In broader analysis, frammentari is common in fields such as literature, film, and art to describe works that assemble disparate fragments into a larger, sometimes cohesive, impression. In archaeology and museology, it characterizes artifacts or records that survive only in incomplete forms. The word thus covers both literal fragments and figurative fragmentation in information and representation, often highlighting the interpretive work required to reconstruct meaning from partial evidence. See also frammento, frammentazione, fragmentary in related languages.