Stravolgimento

Stravolgimento is an Italian noun meaning a drastic overturning, disruption, or radical change of a situation, order, or plan. It is commonly used to describe political or social upheavals, but can also refer to fundamental changes in interpretations, narratives, or everyday routines. The term often conveys a sense of destabilization and a reordering that affects expectations and norms.

Origin and usage: Stravolgimento derives from the verb stravolgere (to overturn, upset), formed by the prefix stra- added to volgere (to turn). It appears in literary, journalistic, and academic Italian to characterize events or processes that completely alter the existing state of affairs, sometimes abruptly, sometimes gradually but with a decisive impact. Common collocations include stravolgimento politico, stravolgimento della realtà, stravolgimento dei dati, and stravolgere le regole.

Notes and distinctions: Stravolgimento emphasizes a fundamental reordering rather than mere emotional disturbance. It is often more formal or rhetorical than sconvolgimento, which stresses shock or upheaval on an emotional or sensational level. The term can describe both large-scale phenomena (revolutions, policy overhauls) and significant but less dramatic shifts in interpretation, behavior, or routine. In usage, stravolgimento suggests structural change that redefines what comes before and after.

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