Italian language: Both ‘annaffiare’ and ‘innaffiare’ are correct

Both ‘annaffiare’ and ‘innaffiare’ are correct and acceptable forms in the Italian language. According to the Accademia della Crusca and the Treccani Encyclopedia, the two terms are interchangeable synonyms that can be used in any context, from informal speech to academic writing.

The coexistence of these two forms stems from their Vulgar Latin origin, specifically the verb ‘inafflare’, which combined the prefix ‘in-’ with ‘afflare’ (to blow towards). Historically, the term referred to the action of spraying or nebulizing water droplets onto a surface, similar to how an artisan or farmer might blow liquid through a primitive tool.