Favorite Italian saying?
Mar 1st, 2007, 02:29 PM
#21
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my reminisces go back to my hometown (Quincy, Mass.) with a very heavy Italian population. My uncle had a clothing store next door to a wonderful pixie of a man, an Italian cobbler. Each day the cobbler would go into my uncle's store and asked if he had eaten...my rather industrious uncle would usually say "no"..whereupon the cobbler would shake his finger at him and say "Hey, eat..and no die!"
Stu T.
Stu T.
Mar 1st, 2007, 02:45 PM
#22
Prego.
Said with a certain lilt, it can mean so many things, and no matter how many times I've heard it said, I always find it somehow to be the epitome of kindness.
'Please.'
'No problem.'
'Be my guest.'
'Thank you.'
And a zillion other translations, all gracious.
Said with a certain lilt, it can mean so many things, and no matter how many times I've heard it said, I always find it somehow to be the epitome of kindness.
'Please.'
'No problem.'
'Be my guest.'
'Thank you.'
And a zillion other translations, all gracious.
Mar 1st, 2007, 03:15 PM
#27
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"sta zitto" (shut up or be quiet) and also "uup la" (sp?) a cute way of saying "oops" when someone slips or falls. I have been using both terms for years and find them most amusing alternatives to their English counterparts.
Mar 1st, 2007, 03:23 PM
#28
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I love "prego" because it sounds so polite and "pronto" (when answering the phone) because it sounds as if you are very attentive to the person who has called you.
The best one is "cin, cin" because it is used for a toast and that means that one is sipping a glass of wine!
The best one is "cin, cin" because it is used for a toast and that means that one is sipping a glass of wine!
Mar 1st, 2007, 03:33 PM
#29
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Italian proverbs, from my narrow and remote recollection, have to be the silliest in the world:
"Chi va con lo zoppo impara a zoppicare"
"Acqua bagnata non maccina piu"
"La lingua batte dove il dente duole"
...which I translate as:
"Walk with a lame man, you learn to limp" (You're known by the company you keep)
"Wet water can't be processed" (Huh?)
"The tongue strikes where the tooth hurts" (Perhaps: The squeaky wheel gets the grease)
Bromides (if anyone still uses that term) worthy of Shakespeare's Polonius!
"Chi va con lo zoppo impara a zoppicare"
"Acqua bagnata non maccina piu"
"La lingua batte dove il dente duole"
...which I translate as:
"Walk with a lame man, you learn to limp" (You're known by the company you keep)
"Wet water can't be processed" (Huh?)
"The tongue strikes where the tooth hurts" (Perhaps: The squeaky wheel gets the grease)
Bromides (if anyone still uses that term) worthy of Shakespeare's Polonius!
Mar 1st, 2007, 03:57 PM
#31
My grandmother used to slap her hand to her forehead when she was upset about something and exclaim, "Madonna mia."
Only to me, it sounded like "MaDTHOnamee"
So melodic, I couldn't reconcile the action with the words.
Such a beautiful language -- even when people express anger, it sounds like poetry.
Only to me, it sounded like "MaDTHOnamee"
So melodic, I couldn't reconcile the action with the words.
Such a beautiful language -- even when people express anger, it sounds like poetry.
Mar 1st, 2007, 05:22 PM
#34
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My mother in law would say "marrone" and slap her head and something like "mala nova" and put her finger tips together and shake her hand. Anyone know? She has passed on or I would ask her.
Mar 1st, 2007, 05:25 PM
#35
SeaUrchin, re: "marrone"
she was probably saying "Madonna!" (see my post above.) Only in Italian, the d sometimes comes out sounding "r"-ish in certain words.
Mala nova, I'm not sure about, though.
she was probably saying "Madonna!" (see my post above.) Only in Italian, the d sometimes comes out sounding "r"-ish in certain words.
Mala nova, I'm not sure about, though.
Mar 1st, 2007, 05:32 PM
#36
Re: 'mala nova'
Maybe your mil was an attorney?
http://tinyurl.com/2q2tmn
And/or a philosopher?
http://tinyurl.com/2t9m46
Maybe your mil was an attorney?
http://tinyurl.com/2q2tmn
And/or a philosopher?
http://tinyurl.com/2t9m46
Mar 1st, 2007, 05:47 PM
#38
"Osso Bucco Milanese" -- the Kevin Kline movie was "I Love You to Death." He was over-the-top hilarious as a stereotypical loving-but-unfaithful Italian married to an American (Tracy Ullman) who decides to kill him when she discovers his affairs...one of my favorite comedies. Happy ending, too!
Mar 1st, 2007, 06:06 PM
#39
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Non mi rompere i coglioni - Don't bust my balls !
Only the Italians and more often than not the Romans can come up with something like this but if under pressure I must say it is a favourite of mine .
Only the Italians and more often than not the Romans can come up with something like this but if under pressure I must say it is a favourite of mine .
Mar 1st, 2007, 07:00 PM
#40
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Author: LucieV
Date: 03/01/2007, 09:25 pm
SeaUrchin, re: "marrone"
she was probably saying "Madonna!" (see my post above.) Only in Italian, the d sometimes comes out sounding "r"-ish in certain words.
Mala nova, I'm not sure about, though.
I grew up in Chicago and many Italians I grew up with, including my sister-in-law, said "Marrone."
I can picture her in my mind, with her hand to her forehead, muttering, "Ah, Marrone!"
I've only been to Italy once so I could easily have missed it, but I never heard anyone say "Marrone" in Italy. I did hear "Prego" a lot and it was my favorite Italian word there since it could be used in so many ways to mean different things.
Date: 03/01/2007, 09:25 pm
SeaUrchin, re: "marrone"
she was probably saying "Madonna!" (see my post above.) Only in Italian, the d sometimes comes out sounding "r"-ish in certain words.
Mala nova, I'm not sure about, though.
I grew up in Chicago and many Italians I grew up with, including my sister-in-law, said "Marrone."
I can picture her in my mind, with her hand to her forehead, muttering, "Ah, Marrone!"
I've only been to Italy once so I could easily have missed it, but I never heard anyone say "Marrone" in Italy. I did hear "Prego" a lot and it was my favorite Italian word there since it could be used in so many ways to mean different things.
