Clowns, Spitfires, Slobs, and Blockheads in the Italian Language

z

zeta

The very last word under the very last letter in my Italian dizionario makes me smile (mi fa sorridere): zuzzurullone (or zuzzerellone), which once translated as tomboy but now applies to any playful person. Just saying it aloud certainly makes me want to whistle (zirlare) and frolic (zurlare).

Of all the letters of the alphabet, z (zeta in italiano) may be the most zany--an English word derived from Zanni, a form of Giovanni or Gianni (John) and the name of a classic character in La Commedia dell’Arte (comedy of the “art” or profession of acting). In this centuries-old form of street theatre, buffoonish Zanni kept trying, rather lamely, to pull off la zannata (a clown’s trickery).

Italian imported two "z" words--zampa and zanna--from the Germanic tribes who invaded the peninsula more than a thousand years ago. Zampa (foot in German) means paw or claw in Italian, as in le zampe del gatto (the cat’s paws) or camminare a quattro zampe (walk on all fours). Italians call bell-bottomed pants pantaloni a zampa d’elefante (elephant-foot pants). Those of us who wore them in the seventies now find ourselves with zampe di gallina (crow’s feet). The German word zanna for tooth translates in Italian as fang or tusk, as in le zanne del cinghiale (the boar’s tusk).

Zeta can be as sweet as a zolletta di zucchero (cube of sugar), as spicy as zenzero (ginger), as tasty as zampone (pig’s trotter, a traditional New Year’s dish), or as prim as an old maid (zita, zitella, zitellona). But it’s a mischievous enough zolfino (spitfire) to call a fussy old bachelor a zitellone and a dandy or fop a zerbinotto (derived from zerbino for doormat).

In fact quite a few colorful insults start with the last letter of the alphabet. A zotico is a clumsy, uncouth, stupid, clownish, churlish dunce. Someone exhibiting zoticaggine or zotichezza (boorishness) qualifies as a zoticone or a zoccolone (from zoccolo, for wooden shoe or clog).

A blockhead can be dismissed as a zuccone (literally big pumpkin) or zucca vuota (empty pumpkin). A zavorra is a worthless piece of garbage who non conta uno zero (doesn’t add up to zero). Something filthy or sordid is zozzo, while a zozzone is a scruffy, untidy slob.

If you use these words too freely, someone may caution, “Sta zitto!” (“Hush! Keep quiet!”). You don’t have to be zitto-zitto (quiet as a mouse), but you don’t want to spargere zizzania (literally spread weeds, or start trouble).

Words and Expressions

lo zio d’America -- a presumably rich uncle in the United States

andare a zonzo –- wander about

nuove di zecca –- new as a tick, brand new

rasare a zero -– shave one’s head

Cavar le castagne dal fuoco con la zampa del gatto –- pull the chestnuts out of the fire with the cat’s paw (let someone else do the dirty work while reaping the benefits)

Dianne Hales is the author of LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language. 

Click below to listen to Zero Assoluto (Absolute Zero), two enormously popular Italian singers, sing about something we all do every day: getting up in the morning.

Comments

[Jann Huizenga]

Thank you for the lesson in Zs! I have one in my last name, and I've had to spell my name aloud umpteen times in Italy, but honestly, I was never sure exactly whether it was "zita" or "zeta" or "zed"--I was always guessing. So, that's solved. Lovely song, grazie!