Predicting the Weather in the Italian Language

 

La marmotta

The Groundhog

I have always thought of February as un grande mese (a great month), chockfull of celebrations — my birthday as well as that of the American presidents Washington and Lincoln, Valentine’s Day, Carnevale, my parents’ wedding anniversary. I just felt sorry for those born on February 29, whose real birthdays come only in a leap year (anno bisestile).

My birthday (il mio compleanno) on February 2 coincides with Groundhog Day in the United States, when all eyes turn to an oversized furry rodent in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (my home state). If he sees his shadow and scoots back to his burrow, winter continues for another six weeks. If not, Spring will come early.  

There is no “giorno della marmotta” in Italy, where the word once doubled as an insult meaning “dunce” or “lazybones.”  According to the Italian version of Wikipedia, la marmotta, un genere di roditori (a type of rodent), is famous for il letargo (lethargy). During six months of hibernation when it sleeps profoundly (dorme profondamente), its heart slows to fifteen beats a minute (15 battiti al minuto), and its breathing becomes barely perceptible (appena percettibile).

Its other remarkable trait is its ability to communicate. When una marmotta smells danger, it stands upright on its hind legs (zampe posteriori), poised like a candle (nella posizione a candela) and emits a cry like a whistle (un grido simile a un fischio) to warn its furry friends.

According to experts, this sound constitutes a real language (un vero linguaggio)—and a warning of bad weather. As a proverb from Valle d’Aosta says, “Se la marmotta fischia insistentemente al pomeriggio pioverà nelle ventiquattro ore successive.” (If the groundhog whistles insistently in the afternoon, it will rain in the next 24 hours.)

I prefer the Italian name for February 2: la Candelora (Candlemass), which commemorates the purification of Mary after the birth of Jesus. On this day, priests bless the candles (candele) that will be used during Mass and other religious ceremonies throughout the year.

Long before Punxsutawney Phil became famous, Italians were using the weather on this feast day to predict the coming of Spring. “Per la santa Candelora” (For holy Candlemass), according to one proverb from northern Italy, “o che nevichi o che plora, dell’inverno siamo fuora; s’egli ‘e sole o solicello, siamo ancora a mezzo il verno.” (If it snows or rains, we are out of winter; if it’s sunny or partly sunny, we are still in the middle of winter.)  

“Quando vien la Candelora," another expression predicts,  "de l’inverno semo fora; ma se piove o tira vent, de l’inverno semo drento.” (When Candlemass arrives, we are out of winter, but if it rains or is windy, we’re in winter.)  

More enigmatic is the saying, “Per la Candelora, chi non ha carne impegni la figliola” (For Candlemass, whoever hasn’t got meat should pawn their daughter). My Italian friends interpret it as meaning that you absolutely have to have some meat to enjoy the festivities of February (Carnevale).  

Words and Expressions

 Febbraio nevoso, estate gioiosa –- snowy February, joyful summer

Corto febbraio, mezzo dolce e mezzo amaro –- short February, half sweet and half bitter

Primavera di febbraio reca sempre qualche guaio -– a February Spring always brings some damage

Se la viola esce a febbraio, tieni da conto fieno e pagliaio –- if the violet comes out in February, store away your haystack.  

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

Click below for a song that evokes the essence of a February night:

Comments

[Buffy]

My birthday is also tomorrow; 44th. Happy Birthday to you! I loved your book by the way. I started reading it before I left for Europe in 2010, and finished on my balcony in Tuscany. It was a perfect read especially for there.

Enjoy your birthday!!

Buffy

[marianna ricci-wilson]

we lived in san diego while growing up & sometimes my mother would pack our dinner & we'd all drive down to the SD harbor & picnic watching the ships & activity. if there happened to be a breeze, it would ruffle the surface of the bay & as a kid, the wavelets looked like diamonds to me. if there was a red sunset, my dad used to say, "rossa di sera, buon tempo se spera." mille grazie, diana, i love your blog. it always ferrets out some precious memory for me. zingara

[Diane]

I used to love to hear all the saying my Italian in-laws would have for every type of weather in every season. While it sometimes seemed silly (though no more so than our Groundhog Day) I had to give them some credence as I knew they become sayings because they were based on people's experiences with the weather over time. We've had such a warm, dry winter so far here in central Italy...though a promise of a sprinkling of snow to arrive once or twice in the next week has the kids...and teachers... all saying their prayers (even 1cm will close the school). Thanks for a fun post.