Michelle's Bangs and Hair Styling in the Italian Language

la frangia

fringe--or "bangs"

Forget the inauguration (insediamento). The whole world is talking about what President Barack Obama called “the most significant event” (l'evento più significativo) of last week: his wife Michelle’s new hair-do (pettinatura).

“How do you say 'bangs' in Italian?” my daughter, such a trend-setter that she’s sported them for years, asked. Dictionaries didn’t help. All they offered were translations of words like “explosion” (scoppio), “hit” (battere) and “slam” (sbattere).

The Italian media, covering the news as breathlessly as their American counterparts, used “frangia” (fringe, edging) and “frangetta” (a dimunitive form). Yes, even "bangs"--our odd English word for hair cut short over the forehead--sound better in Italian.  I was tickled to discover that “frangia” can also figuratively refer to “an embellishment of a story”—not that this one needed any.

“Io amo la sua frangia” (I love her bangs), the President was quoted as saying. “Sta bene, sta sempre bene” (She looks great, she always looks great.) The First Lady celebrated her fortyninth birthday (quarantanovesimo compleanno) and her new look with dinner at Café Milano, a popular Italian ristorante in Washington, D.C. As always she didn’t have a hair out of place (non aveva un capello fuori posto).

If you’re a woman and spend enough time in Italy, sooner or later you too will need un parrucchiere di fiducia (a hairdresser you can trust) to cut (tagliare), dye (tingere), bleach (decolorare schiarire), highlight (fare i colpi di sole), layer (fare un taglio scalato) or style (fare una messa in piega) your hair.

Once the parrucchiere takes comb (pettine) and scissors (forbici) in hand, pay attention. You might want to give directions, such as:

*solo una spuntatina -- just a trim

*più lunghi qui -- longer here

*più corti qui -- shorter here

*mi tagli la frangia qui -- cut my bangs here

*faccia la riga a destra -- part it on the right

*faccia la riga in mezzo –- part it in the middle  

If you're pleased with the results, say, “Mi sta bene.” (It suits me). You also can ask for advice with problems such as la forfora (dandruff) and le doppie punte (split ends). If you have capelli that is grassi (greasy), secchi (dry), or crespi (frizzy), you may feel like mettersi le mani nei capelli (putting your hands in your hair in frustration).

If you're having a bad hair day--or worse--you may feel so fed up that you could say that you averne fin sopra i capelli (have it up to one’s hair) or so furious that you have un diavolo per capello (a devil for hair). That might be enough to far rizzare i capelli a qualcuno (make one’s hair stand on end)—compresa la frangia (the bangs as well)!

Words and Expressions

pettinarsi -- to comb one’s hair

spazzolarsi i capelli -- to brush one’s hair

dare una spuntata/spuntatina ai capelli -- to have one’s hair trimmed

capelli indomabili –- untameable, unmanageable hair

Dianne Hales is the author of La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language.

Comments

[German English Translator]

Vocabulary companion for language learners. The key finding fun ways to make Italian part of your daily life.very useful post!

[Sarah Mastroianni]

Ciao Dianne - very useful post! I remember the sense of trepidation I felt when I first set foot in the parucchiere's in Siena! Got a little mixed up with the word for "bangs" though - although I understand "frangia" I've often heard "zazzera" used in Tuscay. Just fyi!

[Dianne Hales]

Hope, I love your story about "freeeench"? Glad they turned out well. And Lorrie, I agree. It would be fun to do these out loud. One of these days I will look into podcasting. Perche no?

[Lorrie]

I do love reading these posts! I wish though, that there was a way to listen to them as I read, so that I could hear the words being pronounced.

[Hope @ Fairhope Supply Co.]

I decided to get my hair cut in Sorrento. When the stylist said (I thought) "freench?" I thought she was asking me if I was French. I was thinking, I just told her I was American - when, WHACK! I understood she was saying - BANGS.

She was right. They look cute. If I say so myself.

[Debra Kolkka]

I think America is the only English speaking place that calls a fringe 'bangs'. It has always struck me as a very odd word for it.

[Ginalondon]

I don't have bangs, but do need to go to the parrucchiere next week here in Arezzo. This will help a lot! Grazie for questa!