Becoming Italian Word by Word

The American Election in the Italian Language: The Results

“Altri quattro anni!”

“Four More Years!”

“L’America ha scelto Obama,” the Italian press reported. The first words of the triumphant President came via twitter, un cinguettio che i democratici non dimenticheranno (a tweet that the Democrats will not forget): “Four more years.” (Altri quattro anni.)  His message to his supporters was simple: “You made this possible. Thank you.” (Voi lo avete reso possibile, grazie.)

After a long, costly and bitter campaign (una campagna lunga, costosa e aspra), America had prepared for il grande martedì delle elezioni (the great Tuesday of the elections). The polls (i sondaggi) continued to predict a dramatic head-to-head (testa a testa) contest between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate (il candidato repubblicano).

In the last 48 hours of the political marathon (maratona politica), the campaigns hanno bruciato (“burned”) some three million dollars (tre miliardi di dollari) as the two candidates participated in fourteen events in eight states.

Dal Colorado alla Virginia, dal Wisconsin all'Ohio (from Colorado to Virginia, from Wisconsin to Ohio), the President took the advantage (vantaggio). Ultimately he ended up with a decisive majority of votes in tasca (in pocket), with strong support from minorities (le minoranze), women (le donne), and the young (i giovani).

Not all aspects of the American election translated into Italian. “Early vote,” for instance, remained “early vote” in Italian articles. One reporter described New Jersey’s hefty Governor Chris Christie as “il governatore extra large.” And in any language Bruce Springsteen remained “il Boss.”

The President ended the longest of days (la lunghissima giornata) in Chicago, his home town, with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha. “Finirò quello che ho iniziato” ("I will finish what I started"), he promised in an emotional speech.

"Lo abbiamo realizzato insieme, ecco come abbiamo fatto campagna elettorale ed ecco chi siamo" ("We have achieved this together; this is how we campaigned and how we are”), he told the cheering crowd.  "Sarò più forte ed ispirato di prima" ("I will be stronger and more inspired than before").

For the United States, he predicted, “Il meglio deve ancora venire” (The best is yet to come).

Words and Expressions

i risultati –- the results

il vincitore –- the winner

stati-chiave -– key states

la rielezione –- the re-election

i sostenitori  –- the supporters

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

The American Election in the Italian Language: Voting

Un presidente da votare in garage

Voting (for President) in a Garage

One of the most charming accounts I’ve read on the American way of voting was written by the distinguished journalist Federico Rampini in his book San Francisco-Milano:

One Tuesday morning (martedì mattina) when he was living in San Francisco, Rampini awoke to discover a line of people (una fila di persone) in front of a garage (di fronte a un garage) in his neighborhood. He thought someone must have posted a “for rent” sign (un cartello “affittasi”) since whenever an apartment became available, eager renters would form lines in the street (si formano code per la strada).

“Invece, no” (instead, no), he discovered, “era una fila di elettori” (it was a line of voters). “Il vicino aveva messo a disposizione il garage come seggio per le presidenziali.” (A neighbor had made available his garage as a polling station for the presidential vote.)

Much to Rampini’s surprise, there was no poliziotto (police officer), only a sign stating that la propaganda elettorale (political advertising) was forbidden. Niente scuole requisite (no schools requisitioned), nessuna mobilitazione di forze dell’ordine (no mobilization of law enforcement officers).

In Milan Rampini had always voted in a middle school (scuola media), under the vigilance of soldiers in uniforms (sotto la vigilanza dei soldati in divisa). By comparison, the greatest democracy in the world (la più grande democrazia del mondo) held its elections without the outward appearance (esteriorità) -- somewhat alarming (un po’ allarmante) -- that gives a dramatic character (un carattere drammatico) to Italian elections.

Usually un’agenzia bancaria (a bank branch) in Rampini's neighborhood offered itself as a voting site (come sede elettorale). But on this particular Tuesday the employee (impiegato) who had the key forgot that voting began at 7:00 a.m. (alle sette). He showed up at 8:30 a.m. (alle otto e mezza), the opening hour (orario di apertura) for the bank.

For that hour and a half, the official in charge ha fatto votare all’aperto con le schede appoggiate sui cofani delle auto posteggiate (allowed voting in the open, with the ballots leaning on the hoods of the parked cars). Some may have grumbled (brontolato) about the limited privacy (la scarsa privacy), but the voting process went forward.

Rampini could not help but wonder: La superpotenza americana, campionessa nell’industria tecnologica, non potrebbe usare metodi un po’ meno arcaici? (Couldn’t the American superpower, champion of technological industry, use methods a little less archaic?)

In fact, some have proposed that everyone vote from home, online (votare da casa, online). But what if some anarchist hacker (hacker anarcoide) decided to sabotage the race to the White House (la corsa alla Casa Bianca)?

The next time that he voted in Milan, Rampini pledged, he would bring a photo to the middle school with its uniformed soldiers. It would show the garage where American voters (elettori americani) chose the President of the United States (il Presidente degli Stati Uniti)—and the bank that left the voters on the sidewalk (sul marciapiede).

Words and Expressions

giorno delle elezioni -- election day

il trionfatore –- the victor

deporre il voto nell’urna elettorale –- to place one’s vote into the ballot box

spoglio dell’urna –- vote counting

seggio elettorale –- polling station

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

The American Election in the Italian Language: The Race

La corsa presidenziale

The Presidential Race

"Questa corsa è testa a testa” (This race is head to head—or, as Americans are more likely to say, neck-to-neck), La Repubblica reports. “Tutto si decide nelle prossime settimane.” (Everything will be decided in the coming weeks.)

Italian journalists generally concluded that President Barack Obama was the winner of the last two debates (dibattiti). "Se fosse una battaglia vera" (if it were a true battle), one paper noted, Obama "l'avrebbe davvero vinta in punta di baionetta" (would have won by a bayonet point -- more colloquially, by  the skin of his teeth). However, the economic crisis has helped (la crisi economica ha aiutato) Governor Mitt Romney in national polls.

The big issues in the debates were work, taxes, the economy, green energy, the spread of weapons, immigration policies, and the disparity between the salaries of men and women (il lavoro, le tasse, l'economia, l'energia verde, la diffusione delle armi, le politiche per l'immigrazione, e la disparità tra gli stipendi di uomini e donne).

Wondering how some of the phrases that lit up Twitter and made headlines in the United States sounded in Italian, I culled a few examples of le gaffe (the gaffes or mistakes) and le battute spiritose (witty remarks):

*The 47 percent (il quarantasette per cento): These are the Americans whom, as one article put it, Romney sees as “parasites maintained by the government” (parassiti mantenuti dal governo). He has since clarifed that he cares about 100 percent of citizens (il cento per cento dei cittadini).

*Bayonets and horses (baionette e cavalli): Romney argued that the U.S. Navy has fewer ships than in 1916 (meno navi che nel 1916). To which Obama replied, “But Governor, we also have fewer bayonets and fewer horses.” (Beh, Governatore, abbiamo anche meno baionette e meno cavalli.)

*Bengazi (Bengasi): When Romney disputed Obama’s claim that he had referred to the assault in Libya as an “act of terrorism” (atto terroristico) the day after the attacks, he began to stammer (balbettare). "Just read the transcript" (basta leggere i verbali), replied Obama. Candy Crowley, the moderator (la moderatrice), then interjected that the President had indeed used the term within 24 hours (nel giro di 24 ore).

*The economic crisis (la crisi economica): “With Obama, we will end up like Greece" (con Obama finiremo come la Grecia), Romney argued, blaming the President for unemployment and debt (disoccupazione e debito).    Obama responded that his opponent wants only to lower taxes on the rich (solo diminuire le tasse ai ricchi).

For Italians, Romney’s turn to the center (la convergenza al centro) has been the greatest surprise of the race. “Obama vince ma convince?” (Obama wins, but does he convince?) asked a commentator. In a very short time, we will find out if the bayonets truly are enough to repel the cannons (basteranno davvero le baionette per respingere le cannonate).

Words and Expressions

politica estera –- foreign policy

il candidato –- the candidate

lo sfidante -- the challenger

il sondaggio –- poll, survey

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

The American Election in the Italian Language: All the President's Women

 

Le donne del Presidente

The President’s Women

The enthusiastic support (il forte sostegno) of American women for President Barack Obama fascinates the Italian press. The president certainly isn’t the first politician who warms women’s hearts (il primo politico che scalda i cuori femminili),  but he is a different type of “ladies’ man” (which doesn’t quite translate into Italian—although un rubacuori, literally heart-stealer, or un Casanova come close).

Obama is not a seducer (non è un seduttore), Vittorio Zucconi recently wrote in La Repubblica, who knows how to hypnotize women with charm (che sappia ipnotizzare le donne con lo charme), with the ability to make them feel the center of the universe for even a few seconds  (con l’abilità di farle sentire al centro dell’universo anche per pochi secondi) as Bill Clinton did.

However, the President clearly feels at ease among and with women (a proprio agio fra e con le donne). He grew up in a universe of grandmother and aunts (cresciuto in un universo di nonne e zie), formed and influenced by women (formato e influenzato da donne).

Like almost half of American children, Obama came from a home headed by a single mother (madre sola or single), whom Italian papers describe as “un pò scapestrata e vagamente hippie” (a bit wild and vaguely hippie).

His maternal grandmother (la nonna materna), deputy director of a bank in Honululu, told him that he was destined for great things (destinato a grandi cose). Instead of fairy tales and books of adventure (delle favole e dei libri di avventura) when she tucked him in bed in the evening, she read passages from the Constitution and Declaration of Independence (Costituzione e della Dichiarazione di Indipendenza).

His married life (la sua vita matrimoniale) seems impeccable (inappuntabile). No shadow of gossip (nessun’ombra di pettegolezzo) has ever touched him and Michelle. After 20 years of marriage the "first couple" (prima coppia) still seem as happy and in love (felice e innamorata) as the early days of their marriage.

The Italian press finds it surprising that Obama has welcomed -- it is said with enthusiasm (si dice con entusiasmo) -- his mother-in-law (la suocera), the seventy-four-year-old (settantaquattrenne) Marian Robinson, to serve as "babysitter in chief." It definitely helps, reporters observe, that the White House has 132 rooms, five private apartments, 35 bathrooms and 412 doors that can always be discreetly closed (132 stanze, cinque appartamenti privati, 35 bagni e 412 porte che possono essere sempre discretamente chiuse).

There is another woman in Obama’s world (nel mondo di Obama) but one who moves in her own orbit (secondo una propria orbita): Secretary of State (Segretario di Stato) Hillary Clinton.  Perhaps in four years (fra quattro anni), at age 69, she will change the conversation. No longer will we talk about one of the women of the President (una delle donne del Presidente) but about the woman President (la donna Presidente).

Words and Expressions

First Lady -- Italians generally use the English since prima donna can have a negative meaning

Casa Bianca –- White House

coppia presidenziale –- Presidential couple

votante femmina, elettrice -- female voter

femminismo –- feminism

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

The American Election in the Italian Language: The Presidents We Love Best

I nostri presidenti, veri e finti

Our Presidents, Real and Pretend

We love our presidents. Americans may not think of our sentiments as amore but, as a recent Italian commentator observed, ours is a true obsession (una vera ossessione) with the President of the United States (Presidente degli Stati Uniti d'America) – and not just during the electoral campaign (la campagna elettorale).

We are fascinated, not only with the real presidents (i president veri) who rule the world from the Oval Office (che governano il mondo dallo Studio Ovale) but also with the pretend or fake presidents (i presidenti finti) who come to life (prendono vita) in the movies or on television.

Take the director Oliver Stone, who has dedicated three movies to American presidents. His film JFK focused on the investigation of the death(indagine sulla morte) of John F. Kennedy. W, with Josh Brolin as our 43rd president, was a study of political and psychological weakness (la debolezza politica e psicologica).

Best known in Italy is Stone’s Nixon, titled Gli intrighi del potere (The Intrigues of Power) in Italian. Despite actor Anthony Hopkins’ having zero physical resemblance (nessuna somiglianza fisica) to the ex-President, Italian critics felt that the movie transformed a political scandal into a human drama of Shakespearean greatness (un dramma umano di grandezza shakespeariana). (Click below for the trailer.)

Michael Douglas won Italian as well as American hearts as a romantic hero (eroe romantico) in The American President, titled Il Presidente—Una storia d’amore in Italian. Also popular in both countries was Kevin Kline’s president for a day (presidente per un giorno) in Dave.

Coming later this year may be a true presidential blockbuster: Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg film. Its lead actor is two-time Oscar winner (due volte vincitore del premio Oscar) Daniel Day Lewis, perfectly suited for the role with his craggy face (volto spigoloso), goatee (pizzetto) and inevitable tophat (immancabile cilindro).

Certainly one of the most popular fictional Presidents on American television was Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen in the seven seasons of the award-winning (sette stagioni della premiata serie) The West Wing. President David Palmer, played by Dennis Haysbert, in the counter-terrorist television series (serie televisiva) 24, might rank as a close second.

The paradox (il paradosso), at least to Italian eyes, is that, on the big or the little screen (su grande o piccolo schermo), the fake presidents—the fruit of the fantasy of directors and screenwriters (frutto della fantasia di registi e sceneggiatori) –turn out to be more appealing and popular (più simpatici e popolari) than the actual ones. Why? Alla Casa Bianca, l'immaginazione sembra superare la realtà. (At the White House, imagination always gets the better of reality.)

What if someone were to make a movie about Italy’s ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi? "Sarebbe a metà tra commedia all'italiana e tragedia greca!" a friend replies. (It would be cross between  Italian comedy and Greek tragedy).)

Words and Expression

la pellicola –- the film

promo, breve filmato promozionale, trailer –- movie trailer

trama del film – movie plot

cinematografia americana –- American cinematography

Dianne Hales is the author of LA BELLA LINGUA: MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH ITALIAN, THE WORLD'S MOST ENCHANTING LANGUAGE.

  

The American Election in the Italian Language: The Democrats

The Democratic President

Il Presidente democratico

Since the times of Franklin Roosevelt, solo un presidente democratico (only one Democratic president) -- Bill Clinton -- has managed a farsi rieleggere (to get himself re-elected). President Barack Obama non intende essere da meno (intends to do no less), but as journalists in Italy and elsewhere have noted, “Non sarà facile” (It will not be easy).

At last week’s convention, “Mom-in-chief” (which didn't translate) Michelle Obama ha raccontato il lato umano del presidente (talked about the human side of the President). By concentrating sull'aspetto privato e familiare senza mai nominare gli avversari (on the private and familial aspect without ever naming adversaries), she conveyed the message: “il vero sogno americano siamo noi" (We are the true American dream).

The following evening former President Clinton ha infiammato i democratici (inflamed the Democrats) with a speech that ended in un tripudio, ovazioni, applausi ritmati ed Obama che sale sul palco per abbracciarlo (in jubilation, ovations, rhythmic applause and Obama coming onto the stage to embrace him).

In his acceptance speech, President Obama reminded Americans that they face una scelta non solo tra due candidati o due partiti ma tra due visioni del futuro (a choice not only between two candidates or two parties but between two visions of the future). Rather than offering troppo facili promesse (too easy promises), he declared, "Non faccio finta che la strada che vi indico sia veloce o facile" (I do not pretend that the road I indicate to you is fast or easy). But of one thing, non ha dubbi (he has no doubts): "I nostri problemi possono essere risolti, le nostre sfide vinte" (Our problems can be solved; our challenges overcome).

However, since he was elected to dire la verità (tell the truth), the President reminded delegates that la verità è che ci occorre più di qualche anno per risolvere sfide che si sono accumulate per decenni (the truth is that it takes more than a few years to resolve challenges that accumulated over decades).

Quando tutto sarà detto e fatto (when all is said and done),  il Commander in Chief urged voters: Ricordatevi che dalla vostra scelta dipende il futuro vostro e dei vostri figli (Remember that your future and your children’s depends on your choice).

As he expressed his faith in “voi, il popolo Americano” (you, the American people), the hall exploded in shouts of “Ancora quattro anni!” (Four more years!)

Words and Expressions

votare –- to vote

liberale -- liberal

conservatore –- conservative

i sondaggi –- the polls

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

 

The American Election in the Italian Language: The Republicans

La Sfida Repubblicana

The Republican Challenge

“Il vangelo di Mitt Romney” an Italian headline proclaimed, “The gospel” of the Republican presidential candidate. Poco conosciuto (little known) in Italy, il primo candidato mormone nella storia d'America (the first Mormon candidate in the history of America) emerged in the coverage of last week’s Republican convention.

“Il mio fantastico Mitt” (my fantastic Mitt), his wife Ann said in her speech, “è un marito esemplare da 43 anni (is an exemplary husband of 43 years), un padre affettuoso (a loving father) è un cristiano devoto che dona il 10% del suo reddito in carità (and a devout Christian who gives 10 percent of his income to charity).

"Quattro anni fa mi augurai che Barack Obama riuscisse, perché amo l'America” (Four years ago I wished that Barack Obama would succeed, because I love America) Romney told the assembled Republican delegates. “Oggi dico: è tempo di voltare pagina” (Now I say: it’s time to turn the page).

When Romney ha preso la parola (took to the floor), he attacked the President “sul suo punto debole: il bilancio di governo” (on his weak point: the government budget), reported one of Italy’s most distinguished journalists, Federico Rampini, in La Repubblica. His speech touched “le corde del patriottismo (the chords of patriotism), della nostalgia per i tempi dorati della crescita (of nostalgia for the golden times of growth) e delle aspettative di un costante progresso nel tenore di vita da una generazione all'altra (and of expectations of constant progress in the quality of life from one generation to another).”

Rampini's article summarizes Romney’s piano in cinque punti per creare 12 milioni di posti di lavoro (five point plan to create 12 million jobs):

    *indipendenza petrolifera (oil independence), attraverso la totale libertà di trivellare (through the total freedom to drill).

    *facoltà di scegliere dappertutto le scuole migliori -- cioè private. (Ability everywhere to choose the best schools—that is, private ones.)

    *ritorsioni commerciali contro la Cina e chiunque faccia "concorrenza sleale" (trade retaliation against China and anyone who makes “unfair competition”)

    *bilancio in pareggio "per non fare la fine della Grecia" (balanced budget so as not to end up like Greece)

    *la massima deregulation per le imprese (maximum deregulation for business), along with sgravi fiscali (tax cuts) and l'abrogazione della riforma sanitaria di Obama (repeal of Obama’s health care reform).

Unlike American journalists, Italian reporters did not accuse anyone of parlare a torto e traverso (speaking wrongly and crookedly) or of prometere mari e monti (promising seas and mountains -- “the moon,” we would say in English). They also refrained from using the wonderful Italian word I would have have chosen for the long-winded speechifying of this (and any other) convention: sproloquio.

Words and Expressions

discorso, orazione –- speech

parlatore, oratore –- speechmaker

campagna elettorale –- election campaign

tribuna poltica –- party political broadcast

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

For a clip of the classic Italian comic Toto trying to get out the vote, click below:

The American Election in the Italian Language

Politici, moda Americana

Politics, American style

As the American presidential campaign (campagna presidenziale americana) swings into high gear, I find it interesting to follow the coverage in the Italian press. The perspective is different and often cynical—not surprising when you realize that politico  translates as “politician” and  politicone (literally a big politician) as “schemer.”

Let’s begin with this explanation of le regole del gioco (the rules of the game) from an online primer on American politics:  

“Due partiti, due candidati.” Two parties, two candidates. “Il cittadino vota e sceglie chi lo governerà per quattro anni.” (The citizen votes and chooses who will govern him for four years.) To most Europeans, the American system seems un modello di semplicità (a model of simplicity). In fact, this is un mito completamente infondato (a completely unfounded myth). The electoral process has an apparente trasparenza (apparent transparency), but behind it lies un sistema complesso, dispersivo, farraginoso (a complex, wasteful, cumbersome system).

Many get caught up in il fascino di una campagna elettorale lunga più di un anno (the fascination of a campaign longer than a year) con ritmi e passioni da evento sportivo più che politico (with the rhythms and passions of a sporting rather than a political event) e giocata tutta sotto i riflettori dei media (and played out completely under the spotlights of the media).

Per diventare presidente degli Stati Uniti basta davvero poco. (To become President of the United States takes very little). Or so it seems. According to the constitution, chiunque può candidarsi (anyone can be a candidate), as long as he or she abbia almeno 35 anni (is at least 35 years old), sia cittadino americano per nascita (is an American citizen by birth) and risieda da almeno 14 anni negli Usa (has resided for at least fourteen years in the United States).

In reality a presidential hopeful faces un vero e proprio percorso a ostacoli (a true obstacle course). To succeed, a candidate must have the backing of un'organizzazione potente e ben radicata nel territorio (a powerful organization well rooted in the community)—that, is, one of i due partiti maggiori, il democratico e il repubblicano (the two major parties: the Democratic and the Republican).

Occasionally independent candidates (candidati indipendenti), such as Ralph Nader, enter the race but non hanno alcuna possibilità di farcela (they don’t have a chance). La loro funzione è di puro "disturbo" per uno dei candidati, (their only function is to make a noise or disturbance for one of the candidates, who many then be able to sottrarre qualche voto (steal some votes).

There is one post that anyone of any age, liberal (liberale) or conservative (conservatore), can assume: politico da caffè  (a cafè or armchair politician).  And that is exactly what many of us will become in the next few months.

Words and Expressions

parlare di politica –- to talk politics

avere molta politica -- to be crafty (have a lot of politics)

politicante –- worthless politician, dabbler in politics

politichese -– political jargon (derisive)

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

Renewing the Italian Language

Nuove parole per una nuova Italia

New Words for a New Italy

It’s a new day in Italy, the end of an era (la fine di un’era) and the beginning of the “dopoSilvio” (after Silvio). On November 12, which some have dubbed La Festa della Liberazione (the feast of the Liberation), headlines declared “Addio” (goodbye). Crowds in the street, who had jeered Berlusconi as a buffone (clown) along with various unprintable epithets, began to chant “Futuro!” (Future!).

“Bisogna individuare un universo semantico nuovo” (It’s necessary to identify a new semantic universe), a top advertising expert commented. “Basta con il bunga bunga e riscopriamo l'orgoglio nazionale.” (Enough with the "bunga bunga" -- a term associated with Berlusconi's serial sex scandals -- and let’s rediscover the national pride.)

There is ”una straordinaria voglia di rinnovare il linguaggio” (an extraordinary wish to renew the language), observed La Repubblica, a major Italian newspaper.  In order to trovare un parola chiave per il nuovo tempo (find a key word for the new time), it has created a national poll (sondaggio) that offers readers the following possibilities:

*Rimontiamo –- an anagram of the Prime Minister Mario Monti’s name, it can translates as “Let’s move up,” “Let’s climb again” or “Let’s catch up.”

*Possiamo farcela –- We can do it

*Mai più -- Never again

*Fiducia nel Paese, fiducia negli altri -- trust in the country, trust in others

*Riscatto –- liberation, redemption

*Ricominciamo –- Let’s begin again, let’s start afresh

*Adesso si riparte –- Now we start again

*Rialziamo l'Italia — Let’s lift Italy up again

*Riprendiamoci l'ottimismo -- Let’s take back optimism

*E adesso, Italia -- And now, Italy

*Un Paese dove restare –- a country to stay in

*Il Paese dei talenti -- a country of talents

*Il tempo della fiducia e della competenza -- the time of trust and of competence

*Il tempo dell'essere dopo gli anni dell'apparire –- the time of being after the years of seeming

*Un Paese da cui non fuggire –- a country not to run away from

*Diventare un Paese vero –- becoming a true country

*Credibilità e verità –- credibility and truth

*Fiducia nel futuro –- trust in the future

*Dignità –- dignity

*Rigore e giustizia sociale –- rigor and social justice

*Più uguali –- more equal

*Equità sociale e crescita –- social equity and growth

*Siamo tutti europei –- We are all European

*L’Italia è una e indivisibile –- Italy is one and indivisible.

More than 55,000 people have responded to this poll. You can add your opinion here. The video below conveys the mix of skepticism and hope that many Italians feel for their povera patria (poor fatherland). “Non cambierà (it will not change),” goes the refrain,  “Forse cambierà” (Perhaps it will change.)

 

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