Becoming Italian Word by Word

Celebrating the Patron Saint of the Italian Language

San Francesco

St. Francis

October 4 marks the feast of one of the most beloved saints, St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). Renowned for his rapport with all God’s creatures (noto per il suo rapporto con tutte le creature di Dio), he also qualifies as the patron saint (il patrono) of la bella lingua.

A sickly but charming child, Francesco became the ringleader of a group of fun-loving, hard-drinking, spoiled young men (un gruppo di giovani viziati, forti bevitori e amanti del divertimento) in Assisi. Among his delights (tra i suoi diletti) were the charming French chansons of Provence, which had migrated to Italy.

Hungry for adventure (affamato di avventura), Francesco joined Assisi’s military to fight neighboring Perugia. After being captured by enemy troops, he spent nearly a year in prison (in prigione). This traumatic experience (questa esperienza traumatica), followed by a serious illness, changed Francesco.

Devoted to “his bride” (sua sposa) Lady Poverty (Madonna Povertà), Francesco renounced all earthly possessions and formed a religious order of “begging brothers” (frati mendicanti). Wearing the crude brown robes (le vesti marroni or il saio marrone) of the poorest Umbrian beggars, the Lord’s troubadours wandered the countryside chanting God’s praises in songs called laudes that Francesco wrote in the Umbrian dialect.

Even animals responded to his heartfelt words. When a gargantuan wolf (un enorme lupo) terrorized the town of Gubbio, the friar approached the beast. The wolf lunged at him, but Francesco entreated him not to eat “Brother Ass” (Fratello Asino, as he referred to his body). The wolf curled up at his feet. In Greccio near Assisi,  Francesco brought a real ox and donkey into the church at Christmas time to create the first Nativity scene (rappresentazione della Natività).

Despite chronic health problems, Francesco delighted in being a child of the universe (un figlio dell’universo). His Canticle of the Creatures (Cantico delle Creature)—which one translator describes as “the first real knock-your-socks-off masterpiece of Italian poetry”—celebrates with innocent wonder Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Wind, Sister Water, Brother Fire, and Mother Earth (Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna, Fratello Vento, Sorella Acqua, Fratello Fuoco, e Madre Terra).

The tune has been lost, but lines like these capture its melodic spirit:

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sora luna e le stelle,

in celu l’ài formate clarite et pretiose et belle.

Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per frate vento

et per aere et nubilo et sereno et onne tempo,

per lo quale a le tue creature dai sustentamento.

Here is an English translation:

“Be praised, my lord, for sister moon and stars

in heaven you formed them—clear and precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, for brother wind and air,

and every kind of weather, cloudy and fair,

by which you give your creatures what they need.

With this verse, comprehensible in its original language to contemporary Italians, the humblest of saints (il più umile dei santi) raised the humble vernacular (l’umile vernacolo )to a heavenly height (un livello celestiale).

Words and Expressions

Penitenza–- penance

Illuminazione divina–- divine revelation

Fare un fioretto–- to make a small vow to God

Pellegrinaggio–- pilgrimage

Dianne Hales is the author of MONA LISA: A Life Discovered,   LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Entrancing Language and LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World (coming in April 2019). 

Harvest Season in the Italian Language

L'autunno

Autumn

In Italy every stagione -- la primavera (spring), l’estate (summer), l’autunno (autumn), and l’inverno (winter) -- has a different feel and focus. L’autunno is the time of the grape harvest (la vendemmia). Vine-growers (viticoltori)) keep a close eye on their vines (viti) to determine when the grapes (uva) are ripe (matura or vendemmiabile).

La vendemmia begins with white grapes (uva bianca), which ripen before the red. If there’s a threat of damaging rain, grape pickers (vendemmiatori) may have to work by the light of the harvest moon (luna della vendemmia or luna di Settembre) to save their crops.

At the cantina, bunches of grapes (grappoli d’uva) are sorted, washed, stemmed and crushed to prepare for la pigiatura dell’uva (the grape pressing).

Then everyone waits, hoping that this will turn out to be una buona annata (a vintage year). The novello (new) wine is uncorked and enjoyed during Italy’s equivalent of America’s Indian summer -- l’estate di San Martino, the summer of St. Martin, whose onomastico or saint’s day falls on November 11. As a traditional saying puts it, “Per San Martino, cadono le foglie e si spilla il vino." (For St. Martin, the leaves fall, and the wine is tapped.")

Words and Expressions 

Cogliere l ‘uva -- to gather grapes

Pigiatura dell’uva -- grape pressing

Vitigni -- species of grapes

Uva da tavola -- dessert grapes

Dianne Hales is the author of MONA LISA: A Life Discovered. \ LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language and  LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World (coming in April). 

Click below for some scenes and sounds of the season by the Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi:

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Untranslatable Words in the Italian Language

An excerpt from Italianità

by William Giovinazzo

 Over the years, as I have studied the Italian language and traveled through Italy, I have picked up a number of words that do not easily translate to English. Here are some interesting examples:

Abbiocco This is the caloric shock one feels after a long lunch. It is that delicious drowsy feeling you have after a nice large meal. The cure for abbiocco is a meriggiare. See below.
Apericena This is an aperitif served during the first course of a meal, typically accompanied with canapés.
Boh Don’t know, don’t care. Simple, sweet, and short. The lack of effort required to say this word pairs well with its meaning.
Ciofeca This is something of poor quality, something cheap and not well made.
Culaccino The ring left from a wet glass. It can also be used to describe the end of a loaf of bread.
Faloppone We have all worked with a faloppone: the person who thinks himself much more than what he is, while never delivering on his promises.
Furbo A duplicitous or devious person; in English, we might say the person is Machiavellian. In Italian, there is a connotation of a bit of respect or admiration for the intelligence behind the person’s craftiness.
Gattara A woman who owns an excessive number of cats; in the United States, they refer to such a woman as the crazy cat lady.
Gibigianna This is truly a beautiful term, it is light reflected on water.
Gengle A term for a single parent, a combination of the word genitori (parent) and single.
Magari In the United States we might say “I wish.” I have also heard the expression “From your mouth to God’s ear.”
Menefreghista A person who is apathetic, who just doesn’t care.
Meriggiare A lunchtime nap, preferably in a nice quiet, shady location. .
Monello A scoundrel or rascal, also used to describe an urchin, a street child.
Oleologo A professional olive oil expert.
Pantofolaio Although it can be translated as a maker of slippers, it is also used to describe an idler or a person who lounges about the house.
Qualunquismo An apathetic attitude, specifically towards politics. While in other parts of the world you will find a distrust of politics, qualunquismo is an apathetic resolution to the state of the state.
Rocambolesco  The origin of the word is from Pierre Alexis du Terril who created the character Rocambole. While you can translate this as fantastic or extraordinary, it is used to describe an extremely exciting adventure. Imagine a character swinging on a rope from one ship to another, knife between his teeth and a fair damsel in his arms. 

William Giovinazzo is an author and international lecturer who has written on subjects ranging from data science to Dante Alighieri. Bill’s fourth book, Italianità: The Essence of Being Italian and Italian-American, provides an insightful and entertaining look at the wonderful, life-affirming, vibrant Italian and Italian-American cultures as well as the historical forces that shaped them.

Dianne Hales is the author of MONA LISA: A Life Discovered,  LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language and LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World (to be published in April). 

September in the Italian Language

Settembre

September

 “Io sono Settembre” (I am September),  a classic Italian filastrocca (children’s rhyme) begins. "Ai poverelli rifaccio le spese" (I do the grocery shopping for the poor) by leaving fruit on the trees, "bagno le botti" (I wash, or fill, the barrels) and "porto le mele, i fichi, l’uva ed ogni piacere" (I bring apples, figs, grapes and every pleasure).

According to the ancient Roman calendar, in which the year began in March, September was the seventh month and took its name from the Latin septem. As one Italian saying goes, Settembre, caldo e asciutto, maturare fa ogni frutto (September, warm and dry, makes every fruit ripen).

But change is in the air. The hours of sunlight diminish and those of darkness increase. According to another proverb, In settembre, la notte al dì contende (in September, the night competes with the day).

Many of September’s holy days are linked to the harvest (il raccolto). Per la Santa Croce (for the feast of Santa Croce, the Holy Cross on September 14), la pertica sul noce (the walnuts are ready for harvest by knocking them down with a pole). Per San Matteo piangi le ultime pesche che mangi. (For Saint Matthew’s feast on September 21, you cry for the last peaches that you eat.)

September 29 celebrates the Santi Arcangeli: the Archangels Michele (Michael), Gabriele (Gabriel) and Raffaele (Raphael).  But beware of rain on this day! Se l’angelo si bagna l’ale, piove fino a Natale. (If the angel gets its wings wet, it will rain until Christmas.)

In researching September’s saints, I came upon the story of Santa Sofia, whose name derives from the Greek word for wisdom and who lived in Rome under the rule of the cruel Emperor Hadrian, who executed thousands of Christians. The widowed Sofia had three daughters (tre figlie), whom she named after the core virtues of Christianity: Faith (Fede), Hope (Speranza) and Charity (Carità).

Word of the beautiful and remarkable young girls reached Hadrian, who summoned them to his palazzo. When he demanded that they worship the ancient gods (antichi dei), the girls refused. The furious emperor ordered them to be tortured.

Twelve-year-old Fede was scourged and placed on a red-hot grill yet remained unharmed (sana e salva). Ten-year-old Speranza was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil and pitch, but the kettle melted around her like wax (come la cera). Nine-year-old Carità was thrust into a furnace (una fornace), which exploded, burning her tormentors.

At Hadrian’s order, all three girls were beheaded (decapitate). Their loving mother laid the three headless corpses in a coffin and thanked God for bringing them as His brides (spose) into heaven. Three days later, on September 30, Sofia died. The gift she leaves behind at the end of every September is an eternal one: la sapienza (wisdom).

Words and Expressions

Settembrino –- of September

Agosto prepara la cucina, settembre la cantina –- August prepares the larder, September the wine cellar.

A settembre chi è esperto non viaggia scoperto –- In September those with experience don’t travel uncovered.

Salvia e rosmarino si trapiantano con il sole settembrino –- Sage and rosemary are transplanted with September’s sun.

Dianne Hales is the author of LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language, MONA LISA: A Life Discovered and LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World (to be published in April). 

Click below to listen to a lovely September song:

  

 

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