Becoming Italian Word by Word

Carnevale in Venice

Carnevale

On a chilly night in February, a gigantic silver balloon rises above a Venetian canal like a moon lassoed from the sky. Dangling below, an acrobat gyrates into a spinning star. Sky ballerinas with huge butterfly wings flutter around her. Giant ten-feet-high anemones unfurl long filmy tendrils. Fire dancers on gondolas juggle flaming torches. This is not the Disneyfied Carnevale of elaborate costumes and expensive balls that draws tens of thousands of visitors but a simpler, smaller, sweeter celebration held in Cannaregio, the working-class neighborhood where the highest percentage of native Venetians live.     

During this magical evening, I hear no languages other than Italian and Venetian. Children scamper in Harlequin costumes (with a few galactic superheroes in the mix). Women swirl in the flowing robes of another age; men don the long-beaked masks of plague doctors. Confetti falls like snowflakes. This scene, which I describe in La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World, captures the particularly exuberant spirit of Carnevale in Italy.

For centuries the pre-Lent festivities of Carnevale sumptuously celebrated carne, which translates as both "meat' and "flesh." However, the name comes specifically from the Latin for "meat" (carnem) and “take away or remove” (levare). A church decree dating back to 653 declared that anyone who ate meat during the forty days of Lent (Quaresima in Italian) could not receive communion on Easter.

According to le Monnier's Dictionary of the Italian Language, Carne Levare was first used for the sumptuous dinner eaten the night before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Over the years "Carnevale" was gradually extended to cover the entire period from Epiphany to la settimana grassa (the fat week) before Ash Wednesday.

During Venice's Carnevale, which lasted for months, party-goers wore costumes and elaborate maschere (masks). The bauta covered the entire face but had no mouth opening and a lot of gilding. The oval-shaped moretta was worn by women, often along with a veil. The full-face white larva (from the Latin for mask or ghost) was made of fine wax cloth.

Over the centuries Venice''s pre-Lenten merry-making has inspired some pithy axioms:  

    *Fare le frittelle –- literally, to make the traditional fritters; figuratively, to celebrate Carnival.

    *A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale -- At Carnival anything goes.

    *L’amore di Carnevale muore in Quaresima -- A love that starts during Carnival dies in Lent.                                                  

Wherever you may celebrate, I wish you Buon Carnevale!

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 the upcoming LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World. For more information, visit her website: www.diannehales.com.

Win a pre-publication bound galley of LA PASSIONE from Goodreads! Click here to enter the raffle.  The giveaway ends March 13.

5 Secrets for Learning Italian from Manu

Italy and Italian Made Easy

Lately I’ve been spending time with a man other than my husband -- everywhere from the kitchen when I’m cooking to the car when I’m driving. His name is Manu (Emanuele) Venditti, a native Italian who lives in Australia and teaches Italian, mainly on his youtube channel Italy Made Easy and podcasts. Like tens of thousands of Italian lovers around the world, I am addicted. The reason: Manu’s passion for both learning and teaching languages.

As a 13-year-old spending a month in the United States, Manu became so frustrated when he couldn’t communicate that he devoted himself to studying languages—not just English, but also Portuguese, Spanish, French and Japanese. On a student exchange program in 2000, he fell in love with Australia and earned a degree from the University of Melbourne. While teaching private and college students down under, Manu discovered what he considers the most effective—and entertaining--medium for language instruction: online videos.

“As a person who’s learned languages myself, I have figured out what works and what doesn’t,” says Manu. “Being able to communicate to people in their native language has helped me create stronger bonds and experience the real culture of another country. I want that for my students. I want that for everyone!”

Here are five of Manu’s language-learning secrets:

1. Variety. “My entire system is based on what I wish I had when I was learning languages. I don’t believe there is such a thing as 'the perfect method' to learn a language, but I know which methods fail to deliver. Most courses focus on grammar and end up producing students who are excellent at theory but cannot communicate well or even understand Italian. Other methods focus on miming and repetition, creating students who may sound good but cannot really express their own thoughts freely. I try to cover all bases -- explaining the grammar, presenting colloquial expressions, creating natural conversations, providing material to read, etc.”

2. Engagement. “This is the reason I love video. It’s a lot easier to digest new content and to stick with studying a foreign language when there is a connection with the source of the information. Nothing beats seeing another human, talking to you and inspiring you to learn more. My job is to be that someone who helps students visually learn Italian--grammar as well as vocabulary. It’s one thing to read about the imperfect tense in a book and another to see and hear your teacher tell you a funny story, giving you a specific example while explaining the concept."   

3. Passive learning. “There is active studying and passive studying, which in my opinion is the key to success. If all you do is study for one hour, you’ll be lucky to hear Italian for 20 minutes (since you will be in learning mode to assimilate all the new concepts). What if you had Italian stuff playing all the time in the background while grooming, cooking, commuting, exercising? You might not understand much of what you are hearing, but your brain will do most of the work, and very soon you will:
                                • be able to understand more and more of what is being said
                                • start speaking with a much better Italian accent
                                • speak with real, natural Italian expressions rather than translating things into Italian." 
His advice: Spend five times as much time listening as you do studying.

4. Practice. “Most students taking private lessons fail to learn a language because the one hour they spend with their tutor is ALL the time they devote to the foreign language. Imagine becoming excellent at any sport or musical instrument by only practicing one hour a week! The Italy Made Easy Academy provides a place for learners of Italian to find a community of other motivated students so they can ask questions in our forums, help each other and form study groups. We also have a Chat service that allows students to have unlimited audio or video calls in Italian with native Italians trained to make it easy even for beginners to converse.”

5. Commitment. “Being fluent in a language does not mean speaking and sounding like a native but simply being able to speak with flow, naturally, without relying on mental translations so you can talk about anything relevant and useful to you. But no one can teach anyone else a language. You have to learn it yourself. This means that it is up to you to put in the time and the effort. The most important questions to ask are:
        • How badly do you want to speak Italian fluently?
        • How much time and effort are you going to put in?"

So why learn Italian? “Italy is a truly mesmerizing place," says Manu, "Our culture is so rich that it would be a shame to miss out on it just because you don’t speak the language.”

Click here to check out the full range of Manu’s digital courses—from quick tutorials on everyday phrases to his “Zero to Italian” classes that will accelerate your learning, regardless of your level. Just like me, you’re sure to get hooked!

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 the upcoming LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World. For more information, visit her new website: www.diannehales.com.

 

Win a pre-publication bound galley of LA PASSIONE from Goodreads! Click here to enter the raffle.  The giveaway ends March 13.

February News from Dianne

Cari amici,

While many people in northern climes are eagerly awaiting the first signs of Spring, I'm also counting the days to publication of LA PASSIONE on April 16. Here's the final proof of the front cover--and some pre-pub reviews that warmed my heart:

"In this inquisitive celebration of the Italian spirit, Hales traverses the country, exploring its history and culture...The chapters on food will delight readers with descriptions of artisan foods... Sure to inspire many vacations, this volume shows Italy's many contributions to the world and captures the essence of the very things that make it such a wondrous place." -- Publishers Weekly

“[Hales’] love affair with Italy shines through as she recounts the histories of colorful characters who made their names through war, art, food, wine, music, and more. She brings the reader with her to experience the country’s long-lasting traditions and the people whose dedication keeps that legacy alive today … Frothy as a cappuccino and rich as tiramisu, La Passione is a delightful excursion into the heart of Italian culture.” -- Booklist

You can find more comments and early interviews online and preorder a copy here.

My publisher and I are beginning to schedule talks and book signings, tentatively in San Francisco, Sacramento, Corte Madera, Orinda, Walnut Creek, New York, New Orleans, Atlanta, Athens, Ga., and Tuscany. If you're in the Bay area, here are the April dates:

 Wednesday, April 17, 6:30 p.m.  
        Italian Cultural Institute
        601 Van Ness Avenue
        San Francisco, CA.
        Frances Mayes and I will present our new books; Kip Cranna will moderate. 

Wednesday, April 24, 6:30 p.m.
        Libreria Pino
        548 Union Street
        San Francisco, CA.    

Sunday, April 28, 4:00 p.m.
        Book Passage
        51 Tamal Vista Blvd
        Corte Madera, CA.

As we firm up the dates, we will post other speaking engagements on the events page of my website.

If you're in Italy this summer, please join me in celebrating the Italian passion for joy at a special book presentation on Sunday, June 9, in Castiglion Fiorentino, a postcard-pretty Tuscan town near Cortona. As I recount in La Passione, this is where Rita Morgan Richardson, a sister appassionata, created the nonprofit Friends of San Filippino to save an abandoned chapel dedicated to the patron saint of joy. Rita and I are also planning events in the United States and in Florence. If you belong to a community or an Italian-American group that may be interested in learning more, please contact Rita.

I hope to meet many of you on my travels. Until then, I send warm wishes for an early Spring!

Dianne

50 Romantic Phrases in the Italian Language

“How do I love thee?” Elizabeth Barrett Browning asked. She counted the ways in English, but the passionate Italophile may well have chosen Italian when she whispered words of love.  Why not? Like love itself, a dichiarazione d’amore (declaration of love) is lovelier in Italian.

Keep in mind that Italians reserve the words "ti amo" (I love you) only for the loves of their lives. Italian parents and children as well as boyfriends and girlfriends express affection with “Ti voglio bene,” which translates literally into “I want you well,” but conveys an entire universe of best wishes: “I want the best for you.” “I want all good things for you.” “I want what you want because I care so much for you.”

Here are some Italian phrases that may help you in the gioco dell’amore (game of love).

1. Sei la mia anima gemella -- You are my soulmate.
2. Ti penso ogni giorno -- I think of you every day.
3. Senza di te la mia vita non ha senso -- Without you my life makes no sense.
4. Vieni qui e baciami -- Come here and kiss me.
5. Sei il mio universo -- You are my universe.
6. Non posso vivere senza te -- I can’t live without you.
7. Ti voglio –- I want you.
8. Mi piace tutto di te –- I like everything about you.
9. Sono pazzo (pazza, if female) di te -- I am crazy about you.
10. Mi fai stare bene -- You make me feel good.
11. Siamo fatti l’uno per l’altra -- We are made for each other.
12. Sei irresistibile -- You are irresistible.
13. Mi sto innamorando di te –- I’m falling in love with you.
14. Mi rendi felice — You make me happy.
15. Sei l’amore della mia vita — You are the love of my life.
16. Ti adoro — I adore you.
17. Voglio stare con te per sempre — I want to be with you for always.
18. Ho bisogno di te — I need you.
19. Abbracciami — Embrace me!
20. Non potrò mai smettere d’amarti -- I could never stop loving you.
21. Sei la regina del mio cuore —You are the queen of my heart.
22. Sei il mio / la mia –- You are mine.
23. Voglio stare con te — I want to be with you.
24. Non posso più vivere senza te — I can’t go on living without you.
25. Voglio fare l’amore con te — I want to make love to you.
26. Sono tuo (tua) — I am yours.
27. Sii mio (mia) — Be mine!
28. Senza te non sono nulla —Without you I am nothing.
29. Sei il mio raggio di sole — You are my sunshine.
30. Voglio soltanto te — I want only you.
31. Tesoro mio — My darling!
32. Farei di tutto per te — I would do everything for you.
33. Mi manchi -- I miss you
34. Hai conquistato il mio cuore — You have won my heart .
35. Rimani sempre con me — Stay with me always.
36. Non lasciarmi mai — Never leave me.
37. Al cuor non si comanda -- You can’t rule your heart.
38. Siamo fatti l’uno per l’altra –- We are made for each other
39. Finchè morte non ci separi -- ‘Til death do us part.
40. Ti do il mio cuore  — I give you my heart.
41. Voglio invecchiare insieme a te — I want to grow old together with you.
42. Sei tutto ciò che voglio —You’re everything I want.
43. Resta sempre al mio fianco — Stay always by my side.
44. Voglio passare il resto della mia vita con te –- I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
45. Mi sono innamorata di te a prima vista –- I fell in love with you at first sight
46. Solo tu mi capisci — Only you understand me.
47. Ho trovato il paradiso nei tuoi occhi — I have found paradise in your eyes.
48. La nostra è una vera storia d’amore — Ours is a true love story.  
49. Mi vuoi sposare? -- Will you marry me?
50. Vivremo felici e contenti — We will live happily ever after.

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 the upcoming LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World. For more information, visit her new website: www.diannehales.com.

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Astrology in the Italian Language

L’astrologia

Astrology

“What’s your sign?” (Di che segno sei?) The classic pick-up line may sound corny in English, but it can be a good conversation starter in Italy, where l'astrologia has been popular since the time of the ancient Romans. My Italian dictionary defines it as “un complesso di credenze e tradizioni, prive di fondamento scientifico, che ritiene che le posizioni e i movimenti dei corpi celesti rispetto alla Terra influiscano sugli eventi umani collettivi e individuali” (a complex of beliefs and traditions, lacking scientific basis, that holds that the positions and movement of celestial bodies in relationship to the earth influence collective and individual human events).

Here are the Italian names and some characteristics of the twelve signs of the Zodiac:

*Ariete (Aries), a fire sign (segno di fuoco). Individuals born between 21 marzo (March) and 20 aprile (April) are characterized by sincerità, impulsività e passione (sincerity, impulsivity and passion).

*Toro (Taurus), an earth sign (segno di terra). Those born between 21 aprile and 20 maggio (May) typically show la tenacia, la pazienza e l'attaccamento agli aspetti materiali dell'esistenza (tenacity, patience and attachment to material aspects of existence).

*Gemelli (Gemini), an air sign (segno d’aria). People born between 21 maggio and 21 giugno (June) are known for their l'apertura mentale, la capacità di comunicazione e l'intelletto spiccato (open minds, skill at communicating and keen intelligence).

*Cancro (Cancer), a water sign (segno di acqua). A person born between 22 giugno and 22 luglio (July) is often seen as lunatica, sensibile e romantica (moody, sensitive and romantic).

*Leone (Leo), a fire sign. Those born between 23 luglio and 23 agosto (August) are characterized by generosità, tenacia e fiducia in se stesse (generosity, tenacity and self-confidence).

*Vergine (Virgo), an earth sign. Individuals born between 24 agosto and 22 settembre (September) are known for la razionalità, la capacità di pensiero e un'intelligenza spiccata (rationality, capacity for thought and keen intelligence).

*Bilancia (Libra), an air sign. Men and women born between 23 settembre and 22 ottobre (October) strive constantly for equilibrio nei rapporti personali e interpersonali (balance in their personal and interpersonal relationships).

*Scorpione (Scorpio), a water sign. Individuals born between 23 ottobre and 21 novembre (November) have capacità intuitive e osservative (intuitive and observational ability) and un'intelligenza non comune (uncommon intelligence). They also are associated with la segretezza e il mistero (secrecy and mystery).

*Sagittario (Sagitarius), a fire sign. Those born between 22 novembre and 21 dicembre (December) are likely to be intelligenti, socievoli ed entusiasti (intelligent, sociable and enthusiastic).

*Capricorno (Capricorn), an earth sign. Someone born between 22 dicembre and 20 gennaio (January) may be characterized by notevoli tenacia, ambizione e onestà (remarkable tenacity, ambition and honesty)

*Acquario (Aquarius), an air sign. Individuals born between 21 gennaio and 19 febbraio  (February) are characterized by l'idealismo, l'amicizia e una mentalità aperta ed espansiva (idealism, friendship and an open and expansive mentality).

*Pesci (Pisces), a water sign. Those born between 20 febbraio and 20 marzo tend to be geniali, fantasiosi e altamente emotivi (genial, imaginative and highly emotional).

Words and Expressions

Astrologo -– astrologer

Astrologare -– to practice astrology, cast horoscopes, make wild guesses

Oroscopo –- horoscope

Ascendente –- rising sign, ascendant

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 the upcoming LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World. For more information, visit her new website: www.diannehales.com.