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All posts by Deirdre Straughan
Everyday Italian: Signs of the Times
^ above: Occasione means “For sale, great deal!” (And no wonder…)
^ June 14, 2006 – This new shop in Lecco is “opening soon” (prossima = soon or next, apertura = opening [noun]). But maybe it’ll close soon after?
^ English education in Italy clearly never includes proper use of the apostrophe (a common mistake among native speakers as well, I know!). I simply cannot think of a correct English usage that would be spelled Pant’s. Except in India where the name Pant (pronounced Punt) is fairly common, so you could be referring to something belonging to Mr. or Ms. Pant.
^ We were walking past a church where a funeral was being held, the hearse parked outside waiting to go to the cemetery, when this official car from the City of Lecco pulled up. The office of servizi demografici (population services) keeps track of the local population. Had they come to make sure the person was actually dead?
^ A chi non farebbe gola? – “Who wouldn’t get hungry for this?”
- fare gola = to give an appetite.
- gola = throat
- goloso = appetitious
- golosita’ = greed for food.
You could say Sono golosa/o di... or Sono ghiotto/a di to say that you love a particulare kind of food, e.g. cioccolato.
^ Scontata means discounted, but is also used for “taken for granted.” So this advertisement is a play on words: “Happiness is discounted/taken for granted.”
These were part of a series of punny posters advertising flooring materials.
Ne combiniamo di tutti i colori literally means “We put [things] together in all colors,” and can be roughly translated as “We get up to all sorts of mischief.”
In this case, of course, the pun is on the combination of (racial) colors in the picture, and that they seem to be getting up to some sort of hanky-panky (Italy doesn’t know about cheerleaders.)
Supportiamo tutto – “We support/put up with/bear anything”, referring to load weights. I can’t help thinking that in the US they would have to show much fatter people to make their point…
Learn Italian in Song: Emozioni
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Learn Italian in Song: L’Emozione non ha Voce
Emotion has No VoiceAdriano Celentano. The video above comes from Rockpolitik, a variety show hosted by Celentano in 2006. |
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| Io non so parlar d’amore
l’emozione non ha voce E mi manca un po il respiro se ci sei c’e troppa luce
La mia anima si spande come musica d’estate poi la voglia sai mi prende e mi accende con i baci tuoi Io con te saro sincero restero quel che sono disonesto mai lo giuro ma se tradisci non perdono Ti saro per sempre amico pur geloso come sai io lo so mi contraddico ma preziosa sei tu per me Tra le mie braccia dormirai serena..mente ed e importante questo sai per sentirci pienamente noi Un’altra vita mi darai che io non conosco la mia compagna tu sarai fino a quando so che lo vorrai
Due caratteri diversi prendon fuoco facilmente ma divisi siamo persi ci sentiamo quasi niente Siamo due legati dentro da un amore che ci da la profonda convinzione che nessuno ci dividera Tra le mie braccia dormirai serena mente ed e importante questo sai per sentirci pienamente noi Un’altra vita mi darai che io non conosco la mia compagna tu sarai fino a quando lo vorrai poi vivremo come sai solo di sincerita di amore e di fiducia poi sara quel che sara |
I don’t know how to speak of love
Emotion has no voice And I’m a bit short of breath If you’re here there’s too much light. My soul expands like music in summer then desire takes me you know and lights me up with your kisses. I’ll be honest with you I’ll remain what I am dishonest but I swear if you betray me I won’t forgive I’ll always be your friend though jealous as you know I know that I contradict myself But you are precious to me. You’ll sleep in my arms Serenely and this is important you know for us to feel completely us. You’ll give me another life that I don’t know you’ll be my companion As long as I know that you want it. Two different characters who catch fire easily but divided we are lost We feel we are almost nothing We are two united inside by a love which gives us the profound conviction that no one will divide us. You’ll sleep in my arms Serenely and this is important you know for us to feel completely us. You’ll give me another life that I don’t know you’ll be my companion As long as I know that you want it. Then we’ll live as you know only by honesty by love and by trust then it will be what it will be. |
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Learn Italian in Song: E la Barca Torno’ Sola
And the Ship Returned AloneRenato Carosone (1960) |
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| Erano tre fratelli pescatori,con una mamma bianca,
con una barca nera Il mare urlava cupo quella sera e il legno della incognita straniera cercava aiuto in tutto quell’orrore. “Chi rischierà la vita per salvare la bionda forestiera, chi sarà ?” Ritornello: Mare! Mare crudele! Come puoi cantare nelli notti scure quando piange il cuore? Mare, se di un amore soffocasti in gola l’ultima speranza, l’ultima parola… Coro: Mare crudele! Mare crudele! Mare crudele! …e la barca tornò sola!… Della leggenda dei tre pescatori, resta una mamma bianca ed una barca nera che in fondo al molo a tutti fa paura! Le vele si raccontano fra loro che una sirena dai capelli d’oro serba il segreto dei tre pescatori… Ma quel segreto chi potrà svelare se l’onda indifferente viene e va!… |
They were three brothers, fishermen,with a white mother,
with a black boat and three hearts still young… The sea cried darkly that evening and the ship of that unknown stranger sought help in all that horror. “Who will risk his life to save the blonde stranger, who will it be?” Refrain: Sea! Cruel sea! How can you sing in the dark nights when the heart weeps? Sea, if you suffocated in the throat the last hope of a love, the last word… Chorus: Cruel sea! Cruel sea! Cruel sea! …and the ship returned alone!… From the legend of the three fishermen remains a white mother and a black boat which frightens everybody at the end of the pier! The sailing ships tell each other the tale that a mermaid with golden hair holds the secret of the three fishermen… But who can reveal that secret if the indifferent waves come and go! |
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