Like most languages, Italian boasts quite a variety of bad language, and Italians, as I have mentioned elsewhere in this blog, are not too shy about resorting to it. Knowing what is OK, and what is not, can help those learning Italian avoid causing themselves some embarrassment.
If you would like to know more, and are not offended by strong language, then About.com’s Italian Slang Dictionary–Adult Section has a comprehensive selection of language that would not be acceptable to your mother, depending where you are from. I believe knowing such language can be quite useful, in that it can help you to understand when someone is saying nasty things about you, or your actions, and it can help you avoid making a few faux pas.
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Ummm grazie for this extra language course
Er, prego Di. I was not sure how such a post would be received! Still, if the subject is good enough for Swan, it’s good enough for me.
And I’m sure you will hear plenty of practical examples in Rome….
Although, with these words, the old saying ‘when in Rome etc’, may not be all that appropriate…
how funny and true. reading this reminded me of a lesson i learnt the hard way many years ago not long after arriving in italy. i was working for an ad agency with lots of young people and i had heard a certain word bandied about often. i thought it was slang rather than a swear word – and used it casually in conversation once while having lunch with my then to-be inlaws. silence fell around the table. eyes were diverted. my now-husband coughed (or rather choked), gulped down some water and started laughing. tension broken. in-laws smiled and graciously changed conversation. he whispered the translation. oh, the shame – i turned beetroot red. lesson learnt – know what you are saying.
Yes, I suspect many non-Italian Italy residents have got ourselves in trouble in this way! I have.
Indeed, expressions which seem to be OK in one situation, at work, for example, do not always go down well in other situations, such sitting around the table. It can be very difficult to know what’s OK, and what will not.
Years ago I heard a little old lady call someone a ‘testa di cazzo’ -dickhead, and this gave me the impression that bad language did not carry as much weight in Italy as in other countries. Well, that was not exactly true…
If in doubt, try not to let it slip out – or use the expression first with someone you know well and note the reaction.
Best,
Alex