The Italian Word Così – So Revealing
The innocuous Italian word ‘così’ can help you understand where in Italy Italians are from. ‘Così’ means ‘so’ in English, and the way this Italian word is said can provide clues to the origins of Italians. The secret lies in the pronunciation of this exceedingly common Italian word. Here’s why: When ‘così’ is pronounced ‘co-zee’, that’s ‘co’ as in cooperate or coordinate, […]
Try a Franglish Language Exchange
If you are looking for an opportunity to practice your Italian and you live or work in Milan, Italy, or if you are Italian and you want to improve your English, then a Franglish language exchange may be just what you are looking for. I was invited to try a Franglish language exchange and it was […]
Five Essential Preparations for a New Life in Italy
No matter how organized you are, or how many times you’ve lived abroad, you’re never fully prepared for the culture shock that hits you when you first emigrate. Even moving to a relatively familiar country like Italy will involve an initial period of helplessness and solitude as you come to terms with your life as […]
How to Say Rabbit in Italian
Rabbit in Italian is coniglio, just in case you wanted to know. If you do want to know, you are not alone, around 400 people every month want to know according to my Google intelligence. How do you pronounce rabbit in Italian? Like this, more or less: co-ni-lio – that’s “co”, as in co-worker. “Ni”, […]
How I dislike the Italian Verb Piacere!
I’ve lost count of the number of times my dear English language students have commented on how odd the English language seems when it’s compared to Italian. I guess this is a normal reaction. When confronted with a new language, some learners tend to think that the order of the words is more or less […]
At Sixes and Sevens – Confusion Reigns
Did the expression ‘at sixes and sevens’ originate from English speakers who had dealings with Italians? There does seem to be some evidence.
The Italian Newsstand
This week’s images of Italy photo shows a newsstand in Umbria, Italy, which has a charming little extra ‘guarding’ all those valuable publications. It’s a lovely capture.
Anglitaliano – English Invades Italian
A guest post from someone who has noticed odd things happening to the ‘Italian’ language. Over to you Ainsley:
As a Northern 40-something-year-old Englishman, the four years I’ve spent learning Italian haven’t exactly been plain sailing (blame the British school system).
Meet Italy’s Hot New Ministers
Seeing as Berlusconi seems to want to put the glamour back into dull old Italian politics, I thought you might like to see the candidates he may be fielding for his next government.
