Italian Paragraphs
I don’t know if others have noticed this, and I imagine they have, but many Italian writers construct some of the longest paragraphs I have ever seen. These paragraphs, which are seemingly never ending walls of text, tend to put me off reading Italian newspapers and books.
Turning Round La Brutta Figura
Italy is a very image conscious country – just wander down any Italian street and you will see beautiful shops and elegantly dressed passers by. The places and people are examples of ‘la bella figura’ – which means ‘creating the right impression’. The opposite of the ‘bella’ version is ‘la brutta figura’, which is similar […]
Rom or Romanian?
As I wrote a few days back, Italy has taken measures to extradite European Union citizens who have been involved in criminal activities here. The Italian law enforcement spotlight has been shining heavily on those from Romania, and the police have been rounding up Romanians by the dozen in preparation for having them sent back […]
The Size of Newspapers
Awkward things newspapers. The full size versions that are still here and there are so huge and ungainly that you risk punching someone in the face when you try open and read the things on crowded buses and trains. The so-called ‘tabloid’ format papers are a little better, but they are still difficult to handle. […]