FLORENTINISMS
Florentinisms
Spunzonata, Curtello/curtella, Parea Pinco
Your in-progress dictionary of the Florentine dialect
Spunzonata: Punch or very hard blow.
Example: ‘Se sèguita gli dó una
spunzonata nì viso!' (‘If he keeps it up, I'm going to punch him in the
face!')
Curtello/curtella: Knife.
Example: ‘Leva i'
curtello da i' tavolo, c'è i bambino!' (‘Get the knife off the table; the …
Life
The Italian Risorgimento: A timeline
The process of Italian unification was the result of nearly 60 years of
events, daring action and revolutionary ideas. Here is a timeline of the key
moments leading to and sealing Italy's unification.
1815
At
the Congress of Vienna, the powers that had defeated Napoleon-Austria, Russia,
Prussia …
Economy + Society
Turin > Florence > Rome
Why Florence was Italy's second capital
by Aimee Bateas
As Italy
begins its celebration of 150 years of unification, Tuscans recognize this
anniversary as a significant milestone for the region, but especially for
Florence. Although Tuscany and Florence are known as being the heart of the
Italian Renaissance, with Dante and the Medicis calling …
Economy + Society
What goes around comes around
Now host to immigrants, Italy's bootis on the other foot
by Suzi Jenkins
Once the Italians were the ones leaving home and arriving on someone else's shores, but now Italy is a major host country to the new immigrant populations. In the late 1800s, just around the time that Garibaldi was ‘inventing' Italy, Italians …
Life
Faces of unity
The people who made Italy one nation
by Devin Tooma
Who were the key
figures in forging unity Italy 150 years ago? Some of them were widely known in
the Risorgimento, but the roles that others played have emerged over time.
Women hid rebels, nursed wounds, and raised funds for the cause. Here, meet
some …
Families + Kids
Bilingual, bicultural
Raising polyglot tots
One of the interesting aspects of bilingualism in our children is how my daughter at five years old could already work out the cultural beverage preferences of our guests. At four she seemed to know instinctively who spoke English and who …
In Other Words
Spades and hearts
‘If my grandmother had wheels, she would be a wheelbarrow.' That's what Italians say when they want to interrupt your rambling hypothetical scenario. After all, if a rolling granny doesn't bring you to a standstill, nothing will. ' So, before someone tries …Florentinisms
Sgamare, Sgamotto, Boccata/boccare,
Your in-progress dictionary of the Florentine dialect
Sgamare: To avoid an annoying chore for which you are unprepared.
Example: ‘Meno male che ho sgamato la riunione!'(‘Good thing I got out of that meeting!')
Sgamotto: From ‘sgamare' we also get this word, which is the action with which we avoid …
Italian Sketches
Roberto Bolle
Italy's ambassador of dance
Watching dancers on television as a small boy in his hometown of Casale Monferrato in Piedmont, where he was born on March 26, 1975, Bolle decided that dance would be his future. At age 11, he won a place at the …
Economy + Society
It's a Floogle!
Florence University and Google unite
by Suzi Jenkins
The Information Technology and Computer Aided Mapping knowledge centre, Itaca-M, the first of its kind in Italy, is housed at the University of Florence, uniting university professors and Google experts in creating innovative digital applications for the public sector.
What might sound …
Style + Fashion
Fashion nostalgia
End-of-season must-haves for women
Is fashion ever new? Or is it, in fact, a reinterpretation of something old? Is this the eternal fashion trick, to make us want brand-new items that are actually inspired by the past?
Florence embodies this conundrum like nowhere else, especially at …
Life
Truisms revisited
Myth or reality?
by Devin Tooma
The TF staff was recently discussing some of the most common truisms about Italy, Tuscany and Florence. After five years of print, we've pretty much heard and said it all. However, there are a few things about Italy and Tuscany that …
Florentinisms
Grullo, Le passato i' bruttaio, C'? lo scivolo
Your in-progress dictionary of the Florentine dialect
Grullo: A person who is a little dense or naive. There are several variations, including ‘grullerello' and ‘citrullo.'
Example: ‘Ma guarda quel grullo come crede a ogni cosa!'(‘What a dope, that guy will believe anything!')
Lè passato i' bruttaio: Expression to indicate a …
Life
Keep Florence on your mind
In addition to the thousands of Erasmus students from across Europe and around the world, every semester, some 4,000 American students enroll in over 40 study abroad programs to make Florence their campus. And every semester we make it a point to …
How Do You...?
Legalized: what's your visa?
Many foreign friends and clients ask my advice on moving their professional or private lives to Italy. Many had friends whose ‘uncle [or cousin] got all the documents he needed in one month.' What I normally say is ‘good for him.' …121-135 | 136-150 | 151-165 | 166-180 | 181-195 | 196-210 | 211-225 | 226-240 | 241-255 | 256-270
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Special Issues
The English-speaking news magazine in Florence
Sunday, May 19, 2013