FLORENTINISMS
Florentinisms
Socera, Affrittellato, Buccole, Mommo
Your in-progress dictionary of the florentine dialect
Sòcera. Florentine pronunciation of ‘suocera', mother-in-law. Also used to describe someone who is very precise and critical.
Example: Uffa! Ma tu'se' proprio una socera, un ti va mai bene nulla!! (Come on! You are such a mother-in-law, nothing is ever good enough!)
Affrittellato: …
Life
Babbo inglese
Being a stay-at-home-dad in Florence
by Dan Woodford
I was in the COOP carrying a basket in one hand and steering a buggy (‘stroller' to our American readers) with the other. Having already loaded the basket with heavy items upstairs, I now needed to bag and weigh the fruits …
Life
March of the condemned
Via dei Malcontenti (‘street of the unhappy') leads from via delle Casine to Piazza Piave and constitutes an exception among Florentine street names, as it neither originates from resident families (like via Strozzi, via Cerretani, Piazza Peruzzi, etc.), nor from artisans …
Economy + Society
Pushing through the pain
Tuscany's perfect economic storm
by Suzi Jenkins
The Tuscan economy is hurting, and it's hurting bad. Given, these days nearly every sector and industry in every country is in pain. But Tuscany has its very own personal agony.
Why are things so bad for the region economically? The global …
Style + Fashion
The big names like it green!
The earth is sick: for some time now, human society has altered the balance of the environment. Now terms such as ‘global warming,' ‘icecap melting' and ‘deforestation' have, unfortunately, become part of everyday language. Has the world of fashion remained indifferent …
Life
Virtual Tuscany
Confessions of an official blogger
I have a job that any Italy-loving expat would envy. I work for the Tuscan region's social media team. I attend art events and exhibits, write about art in Tuscany, and promote it on a blog and via social media. In …
Italian Sketches
Grazia Deledda
An island's heart and soul
In early December 1927,
a very small, reserved, middle-aged and somewhat
overwhelmed Grazia Deledda made the gruelling journey by train from Rome to Stockholm.
She was the first female Italian writer and only the second woman author (after
the Swedish writer, Selma Lagerlòf) to …
Economy + Society
Change, the very hardest thing of all
How social media can kick-start it
by Suzi Jenkins
Social media used to make a statement, to observe and listen to the reaction, and re-qualify the original statement? Astounding change.
There is no way that the inauguration of the notorious Tramvia went unnoticed in this city. If you've never heard …
In Other Words
You cool
Lo and behold, that day has arrived. There you are minding your own expat business, when it finally happens and Italy becomes un discorso cellulare-an issue of the cells. It takes seven years, biologically speaking, for our cells to be completely …Florentinisms
Turo, Bulletta, Degenero/Macello, Peppe
Your in-progress dictionary of the Florentine dialect
Turo: Plug or cover.
Example: ‘Metti i' turo nanni sennò viene la muffa!' (Little one, put the cover on or it will get moldy!)
Bulletta: Nail.
Example: ‘Sta' attento a mettere le bullette, un tu lo vedi che tù rovini tutto i' muro!?'
(Be careful …
Italian Sketches
Battista Pininfarina
A designer dream-maker
Two men with difficult characters formed one of the most significant design teams in the history of the Italian automobile industry. Enzo Ferrari built the motors and chassis of his legendary cars, and Battista Pininfarina often styled their classy and revolutionary …
In Other Words
Wig makers
Some people talk in language class, others speak at the hairdresser. I fall into the first category: at the beauty salon I only listen. Parrucchiere, the Italian word for hairdresser literally means ‘wig maker' but a more accurate term would be …Florentinisms
Tanto quelli a strisce sono tutti ladri, Civaiolo
your in-progress dictionary of the florentine dialect
Tanto quelli a strisce sono tutti ladri!:
Literally, ‘the ones with stripes are all thieves!' referring to soccer teams with striped jerseys.
The phrase refers to Juventus (black and white, like prisoners' uniforms), first and foremost, but given recent events I would add …
Style + Fashion
Milan versus Florence
Reflections on the future of the Made in Italy label
After a long ‘Christmas break,' it is a pleasure to write my Style and the City column again! In these months I've had the chance to attend two important events in Italian fashion: the Pitti Filati trade fair last Janaury in …
Italian Sketches
Teresa Mattei
Flower power
In France, violets and lily-of-the-valley are the flowers traditionally given to women to symbolise International Women's Day. After World War II, when Luigi Longo, the deputy secretary of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) wanted to start the same practice in Italy, …
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The English-speaking news magazine in Florence
Saturday, May 18, 2013