FLORENTINISMS
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, …
In Other Words
Saturday above ground
Annual unpaid taxes in Italy equal 275 billion euro a year, which roughly amounts to the size of Portugal's entire economy. But if you want to know what Italians are doing with the money they scrape off the top of the …Florentinisms
Ficoso, Gnegnero, Pottone/potta, Pippolo, Fare puzzo (per qualcosa)
your in-progress dictionary of the florentine dialect
Ficoso: Squeamish.
Example: "Che la smetti di fare i' ficoso!? Mangia dai!" (Quit being squeamish and eat already!)
Gnègnero: Good sense.
Example: "Le' l'ora che tu metta un pò di gnegnero in codesta testaccia!" (It's high time you got some sense in that head …
Italian Sketches
Raoul Gardini
Death of a dream
Just after 8 o'clock on the morning of July 23, 1993,
an ambulance was called to the elegant eighteenth-century Palazzo Belgioioso,
just behind the Scala Opera House in Milan.
A man had shot himself in the head. That man was Raoul Gardini, the charismatic
entrepreneur …
Il Fatto Bello
Good night, sweetheart
Il fatto bello della settimana. Moments from everyday Italy
Christmas trees come with roots in Italy, and
mine, by some miracle of the Evergreen, is still alive on the balcony and
sprouting new buds despite the merciless winds of winter. This discovery of
unexpected spring in February is my fatto bello della settimana …
Florentinisms
Gasato, Doddo o doddolone, Becco, Aire
Your in-progress dictionary of the Florentine dialect
Gasato: Stuck up or snobby person.
Example: E lè gasato di nulla!! Crede
d'essere i' più ganzo con quella macchina!
(He is such a snob! He thinks
he's the coolest with that car!)
Doddo o doddolone: Stupid or gullible person (sucker). Almost on par
with a bischero!
Example: …
Italian Sketches
Carlo Bugatti
Ivory and ebony
The name Bugatti conjures up
images of Gatsby-type roadsters of the 1930s. Indeed, these magnificent cars
were designed and built by Ettore Bugatti, one of Carlo Bugatti's two immensely
talented sons. But their father was also a design genius. In fact, at the end
of …
Il Fatto Bello
The man who knows the meanings
Il fatto bello della settimana. Moments from everyday Italy
If I had an analyst, she would
probably tell me that my very first visit to what Italians call il
commercialista has something to do with turning 37 and the need to become a
more responsible citizen. Luckily, I don't have an analyst. People …
Florentinisms
Buzza, Calosce/Galosce/Sciantilli', Lecca, Scoppio
Your in-progress dictionary of the florentine dialect
Buzza: Belly. A buzzone is a person with a huge belly.
Example: E gliè' venuto una
buzza di nulla! (Wow,
he's gotten a huge belly!)
Va'
iaa buzzone! Mangia meno! (Woah there, big guy! You should eat less!)
Calosce/Galosce/Sciantillì: Rubber galoshes (which have come back in style
lately).
Example: …
Italian Sketches
Maria Jose' of Savoy
The May queen
At the end of World War II, Italians were asked to decide whether they wanted to retain their monarchy or to become a republic. Women, for the first time, also voted in the plebiscite. In the referendum held on June 2 …
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Wednesday, June 19, 2013