Essere ridotto al lumicino
During the fifteenth century, the Oratory of the Buonomini, located in the church of San Martino, was founded as a charity for poveri vergognosi, members of the nobility who had fallen on hard times but were too ashamed to ask for help. The Buonomini was adept at collecting money to distribute to these chic down-and-out, but whenever a small candle (lumicino) was lit and placed in the front window it meant the money had run out and they were in need of fresh donations. The expression essere ridotto al lumicino (literally, ‘being reduced to the candle’) then made its way into the Florentine lexicon, where it now denotes being broke but also physically and mentally exhausted.
E llè un lavoro di nulla!
Expression used to indicate a complicated, problematic situation.
Example: ‘Siee! Guarda che traffico c’è!! E llè un lavoro di nulla! S’arriverà a casa alle nove!’ (Sure! Look how much traffic there is!! It’s a mess! We won’t get home until nine!)
Smencio
Limp, squashy.
Example: ‘Senti nini, questo dorce llè tutto smencio! A me un mi piace!’ (Listen, little one, this dessert is all squashy! I don’t like it.)
