Students of the Italian language often complain that us Italians have far too many different words that say the same thing. So, in order to prove that this is not always the case, a little challenge for you: Il riccio, che cos’e’? (What is a riccio?).
Well a riccio can be four different things! Below I will give you some clues as to what these four things are, the clues are in Italian, yes it’s time to do some work!
1. Il primo si trova sulla testa di chi non ha i capelli lisci, assomiglia a una molla.
2. Il secondo ha quattro zampe e il muso appuntito. Gli piace mangiare insetti e lumache, si trasforma in una palla per difendersi.
3. Il terzo protegge il frutto di un albero e fa molto male a toccarlo. Il frutto si mangia soprattutto arrostito, bollito, o come farina.
4. Il quarto si trova nel mare, spesso attaccato agli scogli. E’ rotondo e non e’ affatto piacevole calpestarlo.
So, what is a riccio? Have a go at answering the four definitions and write your answers in the comments box below. Of course if you’re really stuck you can always resort to the dictionary. I’ll give the correct answers as well as the translations of the clues later in the week.
Buona fortuna!
Comments:
Brooke:
1. curly hair
2. hedgehog
3.
4. sea urchin (I know this one well as I had an incident with one and pronto soccorso!)
Joan aka Giovanna:
Puo scivere qualcosa nel transitive and intransitive verbi. Non posso capire quando usare avere o essere? grazie
Julia Shields:
riccio
1. ringlet
2. hedgehog
3. chestnut husk
4. sea urchin
Nathan:
1. Curly hair
2. Hedgehog
3. Some fruit you eat roasted or boiled???
4. Sand Dollar
bill rohwer:
1. Curly hair
2. Hedgehog
3. Chestnut protector???
4. Sea Urchin
Even though I looked up riccio in the dizionario only three days ago, couldn’t remember number three.
natasha:
1. curl
2. hedgehog
3. chestnut shell
4. sea urchin
Joan Engelhaupt:
1. A spike or cowlick
2. A possum
3. Cactus thorns
4. A sea urchin
Gerard:
1 Curly hair
2 Porcupine
3 Prickly pear (cactus)
4 Oysters
Serena:
@Gerard Salve, Gerard, wow, this is a really old blog, I had to check it out myself to remember what it was about. Anyway, good try 🙂
The correct answers are:
1. curly hair
2. a hedgehog
3. the spiny case of a chestnut
4. a sea urchin
A prickly pear is called fico di India (Indian fig), and oysters are ostriche in Italian
A presto, Serena
Gerard:
this is a very good site and most helpful
Jim Hoose:
Please note it’s “we Italians” I love your blog. I was stationed in Northern Italy (TN) for three years and learned to speak enough Italian to get by. That was over 40 years ago and it’s still rattling around in my head somewhere.
Serena:
@Jim Hoose Salve Jim, grazie per i complimenti e benvenuto nel nostro blog
Saluti da Serena
Stefano Leone:
Sea Urchin
Geoff:
@Stefano Leone Meglio tardi che mai! 😉