Archive by Author
Una Veduta dalla mia Finestra Posted by Serena on Feb 7, 2010
When we learn a foreign language, we tend to concentrate primarily on the prosaic, rather than the poetic, and hence we become pretty good at using the utilitarian language that helps us to achieve practical everyday tasks, such as shopping or asking for information. However, when it comes to describing things, or events in a more…
Avvertimenti – Part 2 Posted by Serena on Feb 4, 2010
In my previous blog we had a look at a few of the warning signs that you might encounter when visiting Italy. Today I’m going to continue with the same theme by giving you some useful warning phrases and explain how to use them. Now it’s all very well being able to make sense of what a warning…
Avvertimenti Posted by Serena on Feb 1, 2010
When traveling in Italy, visitors are bombarded by a plethora of signs and warning notices, most of which will probably turn out to be irrelevant. Some of these signs are easy to understand because they are international, or pictographic, for example the word STOP written at a road junction will make sense to anyone who…
Smog Blog Posted by Serena on Jan 29, 2010
The word ‘smog’, as you can probably tell, is not an Italian creation, but we have certainly become experts at producing it! ‘Smog’ is an amalgam of two English words: smoke, and fog, and was originally coined to describe the appalling, asphyxiating conditions in London when the smoke from thousands of coal fires, and factory chimneys combined…
Colloquial Italian – 3: Proprio, Senz’altro, Volentieri Posted by Serena on Jan 26, 2010
In my ‘Colloquial Italian’ blogs (see: Colloquial Italian – 1 and Colloquial Italian -2) I choose words that we Italians use all the time in everyday speech, but which are often overlooked in language classes and text books. Here then are another three words that you will hear a lot in Italy, and which, if you learn to…
Cantanti Italiani Contemporanei – Teresa De Sio Posted by Serena on Jan 23, 2010
Teresa De Sio is an outstanding cantautrice (singer-songwriter) firmly rooted in the Italian folk tradition. Her distinctive powerful and passionate voice, which combines typical Neapolitan folk tonality with refined contemporary overtones, is instantly recognizable. Born in Napoli on the third of November 1955, De Sio initially contemplated becoming an actress, the chosen career of her…
Numeri Ordinali Posted by Serena on Jan 20, 2010
Numeri ordinali (ordinal numbers) indicate, as the name suggests, order, succession, or classification. These numbers are regular adjectives, and therefore change gender and pluralize depending on the noun to which they refer. The following list shows the ordinal numbers in their masculine singular form: primo – first secondo – second terzo – third quarto – fourth quinto – fifth sesto –…