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Lei or Lei, how to tell you from her … Posted by Serena on Sep 20, 2013
Recently, I wrote several posts about the formal personal pronoun “lei” (you singular). I also explained that the use of the capital letter for the formal pronoun is an artificial distinction created by some grammar books to make it ‘easier’ to recognise. In reality, Lei (you) written with a capital letter is uncommon, and only…
My Grandmother’s War Diary Posted by Serena on Sep 13, 2013
“7-1-43 Arrivo a Pesaro. Le bambine e mio padre stanno bene. Siamo vivi grazie a Dio! Il viaggio è finito!” (Arrival in Pesaro. The girls and my father are well. We are alive thank to God! The journey is over!) These words are taken from the very succinct diary that my grandmother kept during the…
Lei, Le or La?–The Solutions Posted by Serena on Sep 10, 2013
Here are the solutions to our quiz about Lei, Le and La which we published a few days ago. If you haven’t seen it yet you’ll find it here: 1. Buon giorno Dottor Bianchi, le avevo telefonato ieri mattina per fissare un appuntamento, si ricorda? (telefonare a qualcuno, indirect object) = Good morning Doctor Bianchi…
Lei, Le or La? A Little Quiz Posted by Serena on Sep 3, 2013
A few days ago I wrote a post about the use of the different forms of the formal personal pronoun: lei, le and la. Today I’m going to give you a few sentences that are missing the personal pronoun. All you have to do is fill the gaps with the correct form (click HERE if…
Non Potho Reposare Posted by Serena on Aug 30, 2013
Non Potho Reposare (I Cannot Rest) is the title of a famous Sardinian song. In 1915 Salvatore Sini (1873 – 1954), a Sardinian lawyer from Nuoro who enjoyed writing, composed a love poem entitled “A Diosa” (To the Goddess). Later, in 1921, Giuseppe Rachel, who was the conductor of the local band, composed a melody…
Lei, Le or La? Posted by Serena on Aug 27, 2013
This morning my husband Geoff had to write an e.mail to the dentist to make an appointment, and before sending it he asked me to check it for spelling and grammar mistakes. Well, I must say that it was well written, but had one recurrent mistake: the confusion between the various formal personal pronouns. Despite…
The Village Feast Posted by Serena on Aug 22, 2013
A long row of tables lines the cobbled village street, accommodating four generations of locals (and a few, such as me and Geoff, not so local) who have come together to share each other’s company, and traditional food efficiently served by a small army of kids. The karaoke, managed by an excellent semi professional female…