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Aspettando il Natale Posted by Serena on Dec 7, 2011
“Ancora una volta il Natale si avvicina fra luci, suoni, colori e tanta speranza che le cose possano andare meglio”. (“Once again Christmas is getting close with its lights, sounds, colours and a lot of hope that things may get better”.) This is the opening phrase in the booklet that I picked up yesterday in…
Che Casino! Posted by Serena on Dec 5, 2011
1. casino (con l’accento sulla ‘o’), luogo dove si gioca d’azzardo. 1. casino (with the accent on the ‘o’), a place where one gambles. 2. casino (con l’accento sulla ‘i’), bordello. 2. casino (with the accent on the ‘i’ ), brothel 3. casino (con l’accento sulla ‘i’), confusione, chiasso, caos, molto 3. casino (with the…
Dicembre Posted by Serena on Dec 2, 2011
Nome (Name): The month of dicembre (December) takes its name from the Latin word decem (ten) because it was the tenth month in the Roman calendar. Festività (Festivals): On the 8th of December we celebrate l’Immacolata Concezione (the Immaculate Conception), which commemorates the belief that the Virgin Mary was conceived free from the taint of…
La Breccia di Porta Pia Posted by Serena on Nov 30, 2011
Porta Pia is the name of the famous gateway designed by Michelangelo as an entrance through the Aurelian walls which once delimited the Stato Pontificio (Papal State). Ordered by Pope Pio IV as a replacement for the ancient Roman Porta Nomentana, Porta Pia was constructed between 1561 and 1565. Apparently Michelangelo presented three different designs…
Compriamo una Casa Posted by Serena on Nov 27, 2011
In my last blog we looked at the language we use when describing our homes. Today we’ll look at the jargon that you have to face if you want to buy a house here in Italy. Here are a few examples taken from un’agenzia immobiliare (an estate agency) in my local town, Pontremoli. 1. Un…
Descriviamo la Nostra Casa Posted by Serena on Nov 25, 2011
The most common form of housing in modern Italy is un appartamento in un palazzo (an apartment in a a condominium or block of flats). I miei genitori, per esempio, abitano in un appartamento al quarto piano di un condominio (My parents, for example, live in an apartment on the fourth floor of a condominium…
Il Testamento di un Albero Posted by Serena on Nov 22, 2011
Il Testamento di un Albero (The Final Testament of a Tree) is a powerful poem by the Roman poet Trilussa whose real name was Carlo Alberto Salustri (1871 – 1950). The nom de plume Trilussa is actually an anagram of Salustri’s real name. Trilussa, who’s father died when he was only three years old, lived…