I’ve always enjoyed reading, but lately I’ve become lazy. I used to read for an hour or two every evening before going to bed, but these days I struggle to keep my eyelids apart for the duration of a single page. Ever had the experience of reading an entire paragraph and then realising that you haven’t got a clue what you just read? Sometimes you try to reread it two or three times before you completely succumb, and fall into the sweet arms of Morpheus, only to wake up half an hour later when your nose hits the book reposing between your dormant hands.

Well that’s why I ♥ didascalie (la didascalia = the caption fem. sing., le didascalie = the captions fem.plural)! Recently, for example, I borrowed a book called Durrell in Russia. Originally written in English, the copy that I’m reading has been translated into Italian. Now, I know that it’s a fascinating book, but those massive walls of text make my heart sink. I feel like an inexperienced climber gazing up at a sheer rock face. Fortunately for me, each page is adorned with inspiring photos complete with their own captions!

So my version of reading  Durrell in Russia is Durrell in Russia by Picture and Caption. Well, it’s better than nothing!

Okay, time to have a little fun with some didascalie. Here are four images beneath each of  which I’ve written captions in Italian with an English translation. These are followed by four more images without captions. Your task is to write simple captions in Italian for each of the images without captions. Are you ready? Andiamo!

Example 1. caption describing a photo Photo (CC) Dennis Jarvis

Sopra: Un ulivo secolare a pochi passi da uno dei templi Greci di Agrigento. Above: An olive tree, hundreds of years old, just a few steps away from one of the Greek temples at Agrigento.

Example 2. funny caption

THAT FU♦♣ING PIECE ……. I saw it scores of times when I didn’t need it.

Example 3. factual caption in a book Photo: (CC) by  Alessandro Prada

Sopra: In Italia l’Aquila Reale è presente su tutte le più importanti catene montuose (Alpi, Appennino, monti sardi e siciliani). Above: In Italy, the Golden Eagle inhabits all of the most important mountain chains (Alps, Apennines, Sardinian and Sicilian Mountains).

Example 4. caption giving specific information about the contents of an image Botticelli: La Nascita di Venere Public Domain

Sopra: a sinistra i Venti, al centro Venere sorgente dalla conchiglia, a destra l’ancella che accorre col manto fiorito. Above: on the left the Winds, in the centre Venus rising from her shell, on the right the maid rushing forward with the flowery mantle.

Now it’s your turn ….

Example 1. Caption describing a photo Photo (CC) by lju photo

Your caption in Italian ….

Example 2. funny caption Photo by Geoff

Your caption in Italian ….

Example 3. Factual caption in a book Photo of the Colosseum (CC) by Marg

Your caption in Italian ….

Example 4. Caption giving specific information about the contents of an image Caravaggio: Judith Beheading Holofernes Public Domain

Your caption in Italian ….

We’d ♥ to see your captions, please post them as a comment. Divertitevi!