{"id":10255,"date":"2015-10-16T16:13:03","date_gmt":"2015-10-16T14:13:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=10255"},"modified":"2015-10-16T16:22:11","modified_gmt":"2015-10-16T14:22:11","slug":"somethings-afoot-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/somethings-afoot-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Something’s Afoot!"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently wrote a short dialogue about buying shoes in Italy called ‘In A Shoe Shop In Italy’<\/a><\/span><\/strong>, which somehow ended up becoming a series of short stories about Carmela and her Italian shoe obsession: Chapter 1<\/a><\/strong><\/span> ,\u00a0Chapter 2<\/a><\/span><\/strong>,\u00a0Chapter 3<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well folks, you too can now develop your own Italian footwear obsession with my handy list below.
\nLet\u2019s begin by looking at the range of calzature<\/strong> (footwear) that you might find in un negozio di calzature<\/strong> (a shoe shop)<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll start by dividing them according to heel height:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

scarpe senza tacco<\/strong> (flat shoes)
\nscarpe col tacco basso<\/strong> (shoes with low heels)
\nscarpe col tacco alto<\/strong> (high heels)
\nscarpe col tacco a spillo<\/strong> (stilettos)
\nzeppe o zatteroni<\/strong> (platform shoes)<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A Venezia, nel XVI secolo, un modello di calzatura chiamata \u201cChopina\u201d costringeva le donne ad arrampicarsi su zatteroni che giungevano in alcuni casi a sfiorare il mezzo metro di altezza.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Chopine<\/a>

Chopine veneziane del XVI secolo dal Museo Palazzo Mocenigo a Venezia<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Common types of footwear<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

le ballerine<\/strong> = ballerina shoes<\/p>\n

le decollet\u00e9<\/strong> = the classic woman\u2019s low cut shoes, normally with high heels<\/p>\n

i sandali<\/strong> = the sandals<\/p>\n

i sabot<\/strong> = mules, slip on shoes<\/p>\n

gli\/le infradito<\/strong> = (literally: in between the toes)<\/em> flip flops <\/u>
\n<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

gli stivaletti<\/strong> = smart ankle boots, for men and for women<\/p>\n

gli stivali<\/strong> = knee length boots<\/p>\n

\"stivali-louis-vuitton\"<\/a>

gli stivali ridicoli!<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

gli stivali di gomma<\/strong> = Wellington\/rubber boots<\/p>\n

i\u00a0 mocassini<\/strong> = loafers, moccasins<\/p>\n

gli scarponi<\/strong> = walking boots, heavy duty ankle boots<\/p>\n

le sneakers<\/strong> = sneakers, of course! When I was a child they were called le scarpe da tennis<\/strong> (tennis shoes)<\/p>\n

le trainers<\/strong> = trainers, once upon a time they were called\u00a0le scarpe da ginnastica<\/strong> = sport shoes<\/p>\n

gli zoccoli<\/strong> = clogs<\/p>\n

le pantofole<\/strong>, or le ciabatte<\/strong> = slippers<\/p>\n

\"Pattine<\/a>

Pattine per il tuo cane!<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

le pattine<\/strong> = (literally = little skaters)<\/em> completely flat slippers with soft soles made out of a wool type fabric. These were very popular in the past when housewives used to wax the floor tiles. As you couldn\u2019t walk normally with them, you literally had to \u2018skate\u2019. This meant that you polished the floor as you moved around the house. However, le pattine<\/strong> were the cause of many nasty household accidents!
\nI still remember going to my grandmother\u2019s apartment, and as we walked through the door, there was a row of pattine<\/strong> awaiting for us. We had to remove our shoes and\u00a0put the pattine<\/strong> on.\u00a0 My brothers loved them because they used to take a few quick steps and then slide down along the corridor hitting the end wall or any piece of furniture they found on their way, to the great despair of our grandmother.<\/p>\n

N.B<\/strong>.<\/strong> ice skates are called i pattini da ghiaccio<\/strong><\/em>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Shoe related vocabulary:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

il calzascarpe<\/strong> = the shoehorn<\/p>\n

il calzolaio<\/strong> = the cobbler<\/p>\n

la soletta<\/strong> = the insole<\/p>\n

il plantare anatomico<\/strong> = the orthopaedic support, arch support<\/p>\n

la scarpiera<\/strong> = the shoe rack<\/p>\n

Words and expressions that derive from footwear:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

un pantofolaio<\/strong> = a couch potato<\/p>\n

la scarpata<\/strong> = the scarp, escarpment<\/p>\n

scarpinare <\/strong>= to traipse<\/p>\n

una scarpinata<\/strong> = a long, hard walk in the mountains<\/p>\n

la ciabatta<\/strong> = a type of low and shapeless bread, which rather resembles an old worn out slipper. It\u2019s also a common name for an electrical\u00a0plug board.<\/p>\n

la scarpaccia<\/strong> = (literally: ugly old shoe)<\/em> a sweet tart made with young courgettes, typical of Viareggio (Toscana)<\/p>\n

fare le scarpe a qualcuno<\/strong> = (literally: to make shoes for someone) <\/em>to pull the rug out from under someone\u2019s feet<\/p>\n

fare la scarpetta<\/strong> = (literally: to make a little shoe)<\/em>, a Roman\u00a0expression meaning\u00a0\u2018to mop up the sauce on your plate with some bread\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

I recently wrote a short dialogue about buying shoes in Italy called ‘In A Shoe Shop In Italy’, which somehow ended up becoming a series of short stories about Carmela and her Italian shoe obsession: Chapter 1 ,\u00a0Chapter 2,\u00a0Chapter 3 Well folks, you too can now develop your own Italian footwear obsession with my handy…<\/p>\n

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