{"id":14552,"date":"2017-07-26T17:59:38","date_gmt":"2017-07-26T15:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=14552"},"modified":"2017-07-26T17:59:38","modified_gmt":"2017-07-26T15:59:38","slug":"italian-animalistic-expressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/italian-animalistic-expressions\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Animalistic Expressions"},"content":{"rendered":"

It all started a couple of weeks ago when we were walking through the beautiful Tudor Kentwell Hall in Suffolk. From out of nowhere, un pavone<\/strong> (a peacock) graciously strolled into the deserted courtyard. It was like being taken back in time to a magical fairytale kingdom. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo by Geoff<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

As the peacock moved around, proudly dragging his splendid plumage behind him, I thought of the verb pavoneggiarsi<\/strong> (to strut like a peacock). This lead me to thinking of the many other Italian verbs that are based on animal-like qualities. Here are some common ones:<\/p>\n

Animal: pavone<\/strong> = peacock<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: pavoneggiarsi<\/strong> =to strut, to swagger
\nExample: la piccola damigella si \u00e8 pavoneggiata per tutta la cerimonia nel suo vestito nuovo<\/strong> = the little bridesmaid strutted around in her new dress for the whole ceremony<\/p>\n

Animal: cane<\/strong> = dog<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: accanirsi<\/strong> = to rage, to persist, to be dogged
\nExample:\u00a0il nemico si \u00e8 accanito contro la citt\u00e0 distruggendola<\/strong> = the enemy raged against the town destroying it
\nMario<\/strong> si accanisce a coltivare le carote in quel terreno sassono<\/strong> = Mario doggedly persists in cultivating carrots on that stony land
\nNoun: accanimento<\/strong> = doggedness, tenaciousness
\nL’esercito si \u00e8 difeso con accanimento<\/strong> = The army tenaciously defended itself<\/p>\n

Animal: gatto<\/strong> = cat<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: sgattaiolare<\/strong> = to slink, to sneak
\nExample: il ladro \u00e8 riuscito a sgattaiolare via da una finestra<\/strong> = the thief managed to sneak away through a window<\/p>\n

Animal: pollo<\/strong> = chicken<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: appollaiarsi<\/strong> = to perch
\nExample: Mario si \u00e8 appollaiato sullo sgabello del bar<\/strong> = Mario perched himself on the bar stool<\/p>\n

Animal: scimmia<\/strong> = monkey<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: scimmiottare<\/strong> = to ape, to monkey, to mimic
\nExample: gli studenti sono stati sorpresi mentre scimmiottavano il maestro<\/strong> = the students were caught mimicking the teacher<\/p>\n

Animal: serpente<\/strong> = snake<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: serpeggiare<\/strong> = to wind, to meander, to snake
\nExample: il sentiero serpeggia fra gli alberi<\/strong> = the path winds through the trees<\/p>\n

Animal: cavallo<\/strong> = horse<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: accavallarsi<\/strong> = to pile up, to overlap
\nExample: le domande mi si accavallavano nella testa<\/strong> = questions were piling up in my head<\/p>\n

Animal: pulce<\/strong> = flea<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: spulciare<\/strong> = to comb through, to groom, to examine carefully
\nExample: la gatta sta spulciando i gattini<\/strong> = the cat is grooming the kittens
\nho spulciato tutto il catalogo ma non ho trovato quello che cercavo<\/strong> = I searched through the whole catalogue carefully but I couldn’t find what I was looking for<\/p>\n

Animal: formica<\/strong> = ant<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: formicolare<\/strong> = to swarm, to tingle
\nExample: la folla formicolava per le strade<\/strong> = the crowd swarmed the streets
\nmi formicola la mano<\/strong> = my hand is tingling
\nNoun: formicolio<\/strong> = pins and needles
\n<\/strong>Example: ho un formicolio al piede <\/strong>= I’ve got pins and needles in my foot<\/p>\n

Animal: granchio<\/strong> = crab<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: sgranchirsi<\/strong> = to stretch oneself
\nExample: vado a fare due passi per sgranchirmi le gambe<\/strong> = I’m going for a stroll to stretch my legs
\nNoun: granchio<\/strong> (colloquial<\/em>)<\/span> = cramp
\nExample: m’ha preso un granchio alla gamba <\/strong>= I’ve got a cramp in my leg<\/p>\n

Animal: gufo<\/strong> = (long-eared) owl<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: gufare<\/strong> = to bring bad luck (contemporary jargon<\/em>)<\/span>
\nExample: Non invitate Mario alla partita di calcio, lui gufa sempre!<\/strong> = Don’t invite Mario to the football match, he always brings bad luck!<\/p>\n

Animal: civetta <\/strong>= little owl<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: civettare<\/strong> = to flirt (only for women<\/em>)<\/span>
\nExample: a Nella piace civettare coi ragazzi<\/strong> = Nella likes to flirt with the guys<\/p>\n

Animal: farfalla<\/strong> = butterfly<\/span>
\nDescriptive verb: sfarfallare<\/strong> = to flicker, to be fickle
\nExample: quella lampadina sta sfarfallando<\/strong> = that light bulb is flickering
\ngli italiani sfarfallano da un partito politico all’altro<\/strong> = Italians change from one political party to another one
\nNoun: sfarfallio\/sfarfallamento<\/strong> = flickering
\nExample: lo sfarfallio della lampada al neon mi disturba<\/strong> = the flickering of the neon light disturbs me<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

It all started a couple of weeks ago when we were walking through the beautiful Tudor Kentwell Hall in Suffolk. From out of nowhere, un pavone (a peacock) graciously strolled into the deserted courtyard. It was like being taken back in time to a magical fairytale kingdom. As the peacock moved around, proudly dragging his…<\/p>\n

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