Choosing the wrong word amongst those that sound very similar usually just causes amusement, but sometimes the wrong choice can be embarrassing, as Serena explains in her story below. But first let\u2019s have a look at the correct answers to our blog \u2018Choose the Right Word\u2019.<\/p>\n
1. La cena \u00e8 pronta. Puoi apparecchiare la tavola<\/font>, per piacere?<\/strong> = Dinner is ready. Can you set the table<\/u><\/font>, please?<\/font><\/p>\n 2. Ci sono molti yacht ancorati nel <\/font>porto<\/font> di Santa Margherita Ligure<\/strong> = There are many yachts anchored in the port<\/u><\/font> of Santa Margherita Ligure<\/font><\/p>\n 3. Stamattina c\u2019era una fila<\/font> lunghissima alla posta per pagare la bolletta dell\u2019acqua<\/strong> = This morning there was a very long queue<\/u> <\/font>at the post office to pay the water bill<\/font><\/p>\n 4. Ho sbattuto contro l\u2019armadio <\/font>e adesso ho un bel bernoccolo sulla fronte<\/font><\/strong> = I bumped into the wardrobe and now I\u2019ve got a nice bump on my forehead<\/u><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n 5. Le persone nei ritratti di Modigliani hanno tutte un collo<\/font> molto lungo e sottile<\/strong> = All the people in Modigliani\u2019s portraits have got a very long, thin neck<\/font><\/u><\/font><\/p>\n 6. Si \u00e8 rotta una gamba<\/font> del letto<\/strong> = one of the legs<\/u><\/font> of the bed has broken<\/font><\/p>\n 7. L\u2019estate scorsa il melo<\/font> non ha fatto neanche una mela<\/font><\/strong> = Last summer the apple tree<\/u><\/font> didn\u2019t produced a single apple<\/u><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n 8. Questa stanza ha cos\u00ec tante finestre che sembra di essere in una serra<\/font><\/strong> = This room has so many windows that it feels like you\u2019re in a green house<\/font><\/u><\/font><\/p>\n 9. Fa molto freddo, sar\u00e0 meglio che mi metta il cappello<\/font><\/strong> = It\u2019s very cold, I\u2019ll better wear my hat<\/font><\/u><\/font><\/p>\n 10. San Pietroburgo \u00e8 famosa per le notti <\/font>bianche<\/strong> = Saint Petersburg is famous for its white nights<\/font><\/u><\/font><\/p>\n Amongst the many similar sounding words that can cause embarrassment are the following two: score<\/font>ggiare<\/strong> (to fart) and scora<\/font>ggiare<\/strong> (to discourage). Here\u2019s an amusing little tale from Serena with my translation that might help you remember to be careful when using these two words.<\/p>\n La Poltrona Scoreggiante<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n Quando eravamo bambini mio padre aveva portato a casa dal suo ufficio una poltrona. Era una poltrona girevole in finta pelle di quelle molto imponenti, che noi chiamavamo \u201cla poltrona presidenziale\u201d. Questa poltrona aveva per\u00f2 un piccolo difetto: scoreggiava! Ci doveva essere dell\u2019aria intrappolata nel cuscino, e quando ci si sedeva mandava un suono poco elegante. Noi bambini la adoravamo proprio per questo, e i miei fratelli ci componevano intere sinfonie, ma il nostro divertimento maggiore era quando avevamo ospiti. <\/strong><\/p>\n Col tacito consenso dei nostri genitori, l\u2019avevamo posizionata in bella vista, proprio vicino alla porta d\u2019ingresso, cos\u00ec quando un nuovo ospite entrava in casa non poteva non notarla, e nessuno riusciva a resistere alla tentazione di sedervisi. Immaginate quattro ragazzini ridacchianti, che circondavano il nuovo ospite mentre mia madre lo invitava ad accomodarsi aspettando con malcelata ansia il momento fatidico, per poi scoppiare in isteriche risate, mentre l\u2019incauto ospite diventava rosso come un peperone!<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Farting Armchair<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n When we were children my father brought home an armchair from his office. It was a very imposing revolving armchair covered in fake leather, and we called it \u201cthe presidential armchair\u201d. This armchair had, however, a small defect: it farted! There must have been some air trapped in the cushion, and when you sat on it it made a not very elegant sound. We children loved it exactly for that reason, and my brothers composed entire symphonies on it, but our main entertainment came when we had guests.<\/p>\n With the unspoken consent of our parents we had positioned it in clear sight right next to the entrance door, so that when a new guest came into the house they couldn\u2019t help but notice it, and no one could resist the temptation to sit in it. Imagine four giggling children standing around the new guest, whilst my mother invited them<\/font> to make themselves comfortable, awaiting with undisguised anticipation the fateful moment, to then explode in hysterical laughter, whilst the unwary guest turned as red as a pepper!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So remember:<\/p>\n scora<\/font><\/u>ggiare<\/strong> (to discourage)<\/p>\n score<\/u><\/font>ggiare<\/strong> (to fart)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Choosing the wrong word amongst those that sound very similar usually just causes amusement, but sometimes the wrong choice can be embarrassing, as Serena explains in her story below. But first let\u2019s have a look at the correct answers to our blog \u2018Choose the Right Word\u2019. 1. La cena \u00e8 pronta. Puoi apparecchiare la tavola…<\/p>\n