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Giorni e giornate

Giorni e giornate

L'altro giorno, Rowena (di lingua madre inglese-americano) mi ha chiesto la differenza tra "giorno" e "giornata". Ci ho dovuto pensare un po'... Il problema e' che usiamo la nostra lingua, anche in modo corretto, senza preoccuparci della esatta semantica, sintassi e grammatica. Semplicemente queste regole sono ormai acquisite, e influenzano anche il nostro modo di pensare. Per questo, pur sapendo usare in modo giusto le due parole, mi e' difficile spiegarne i dettagli dei significati.
Questo problema credo che sia lo scoglio piu' difficile da superare quando si impara una lingua straniera, volendola usare fluentemente.
Ad esempio, tempo fa, mi e' capitato di cercare una appropriata traduzione in italiano dell'aggettivo "pretty" (applicato in quel caso al sostantivo "girl"). Certo e' facile trovare una parola che non snaturi il significato, ma non sono riuscito a trovarne una che esprima esattamente la stessa sfumatura.
"Bella" ha piu' un significato in un contesto di estetica oggettiva. E' piu' la traduzione di "beautiful".
"Carina" valuta anche il carattere. Lo tradurrei quindi con "nice".
"Graziosa" e' l'aggettivo che, mi pare, si avvicina di piu'. Ma, in italiano, mi fa pensare alla virtu' religiosa della Grazia, anche se si adatta meglio al frivolo "pretty" piuttosto che al solenne "graceful". "Graziosa", pero', non essendo una parola di uso comune come "pretty", da' alla frase (ad esempio "Quella ragazza e' davvero graziosa") un gusto un po' ricercato, che nella versione inglese ("That girl is really pretty") non compare.

Tornando alla domanda di Rowena, "giorno" e' il periodo di tempo di 24 ore, inteso come divisione del tempo in periodi della stessa durata. Un esempio e' "devi mangiare questo yogurt una volta al giorno per almeno quindici giorni" (significa che ho tanti giorni che considero tutti uguali, ed in ognuno di essi devo compiere la stessa azione di mangiare lo yogurt). "Giornata" invece e' il periodo di tempo di un giorno, dall'alba al tramonto, considerato nella sua durata. Ad esempio "la freschezza di questo deodorante si mantiene per tutta la giornata" (significa che considero il trascorrere del tempo nel periodo di un giorno, ed in ogni istante di quel periodo la freschezza del deodorante e' mantenuta). La distinzione dei significati non e' cosi' rigorosa, infatti in quest'ultimo esempio possiamo sostituire "tutta la giornata" con "tutto il giorno" e chiunque capirebbe, ma, come al solito, semplificando un linguaggio se ne perdono le sfumature di significato.
Ho trovato altri casi in cui la desinenza "-ata" trasforma una parola in un'altra in modo simile. Ad esempio "mattino" e "mattinata", "sera" e "serata", "notte" e "nottata", "anno" e "annata". Ci sono anche parole che non si riferiscono propriamente ad un periodo di tempo, come "spaghetti" e "spaghettata", che e' il trascorrere del tempo tra amici in una festa estemporanea in cui si mangiano gli spaghetti. Allo stesso modo si puo' trasformare la parola "griglia" nella parola "grigliata". Mi viene infine un ultimo esempio: "forchetta" e "forchettata"; quest'ultima parola si riferisce ad un boccone di cibo che viene portato alla bocca tramite una forchetta visto appunto nel momento in cui questa azione viene compiuta.
Smetto di ricercare analogie in altre parole, perche' credo che ce ne siano un'infinita'.
Un'ultima cosa che vale la pena di aggiungere e' che, come saluto, si puo' usare pressoche' indifferentemente l'espressione "buon giorno" oppure "buona giornata". Per essere precisi, pero', il significato di "buon giorno" e' "spero che oggi sia buono per te". "Buona giornata" sa piu' di "spero che oggi tu trascorra del buon tempo".

Ora cerchero' di tradurre questo post in inglese, sapendo che purtroppo non riusciro' ad esprimere tutte le sfumature di significato che credo di aver espresso nella versione italiana.

I'll try now to translate this post in English, knowing that unfortunately i won't express all the tones of meaning that i think i have given in the Italian version.

Few days ago, Rowena (American-English mothertongue) asked me the difference between "giorno" and "giornata". I had to think a few about it... The problem is that we correctly use our language without thinking about the exact semantic, syntax and grammar. Simply those rules are already INTO us, and they influence also our way of thinking. For this reason, even knowing how to use the two words in the right way, it's difficult to me to explain the details of their meanings.
I think that this problem is the most difficul obstacle to pass when one learns to fluently use a language.
For example, one day I had to find an appropriate translation in Italian of the adjective "pretty" (in that case applied to the noun "girl"). It's easy to find an Italian word that doesn't alter the meaning, but i couldn't find one that expresses exactly the same touch.
"Bella" is more used in a context of objective aesthetics. It's the appropriate translation of "beautiful".
"Carina" evalutates also the character. I would translate it with "nice".
"Graziosa" is the adjective that, i think, approaches better. But, in Italian, "graziosa" makes me think to the religious virtue of Grace, even if it applies to the frivolous "pretty" better than the solemn "graceful". "Graziosa", however, since it is not a commonly used word as much as "pretty" is, gives to the sentence (for example "Quella ragazza e' davvero graziosa") a taste a little refinement, which in the English version ("That girl is really pretty") does not comes out.

Back to Rowena's question, "giorno" is a 24 hour period of time, considered as the partition of the time in same duration periods. One example can be "devi mangiare questo yogurt una volta al giorno per almeno quindici giorni" ("You have to eat this yogurt once a day for atleast 15 days") (it means that i have several days (giorni) which i consider all the same, and in each of them i must do the same action of eating the yogurt). "Giornata" instead is the period of time of one day (giorno), from sunrise to sunset, considered in its duration. For example "la freschezza di questo deodorante si mantiene per tutta la giornata" ("the freshness of this deodorant is kept for the entire day") (it means that i consider the spending of the time in the period of one day, and in each moment of that period the freshness of the deodorant is kept). The difference between the two menaings is not so sharp, infact in this last example we can replace "tutta la giornata" with "tutto il giorno" and everybody would understand anyway, but, as it always happens, simplifying, a language looses the taste of meaning.
I found other cases in which the termination "-ata" transforms a word to another in a similar way. For example "mattino" and "mattinata" (morning), "sera" and "serata" (evening), "notte" and "nottata" (night), "anno" and "annata" (year). There are words that are not properly related to a period of time, like "spaghetti" and "spaghettata", which is the time spent with friends in an improvised party in which spaghetti are eaten. In the same way one can transform the word "griglia" (barbecue) to the word "grigliata". I can think as last example: "forchetta" (fork) and "forchettata"; This last word means a bite of food that is taken to the mouth with a fork, considered precisely in the moment in which that action is done.
Now I stop looking for similarities in other words, because i think there is a ton.
A last thing that is worth to add is that, as a greeting, one can use in the same way the expression "buon giorno" or "buona giornata". To be exact, however, the meaning of "buon giorno" is "i hope today will be good for you". "buona giornata" tastes more like "i hope today you will have a good time".

Escape

Escape

W's on First? /3

W's on First? /3

Ho trovato questa variazione in rete. Pare che sia comparsa per la prima volta su Internet nell'ottobre 2003. Non ne conosco l'autore.

Dealer: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
Customer: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den, and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
Dealer: Mac?
Customer: No, the name's Lou.
Dealer: Your computer?
Customer: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
Dealer: Mac?
Customer: I told you, my name's Lou.
Dealer: What about Windows?
Customer: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
Dealer: Do you want a computer with windows?
Customer: I don't know. What will I see when I look in the windows?
Dealer: Wallpaper.
Customer: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
Dealer: Software for windows?
Customer: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What have you got?
Dealer: Office.
Customer: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
Dealer: I just did.
Customer: You just did what?
Dealer: Recommend something.
Customer: You recommended something?
Dealer: Yes.
Customer: For my office?
Dealer: Yes.
Customer: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
Dealer: Office.
Customer: Yes, for my office!
Dealer: I recommend Office with Windows.
Customer: I already have an office and it has windows! OK, lets just say, I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
Dealer: Word.
Customer: What word?
Dealer: Word in Office.
Customer: The only word in office is office.
Dealer: The Word in Office for Windows.
Customer: Which word in office for windows?
Dealer: The Word you get when you click the blue "W."
Customer: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet?
Dealer: Yes, you want Real One.
Customer: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need!
Dealer: Real One.
Customer: If its a long movie I also want to see reel 2,3&4. Can I watch them?
Dealer: Of course.
Customer: Great, with what?
Dealer: Real One.
Customer: OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do?
Dealer: You click the blue "1."
Customer: I click the blue one what?
Dealer: The blue "1."
Customer: Is that different from the blue w?
Dealer: The blue 1 is Real One and the blue W is Word.
Customer: What word?
Dealer: The Word in Office for Windows.
Customer: But there's three words in "office for windows"!
Dealer: No, just one. but its the most popular Word in the world.
Customer: It is?
Dealer: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It pretty much wiped out all the other Words out there.
Customer: And that word is real one?
Dealer: Real One has nothing to do with Word. Real One isn't even part of Office.
Customer: Stop! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
Dealer: Money.
Customer: That's right. What do you have?
Dealer: Money.
Customer: I need money to track my money?
Dealer: It comes bundled with your computer.
Customer: What's bundled to my computer?
Dealer: Money.
Customer: Money comes with my computer?
Dealer: Yes. No extra charge.
Customer: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
Dealer: One copy.
Customer: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
Dealer: Microsoft gave us a license to copy money.
Customer: They can give you a license to copy money?
Dealer: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(later)
Customer: How do I turn my computer off??
Dealer: Click on "START"..........

Hu's on First? /2

Hu's on First? /2

Questa variazione al dialogo precedente, che ho ricevuto come foreward tempo fa, e' stata scritta dal comico James Sherman, appena dopo l'annuncio che il Partito Comunista Cinese aveva scelto il Vicepresidente Hu Jintao come suo nuovo segretario generale, poi pubblicata sul Washington Times, il 22 novembre 2002. Secondo me e' divertentissima, e oltretutto si prende gioco dell'"intelligenza" di Bush e della sua degna compare Condoleezza Rice. Il che mi diverte ancora di piu'.

(We take you now to the Oval Office where George W. is meeting with Condoleezza Rice)
George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The Chinaman!
Condi: Hu is leading China.
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you Hu is leading China.
George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China?
Condi: That's the man's name.
George: That's who's name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yasser? Yasser Arafat is in China? I thought he was in the Middle East.
Condi: That's correct.
George: Then who is in China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yasser is in China?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yasser?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China. Get me the secretary-general of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don't want Kofi.
George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. And then get me the U.N.
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Not Yasser! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N.?
Condi: Hu is the guy in China.
George: Will you stay out of China?!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.
(Condi picks up the phone)
Condi: Rice, here.
George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we should send some to the guy in China. And the Middle East. Can you get Chinese food in the Middle East?

Who's on First? /1

Who's on First? /1

Who's on First e' un divertissement popolare che risale ai primi anni '30. E' stato poi reso famoso dalla coppia di comici Abbott e Costello, che ne hanno fatto il loro cavallo di battaglia.
E' una catena di infiniti giochi di parole e malintesi tra i due protagonisti, ed e' veramente divertente. Il pezzo e' stato ripreso in diverse occasioni. In particolare ricordo il riferimento ad esso nel film Rain Man
Purtroppo e' praticamente intraducibile in italiano. Per chi non capisce l'inglese, potrebbe essere un buon motivo per impararlo (eheheh).
Ma ecco qui la versione integrale:

Abbott: Alright, now whaddya want?
Costello: Now look, I'm the head of the sports department. I gotta know the baseball players' names. Do you know the guys' names?
Abbott: Oh sure.
Costello: So you go ahead and tell me some of their names.
Abbott: Well, I'll introduce you to the boys. You know sometimes nowadays they give ballplayers peculiar names.
Costello: You mean funny names.
Abbott: Nicknames, pet names, like Dizzy Dean -
Costello: His brother Daffy -
Abbott: Daffy Dean -
Costello: And their cousin!
Abbott: Who's that?
Costello: Goofy!
Abbott: Goofy, huh? Now let's see. We have on the bags - we have Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third.
Costello: That's what I wanna find out.
Abbott: I say Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third -
Costello: You know the fellows' names?
Abbott: Certainly!
Costello: Well then who's on first?
Abbott: Yes!
Costello: I mean the fellow's name!
Abbott: Who!
Costello: The guy on first!
Abbott: Who!
Costello: The first baseman!
Abbott: Who!
Costello: The guy playing first!
Abbott: Who is on first!
Costello: Now whaddya askin' me for?
Abbott: I'm telling you Who is on first.
Costello: Well, I'm asking YOU who's on first!
Abbott: That's the man's name.
Costello: That's who's name?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Well go ahead and tell me.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy on first.
Abbott: Who!
Costello: The first baseman.
Abbott: Who is on first!
Costello: Have you got a contract with the first baseman?
Abbott: Absolutely.
Costello: Who signs the contract?
Abbott: Well, naturally!
Costello: When you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?
Abbott: Every dollar. Why not? The man's entitled to it.
Costello: Who is?
Abbott: Yes. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.
Costello: Who's wife?
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: All I'm tryin' to find out is what's the guy's name on first base.
Abbott: Oh, no - wait a minute, don't switch 'em around. What is on second base.
Costello: I'm not askin' you who's on second.
Abbott: Who is on first.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott: He's on third - now we're not talkin' 'bout him.
Costello: Now, how did I get on third base?
Abbott: You mentioned his name!
Costello: If I mentioned the third baseman's name, who did I say is playing third?
Abbott: No - Who's playing first.
Costello: Never mind first - I wanna know what's the guy's name on third.
Abbott: No - What's on second.
Costello: I'm not askin' you who's on second.
Abbott: Who's on first.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott: He's on third.
Costello: Aaah! Would you please stay on third base and don't go off it?
Abbott: What was it you wanted?
Costello: Now who's playin' third base?
Abbott: Now why do you insist on putting Who on third base?
Costello: Why? Who am I putting over there?
Abbott: Yes. But we don't want him there.
Costello: What's the guy's name on third base?
Abbott: What belongs on second.
Costello: I'm not askin' you who's on second.
Abbott: Who's on first.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott & Costello: THIRD BASE!
Costello: You got an outfield?
Abbott: Oh yes!
Costello: The left fielder's name?
Abbott: Why.
Costello: I don't know, I just thought I'd ask you.
Abbott: Well, I just thought I'd tell you.
Costello: Alright, then tell me who's playin' left field.
Abbott: Who is playing fir-
Costello: STAY OUTTA THE INFIELD! I wanna know what's the left fielder's name.
Abbott: What's on second.
Costello: I'm not askin' you who's on second.
Abbott: Who's on first.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott & Costello: THIRD BASE!
Costello: The left fielder's name?
Abbott: Why.
Costello: Because!
Abbott: Oh, he's center field.
Costello: Look, you gotta pitcher on this team?
Abbott: Now wouldn't this be a fine team without a pitcher.
Costello: The pitcher's name.
Abbott: Tomorrow.
Costello: You don't wanna tell me today?
Abbott: I'm tellin' you now.
Costello: Then go ahead.
Abbott: Tomorrow.
Costello: What time?
Abbott: What time what?
Costello: What time tomorrow are you going to tell me who's pitching?
Abbott: Now listen. Who is not pitching. Who is on fir-
Costello: I'll break your arm if you say Who's on first. I wanna know what's the pitcher's name.
Abbott: What's on second.
Costello: I don't know.
Abbott & Costello: THIRD BASE!
Costello: You got a catcher?
Abbott: Oh, absolutely.
Costello: The catcher's name.
Abbott: Today.
Costello: Today. And Tomorrow's pitching.
Abbott: Now you've got it.
Costello: All we've got is a couple of days on the team.
Abbott: Well, I can't help that.
Costello: Well, I'm a catcher too.
Abbott: I know that.
Costello: Now suppose that I'm catching, Tomorrow's pitching on my team and their heavy hitter gets up.
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Tomorrow throws the ball. The batter bunts the ball. When he bunts the ball, me being a good catcher, I wanna throw the guy out at first base. So I pick up the ball and throw it to who?
Abbott: Now that's the first thing you've said right.
Costello: I don't even know what I'm talkin' about!
Abbott: Well, that's all you have to do.
Costello: Is to throw the ball to first base.
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Now who's got it?
Abbott: Naturally!
Costello: If I throw the ball to first base, somebody's gotta catch it. Now who caught it?
Abbott: Naturally!
Costello: Who caught it?
Abbott: Naturally.
Costello: Who?
Abbott: Naturally!
Costello: Naturally.
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: So I pick up the ball and I throw it to Naturally.
Abbott: NO, NO, NO! You throw the ball to first base and Who gets it?
Costello: Naturally.
Abbott: That's right. There we go.
Costello: So I pick up the ball and I throw it to Naturally.
Abbott: You don't!
Costello: I throw it to who?
Abbott: Naturally.
Costello: THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING!
Abbott: You're not saying it that way.
Costello: I said I throw the ball to Naturally.
Abbott: You don't - you throw the ball to Who?
Costello: Naturally!
Abbott: Well, say that!
Costello: THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING! I throw the ball to who?
Abbott: Naturally.
Costello: Ask me.
Abbott: You throw the ball to Who?
Costello: Naturally.
Abbott: That's it.
Costello: SAME AS YOU!! I throw the ball to first base and who gets it?
Abbott: Naturally!
Costello: Who has it?
Abbott: Naturally!
Costello: HE BETTER HAVE IT! I throw the ball to first base. Whoever it is grabs the ball, so the guy runs to second. Who picks up the ball and throws it to What, What throws it to I Don't Know, I Don't Know throws it back to Tomorrow - triple play.
Abbott: Yes.
Costello: Another guy gets up - it's a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don't know. He's on third and I don't give a darn!
Abbott: What was that?
Costello: I said I don't give a darn!
Abbott: Oh, that's our shortstop.

Digitale

Digitale

La parola "digitale" in italiano significa tre cose. Ecco le definizioni del dizionario Garzanti:
1 - agg. del dito, delle dita: impronte digitali.
2 - s. f. (bot.) genere di piante erbacee con foglie lanceolate e fiori rossi in grappolo; dalla digitale purpurea e dalla digitale lanata si estraggono sostanze usate per preparare farmaci ad azione cardiotonica, detti appunto digitalici (fam. Scrofulariacee) - Digitale purpurea, titolo di un poemetto (1897) di G. Pascoli.
3 - agg. attinente ai numeri, numerico; in particolare si dice di apparecchiature che trattano grandezze discrete (p. e. calcolatore digitale) o di metodi e tecniche che trasformano grandezze continue in grandezze discrete (p. e. registrazione digitale); si contrappone ad analogico - orologio digitale, tipo di orologio in cui l'ora e le altre funzioni, anziché essere indicate dalle lancette, si leggono direttamente in cifre.
Nel primo e nel secondo significato, la parola deriva dal latino digitum = "dito" (nel secondo caso si fa riferimento alla forma della foglia, simile a quella di un dito).
Nel terzo caso invece l'etimologia e' un po' piu' articolata. "Digitale" infatti deriva dall'inglese "digital", che si riferisce a "digit", che significa "cifra". La parola inglese "digit" a sua volta deriva ancora dal latino "digitum" (= "dito"), per analogia al fatto che per contare le cifre si possono usare le dita.
Trovo che l'evoluzione delle lingue sia affascinante.

the word "digitale", in Italian, means three different things. Here are the definitions from Garzanti dictionary:
1 - adj. of the finger(-s): impronte digitali (= "finger prints")
2 - feminine noun (botanic) genus of herbaceous plants with lanceolate leaves and red flowers in cluster; from digitale purpurea and digitale lanata are extracted substances in order to prepare drugs to cardiotonic action, so named digitalici (Scrofulariacee fam.) - Digitale purpurea, title of a little poem (1897) by G. Pascoli.
3 - adj. relating to the numbers, numerical; in particular used for equipment that deal discreet quantities (ex. calcolatore digitale (= "digital calculator")) or of methods and techniques that transform continuous quantities in discreet quantities (ex. registrazione digitale (= "digital recording")); opposite to analogico (= "analog") - orologio digitale (= "digital clock"), type of clock in which the hour and the other functions, rather than being indicated by hands, they are read directly in digits.
In the first and the second meaning, the word derives from the Latin digitum = "finger" (in the second case it refers to the shape of the leaf, similar to a finger).
In the third case, instead, the etymology is a little more articulate. "Digitale" in fact comes from the English "digital", which refer to "digit", in italian = "cifra". The English word "digit", itself, comes again from the latin "digitum" (= "finger"), for the fact that to count the digits one can use his fingers.
I find that the evolution of the language is fascinating.

Ferragosto

Ferragosto

Ieri era ferragosto. Non avrebbe dovuto fare maledettamente caldo?

Ciao

Ciao

Questo e' il mio primo vero messaggio.
Il layout del blog non e' dei migliori, mi rendo conto, ma sicuramente con il tempo trovero' il modo di renderlo un pochino piu' attraente.
Come avrete capito sono italiano, ma, visto che sono su un blog in inglese, usero' a volte anche quest'altra lingua.
Non so ancora quali saranno gli argomenti che trattero'. Probabilmente di volta in volta scrivero' quello che in quel momento mi passa per la testa. Spero di trovare il tempo per ricominciare a fare i miei schizzi a matita, e se ce ne sara' qualcuno che mi piacera' lo postero' qui. In effetti le mie intenzioni sono di continuare in qualche modo il mio precedente blog su Xanga. Se lo andrete a vedere non troverete granche'. In effetti sono pigro nel cominciare un nuovo messaggio, ed il piu' delle volte non ne ho il tempo. Inoltre mi viene difficile farlo se non c'e' qualcosa di cui veramente sento di dover parlare. Credo quindi che i miei messaggi qui non saranno molto frequenti.
Mi piacerebbe che questo blog fosse dedicato alla cultura ed alla lingua italiana. Ma mi rendo conto che questi argomenti richiedono impegno e tempo che non ho.
Ma vediamo se riesco a cominciare subito.

La parola italiana piu' utilizzata all'estero credo che sia Ciao.
Deriva da una parola in un antico dialetto del nord-est italiano: "S-ciao", che ha una radice comune alla parola italiana "schiavo". Quando due amici si incontravano, usavano infatti offrire se stessi totalmente, con una frase che significava piu' o meno "considerami tuo schiavo". Un po' ipocrita forse?

I think that the mostly used by strangers Italian word is Ciao.
It comes from a word in an ancient dialect from north-east of Italy: "S-ciao", that has a root common to the italian word "schiavo" [="slave"]. When two friends met, they used to offer totally themselves to the other, with a sentence that meant something like "consider me your slave". Maybe a little hypocritical?

New here...

New here...

Ok... this is my new address...
Hi, everybody.