Heather Broster
The Italian expression Tanta roba! began as a slang phrase used among the younger generations but has now spread to the lingo of all Italians, both young and young-at-heart. I’ve even heard my suocera (mother-in-law) say it every now and then, and she’s 82! tanta roba Tanta is the feminine form of tanto, meaning many …
Ci è mancato poco is a common Italian expression used to indicate that an event, often negative, was narrowly avoided. It corresponds perfectly to the English idiom “a close one” or “a close call”. Ci è mancato poco! That was a close one! Let’s break it down into its component parts: Let’s start with the …
Whilst touring Montepulciano, one of our guides recounted the story of how, in 2016, a man had entered La Chiesa di San Biagio and after broking the protective glass in front of the fresco depicting the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, stole her crowns. Unfortunately, the thief was never apprehended, nor were the crowns ever …
Since I began learning languages over 20 years ago, one thing that has always struck me is how often different languages have idioms or proverbs that convey the same idea, yet express it in completely different ways. A good example is today’s proverb, Il mattino ha l’oro in bocca, which roughly corresponds to the English …
When I’m not working in front of the computer or working out at the leisure centre, I take great pleasure in tending to our local community allotment. Every year we plant different kinds of verdure (vegetables) to share with our community fridge – though admittedly some years have been more successful than others! On occasion …
Today’s idiomatic expression has a direct equivalent in English, yet, as we’re about to see, the two expressions couldn’t be more different in imagery. In English, when we attempt something beyond our true abilities without considering the possible consequences, we’re often warned not to “bite off more than we can chew.“ Italian offers an expression …