Heather Broster
What do you reach for when you need to blow your nose? An old-fashioned handkerchief or a disposable tissue? Regardless of your choice, you’ll find solace in knowing that the Italian word for both of these items is the same: fazzoletto. fazzoletto handkerchief / tissue Fazzoletto is the diminutive of the archaic term fazzolo, a …
Zizzania, commonly referred to as darnel, poison darnel, darnel ryegrass, or cockle in English, is an herbaceous weed similar to wheat found in cultivated fields. It adversely affects the plants in the surrounding soil, causing damage to agricultural crops. Thus, the expression seminare zizzania literally translates to “sowing darnel.” seminare zizzania to sow discord This …
Lullabies are a universal part of our upbringing, transcending cultural backgrounds. These comforting tunes serve as gentle reminders of our early years, and we find joy in passing them down through generations. In this article, we introduce nine widely recognised Italian lullabies. They are sure to evoke cherished memories of your own childhood or your …
One of the most useful travel phrases you can learn in preparation for a trip to Italy is Come si dice…? which means How do you say…? Come si dice…? How do you say…? If, in English, you want to speak about people in general rather than a specific individual, there are many options: In …
Scaramanzia is a particular subset of superstizione (superstition) aimed at averting perceived negative influences associated with people, places, and objects through the use of phrases such as magic spells, gestures, and items like amulets and lucky charms. While these practices vary across cultures and time periods, they are prevalent worldwide, and Italy is no exception. …
The word for the bark that covers a tree is corteccia. The word originates from the Latin corticĕa, the feminine form of the adjective corticĕus, derived from cortex -tĭcis, meaning bark. corteccia bark Here are the definite and indefinite articles you should use with this feminine noun. Note that in its plural form, cortecce, the …