![]() ![]() Italian is full of funny phrases that often have very different meanings from their literal translations. TalianoĪnother Sicilian phrase from the quintessential Andrea Camilleri, taliano often comes when Catarella mangles the Italian language.J20 Funny Italian Phrases to Spread Some Smiles (With Audio) It means ‘What appears to us to be an advantage, is often a nuisance and a pain’. This is another Sicilian phrase taken from Giovanni Meli book Favuli Morali( Moral Fables). Chi apparisci a nui vantaggiu, tanti voti è molestia o disaggiu ![]() It means a ‘ quack’, a ‘nobody’ or a ‘blabbermouth’! 11. QuaquaraquaĪ word that has cropped up in many books, quaquaraqua is simply how it sounds. This phrase comes from Luigi Pirandello’s essay, L’umorismo ( Humour) and means ‘The humorist knows how much a shadow is worth.’ This also sums up Pirandello’s lifelong literary investigation into the masks we all wear!! 10. It is locally referred to as Sferracavaddu. SferracavalloĪ Sicilian phrase which means ‘unshodhorses’ (without iron horseshoes), sferracavallo is used by Alejandro Luque in Viaje a la Sicilia con un guía ciego ( Borges in Sicily). It’s literal translation is ‘they ate with napkins’ but it truly means the connotation of expressing a solemn satisfaction about something! 8. ![]() Mangiarono con la salvietta is a phrase used by Leonardo Sciascia in Le parrochie di Regalpetra ( Salt in the Wound). It simply means the lies one tells to cover up tricks and foolish shenanigans. Camilleri usually uses it when Montalbano has fabricated something to further an investigation! 7. If you’re familiar with the Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri in its original language, farfantaria is used many times. Under Messina, there are three columns – fine, chipped and broken and when Colapesce, the boy who saves Sicily, dives down and replaces the broken column, the phrase is apt! Taken from Italo Calvino’s, Fiabe Italiane( Italian Fables), O Messina, Messina, un di sarai meschina deals with the legend of Colapesce O Messina, Messina, un dí sarai meschina! It was aptly titled “Troppo trafficu ppi nenti”. This comes from the very wild theory that says Shakespeare was Sicilian! Having fun with this notion, Andrea Camilleri and Giuseppe Dipasquale turned Molto rumore per nulla( Much Ado About Nothing) into Sicilian. Troppu trafficu ppi nentiĪnother must know phrase for the Sicilian in you is troppo trafficu ppi nenti. It means ‘nobody is born with learning in this world’. This phrase was written by Meli in a continuation of Cervantes’ Don Chisciotti e Sanciu Panza ( Don Quixote). Nessunu nasci dutto tra stu munnu is a Sicilian phrase used by the poet Giovanni Meli. This is a very well-known phrase in Italian and is also the title of books written by Andrea Camilleri and Carlo Lucarelli. It literally means ‘water in the mouth’ but translates as ‘keep it quiet’. The author describes this word as ‘maximum movement with minimum displacement’. So the word is a metaphor used for his journey around Sicily in the aforementioned book! 2. ![]() Taken from the book, L’arte di annacarsi by Roberto Alajmo, annacamento is a Sicilian word with no direct translation in Italian or English. These Sicilian phrases are carefully compiled by the duo from their favorite books and authors! 15 Must Know Phrases for the Sicilian in You! 1. Two passionate travelers and co-authors of Sicily- a Literary Guide for Travellers, the two share “15 Must Know Phrases for the Sicilian in You”. Sicilian words and phrases are difficult to understand even for Italian speakers! But despite the complications, Sicilian is also a very beautiful language! In light of this, I am honored to have Andrew Edwards and Suzanne Edwards. Having origins from Latin, Arabic and Greek along with German and Catalan influences, Sicilian is often said to be a complicated language. Sicilian is termed as a dialect of Italy but it is actually a language on its own. ![]()
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