Literal meaning: To not have hair on the tongue (I didn’t know that, I was astounded.) 2. You can use it to express your extreme surprise. This phrase is used to show surprise at something or someone. Literal translation: To fall from the clouds This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that youĬlick here to get a copy. Mettere la pulce nell’orecchio (a qualcuno). Mangi questa minestra o salti dalla finestra. These 20 funny Italian phrases are a perfect way to expand your vocabulary.Įven better, you’ll understand what someone means when they tell you to spit out the frog. These amusing expressions are part of what makes the language so rich and full. Italian is full of funny phrases that often have very different meanings from their literal translations. In fact, in Sicily nobody will tell us an abrupt no, but ntzù is more than enough.J20 Funny Italian Phrases to Spread Some Smiles (With Audio) The classic snap of tongue used by Sicilians to deny something. In conclusion we have peri peri, loitering without any purpose, and ntzù the Sicilian onomatopoeia par excellence. And, camurria serious feeling of annoyance.įinally, pacchione, word on which Palermo and Catania are in disagreement, in fact for the first this word indicates a person in considerable overweight in the second case a very beautiful and attractive girl. Continuing in the search we will certainly find ammatula, or “unnecessarily”, for example in the expression “ longu ammatula” or uselessly tall, to indicate an immature person. The variant changes if we are in the eastern or western part of the island.įollowing we find mizzica in amazement, and for more formal environments, avà, literally “come on” or “let’s go”, used more in the Catania area and futtitinni, the latter being the real Sicilian mantra, able to exorcise any fear or restlessness. Its role is actually to put at ease the interlocutor or identify him as a friend, or buddy, in addition to a type of greeting can be a method of reassurance if used at the end of the sentence marking a relationship of confidence. And a double meaning responseįollowing we find cumpà-compa / ‘mpare-‘mbare, literally godfather. It will hardly not happen to hear this word in a common dialogue with a Sicilian.Ī humorous combination of the words ‘mbare (buddy) and comu semu (how are we doing). Its use lends itself to different areas and to different situations: irony, exclamation, amazement, fear, happiness and appreciation and is not linked to bon ton and precise rules of behaviour, but it is always accepted and never criticized. No comment for style used though.įirst in the ranking for use, we find minchia, word now also legitimized, accepted and used in other areas of Italy. The word “Minchia” here emphasises strong feelings of love. Taking stock of the situation in principle, there are 10 words most used by a Sicilian, which make up an average of 50% of a sentence. The dialect is mixed with Italian through loans that act as reinforcers, without which there would be no clarity for a doc Sicilian. Not a simple dialect, but a true idiom UNESCO recognizes the Sicilian status as a mother tongue.Ĭolourful but versatile, direct but suitable for any situation thanks to some explanatory exclamations, that every tourist should surely know before setting foot on the island. Commonly in Sicily senior people speak Sicilian olnly I mean, those who wish to visit Sicily, at least once in their life, and opt for a deeper, more informed, friendly experience with Sicilians, and warmer memories to take back home. Here follows my rendition of the article in a broader language attempting to reach out to those self-motivated travellers who like to have some basic language and cultural homework done before visiting a new place. I recently read with appreciation a funny travel related, yet culturally intriguing article on Sicilian language.
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