Posts tagged with "Italian proverbs"

Dicembre

Posted by Serena 5 Comments
Dec 2 2011

Nome (Name):

The month of dicembre (December) takes its name from the Latin word decem (ten) because it was the tenth month in the Roman calendar.

Festività (Festivals):

On the 8th of December we celebrate l’Immacolata Concezione (the Immaculate Conception), which commemorates the belief that the Virgin Mary was conceived free from the taint of original sin. After centuries of theological discussions on the subject Pope Pio IX finally established the dogma of l’Immacolata Concezione on the 8th of December 1854. In 1857 he unveiled and blessed the statue of the Immacolata which is positioned on top of a tall column near the famous Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) in Rome. On the 8th of December, following a tradition initiated by papa Giovanni XXIII in 1958, the Pope places a basket of white roses near the column of the Immacolata, and a crown of fresh flowers is placed on the statue’s right arm, replacing the one from the previous year.

On the 25th of December we celebrate Santo Natale del Signore (literally: ‘Holy Birth of the Lord’ or Christmas). Christmas traditions vary throughout the regions of Italy: in some places la cena della vigilia (Christmas Eve’s dinner) is the main Christmas meal, and is eaten on the 24th whilst waiting for midnight Mass, presents being exchanged after Mass. In other places the main meal is il pranzo di Natale (Christmas lunch), with presents being exchanged afterwards. If you want more information about Italian Christmas traditions you can read my posts Papà Natale and Il menu di Natale.

On the 26th of December we celebrate Santo Stefano Protomartire (Boxing Day, literally: ‘Saint Stefano First Martyr’). On this day we traditionally visit relatives and friends and exchange presents with them. Santo Stefano is considered to have been the first Christian martyr, and for this reason he is commemorated on the first day after Christmas, which is the beginning of the Christian calendar. He was condemned to be stoned to death because of his public preaching of the Christian doctrine in Jerusalem in the year 36 AD.

Detti (Sayings):

Dicembre oscuro annuncia buona annata (A dark December foretells a good year)

Dicembre gelato non va disprezzato (Icy December should not be despised)

Dicembre ogni cosa fa cara e preziosa (December makes everything dear and precious)

Neve dicembrina per tre dì ci sta vicina (December’s snow remains around us for three days)

Se piove per Santa Viviana, piove per quaranta dì e una settimana (If it rains for Saint Vivian, 2nd of December, it will rain for forty days and a week). I hope this is not true, because today, 2nd of December, sta piovendo a catinelle! (it’s raining cats and dogs!)

Santa Lucia, la neve è per la via (Saint Lucia, 13th of December, the snow is on its way)

Per San Valeriano, la neve sul monte e sul piano (For Saint Valerian, 15th of December, the snow is on the mountain and on the plain)

A Natale, freddo cordiale (At Christmas, friendly cold)

Per i Santi Innocentini sono finiti i quattrini (For the Little Innocent Saints, 28th of December, all the money is finished)

Da Natale a Capodanno, gran propositi si fanno (From Christmas to New Year, many great resolutions are made)

Novembre

Posted by Serena 1 Comment
Nov 2 2011

Nome (Name):

The month of novembre (November) takes its name from the Latin word novem (nine) because it was the ninth month in the Roman calendar.

Festività (Festivals):

On the 1st of November we celebrate Tutti i Santi (All Saints), which is a national holiday. When I was a child the 2nd of November, Tutti i Defunti (All Souls – literally: all the deceased) also used to be a national holiday, but now it’s just a normal working day. I don’t know why the government decided at some point to cancel this holiday and to leave Tutti i Santi instead, but for the majority of Italians i Defunti is still the most important of the two festivals. In fact people spend days tiding up and polishing the tombs of their beloved departed, adorning them with big bunches of fresh flowers, usually crisantemi (chrysanthemum). Many Italians will travel long distances to their places of origin in order to visit the tombs of their parents, grandparents and other relatives.

On the 4th of November we celebrate the Giornata delle Forze Armate e dell’Unità Nazionale (Army Forces and National Unification Day). It commemorates the end of the First World War and the unification of Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia in the North East of Italy, which were previously under Austrian dominion, with the Regno d’Italia (Italian Kingdom). When I was a child this day was also a national holiday, and we used to look forward to visiting le caserme (the barracks), which were open to the public for the occasion.

Tradizioni (Traditions):

On the 11th of November we celebrate San Martino (Saint Martin’s day). In the past, when Italy was mostly an agricultural country, this date was very important for many people, because it marked the end of the annual contracts for farm labourers. If the landlord didn’t renew the contract the farm labourers had to move elsewhere, together with their families and belongings, in the hope of finding another job. You can read more about this in my post Facciamo San Martino

Detti (Sayings):

A novembre i grani seminati e i raccolti rincasati – In November the grains are sowed and the crops stored away

In novembre va in montagna e abbacchia la castagna – In November go into the mountains and shake down the chestnuts

A novembre con le foglie, cadon giù capelli e voglie – In November together with the leaves, hair and desires drop

Giorno bello e giorno brutto, a novembre muore tutto – Fine day or bad day, in November everything dies

Per i Santi, manicotti e guanti – For All Saints day (1st of November), wear muffs and gloves

Caldarroste e nuovo vino tieni pronti a S.Martino – Roasted chestnuts and new wine, have them ready for S.Martin’s day (11th of November)

Molta pioggia in novembre, molto vento in dicembre – If November is very rainy, December will be very windy

Ottobre

Posted by Serena 2 Comments
Oct 3 2011

Nome (Name):

The month of ottobre (October) takes its name from the Latin word octo (eight) because it was the eighth month in the Roman calendar.

Festività (Festivals):

On the 4th of October we celebrate San Francesco d’Assisi patrono d’Italia (Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy). When I was a child the 4th of October used to be a holiday. It was great because school used to start on the 1st of October and just three days later we were back home again! Today it’s still an important festival, which in 2005 was declared una giornata per la pace, per la fraternità e per il dialogo fra le religioni (a day dedicated to peace, brotherhood and dialogue between religions) by the Italian Parliament, but unfortunately it’s still a working day.

San Francesco (1182-1226), also known as il poverello d’Assisi (the poor little man of Assisi), was proclaimed patron saint of Italy in 1939 by Pope Pio XII. Every year on the 4th of October an Italian region donates oil for the lamp which is kept permanently alight next to Saint Francis’ tomb in the crypt of the Basilica in Assisi. This is seen as symbolic expression of the country’s devotion to its patron saint. This year it will be Molise’s turn to offer the oil.

9x12-Cimabue-San_Francesco

S.Francesco d’Assisi by Cimabue

Detti (Sayings): as usual, these tend to deal with the weather and agriculture:

Ottobre è bello, ma tieni pronto l’ombrello – October is nice, but keep the umbrella ready

Ottobre piovoso, campo prosperoso – Rainy October, prosperous field

Tuoni d’ottobre, verrà un inverno caldo – Thunders in October, the winter will be warm

Caldo d’ottobre, farà freddo in febbraio – Warm October, it will be cold in February

Se ottobre è solaiolo, Novembre è fungaiolo – If October is sunny, November will be full of wild mushrooms

Per San Francesco parte il caldo e arriva il fresco – For Saint Francis (4th of October) the warmth departs and the cool arrives

Per Santa Reparata l’oliva è inoliata – For Saint Reparata (8th of October) the olive is transformed into oil

Per San Serafino si spilla il botticino – For saint Serafino (12th of October) the small barrel is tapped

Per San Donato l’inverno è nato – For Saint Donato (22nd of October) the winter is born

Per San Simone la nespola si ripone – For Saint Simon (30th of October) the medlar is stored away

Luglio

Posted by Serena 3 Comments
Jul 5 2011

The month of luglio (July) is named after the Roman consul Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar), who was born on the 12th of July 100 B.C.

Cesare 1

Sopra: Giulio Cesare

Unbelievably there aren’t any national holidays or festivals in luglio here in Italy (cosa?!) However, quite a few famous Italians were born in July. Here is a selection:

Francesco Petrarca, poet and writer, born in Arezzo on the 20th of July 1304

Giuseppe Garibaldi, patriot and general, born in Nizza (Nice) on the 4th of July 1807

Amedeo Modigliani, artist, born in Livorno on the 12th of July 1884

Giorgio de Chirico, artist, born in  Volos (Greece) on the 10th of July 1888

Vittorio De Sica, actor and director, born in Sora on the 7th of July 1901

Gina Lollobrigida, actress, born in Subiaco on the 4th of July 1927

 

 

Detti di luglio (July Sayings):

Seminalo a luglio, se vuoi un buon rapuglio (Sow it in July, if you want a good ‘rapuglio’). This is a popular proverb, but nobody seems to know the meaning of ‘rapuglio’. It isn’t even listed in my Vocabolario della Lingua Italiana Treccani. I ‘think’ that it means ‘raccolto di rape’, i.e. ‘turnip harvest’, however, if anyone out there has another translation please let me know.

Luglio giostra l’uva, i fichi e la fortuna nostra (July manages the grapes, the figs and our fortune)

Di luglio il temporale dura poco e non fa male (July’s thunderstorm is short-lived and doesn’t do any harm)

Pioggerella estiva: passa come arriva (Summer drizzle: it passes as it arrives)

Nuvole di luglio fan presto tafferuglio (July’s clouds quickly create a scuffle)

Luglio con il sacco e lo staio, porta chicchi nel granaio (July with the sack and the bushel, brings grain to the granary)

Per Santa Maddalena si taglia l’avena (For Saint Magdalena’s day –22nd of July-  the oats are harvested)

Sole in Leone: poni la moglie in un cantone (The Sun in Leo –23 July- put your wife in a corner)

Per Santa Cristina, la semina della saggina (For Saint Christina’s day –24th of July-, the sowing of the sorghum)

Se piove per S.Anna, l’acqua diventa manna (If it rains for Saint Anna’s day –26th of July-, the water turns into manna)

Se grandina per S.Anna, l’uva mia tutta si danna (If it hails for Saint Anna’s day, all my grapes get damaged)

Giugno

Posted by Serena No Comments
Jun 2 2011

The name of the month giugno (June) comes from the Roman goddess Juno, wife of the god Jupiter.

Festività (Festivals):

On the 2nd of June we celebrate la Festa Nazionale della Repubblica. In 1946 the Italian people held a referendum on whether to remain a kingdom or to become a republic. The decision was made in favor of becoming a republic and so, after 85 years, il Regno d’Italia became la Repubblica Italiana. The first Italian president was Enrico De Nicola, and the first prime minister was Alcide De Gasperi. Every year on the 2nd of June in Rome there is la sfilata delle forze armate (the parade of the armed forces), and its highlight is a display given by the famous Italian air force aerobatic team le Frecce Tricolore (the three-colored arrows – green white and red like the Italian flag).

On Sunday the 26th of June the Catholic Church celebrates the Corpus Domini (Corpus Christi). The festival originates from the supposed miracle that took place in Bolsena, north of Rome, in the year 1263. It is said that a Bohemian priest, Pietro da Praga, was in crisis about his religious faith, and so he decided to make a pilgrimage to Rome. On his way back he made a stop in Bolsena, where he celebrated an early morning mass during which, al momento dell’elevazione (the moment when the priest consecrates the bread and the wine whilst repeating Jesus’ words of the Last Supper), blood fell from the holy wafer onto the corporale (the linen that collects any crumbs that may fall from the holy wafer) and three paving stones near the altar. The priest asked for an audience with Pope Urbano IV who was staying in Orvieto for the summer holidays. The Pope immediately sent for the blood stained corporale to be brought to Orvieto and, having verified the miracle, he established the festival of the Corpus Domini.

Tradizioni (Traditions):

The 24th of June is  dedicated to the Natività di San Giovanni Battista (Birth of Saint John the Baptist). It is believed that the early morning dew which forms on the plants on the 24th of June has curative powers, therefore medicinal herbs are best collected early on that morning.

Detti (Sayings):

Fra maggio e giugno nasce un buon fungo (Between May and June a good mushroom is born)

Se giugno non fa sudare, il raccolto fa scarseggiare (If June doesn’t make you sweat, the harvest will be scarce)

Giugno senza sole, madre senza prole (June without sun, mother without children)

Ben venga giugno con la falce in pugno (Welcome June with the scythe in your fist)

Giugno lucciaiolo, festa nel granaio (June full of fire flies, feast in the barn)

Giugno tonante, raccolto abbondante (Thundery June, plenty of harvest)

La guazza di San Giovanni cura tutti i malanni (Saint John’s dew cures every ailment)

San Pietro e Paolo piovosi, per trenta dì sono dannosi (If it rains for Saint Peter and Paul (29th of June) it will bring damages for thirty days)

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