Rules for the Perfect Coffee: Translation – Part 2
Written by admin on 26 October, 2009 – 10:46 am -
Way back in May I published two sets of rules for the perfect coffee (as promoted by the Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano). I only made available one translation. Belatedly here is the second. I apologize for the delay.
“The Italian espresso is characterized by a hazelnut-coloured cream with a tendency towards very dark brown & yellowish-brown hues. Its texture is very thick so that it meshes without bubbles. It gives off an intense aroma and it is possible to detect a variety of notes: flower, fruit, toasted bread and chocolate, all of which are persistent and remain even after swallowing – a sensation that can last for several minutes. The flavour is full, solid and velvet-like, the bitter taste is well balanced and there is no sharpness.”
The Golden Rule: 25 millimetres in 25 seconds.
Posted in Food & Drink, Language | 2 Comments »
Is English corrupting the Italian language?
Written by admin on 29 September, 2009 – 9:30 pm -
It’s time for another guest blog. Ainsley Okoro has written a very interesting and amusing article about how the Italian language is being corrupted through the overuse of English words. I thoroughly enjoyed it and trust you will too.
Brits don’t do foreign languages very well – which might explain why they spent centuries making sure everyone else learnt English.
So as a 40-something-year-old Brit, the four years I spent trying to master Italian were a struggle. Frankly, I half-wished that way-back-when we had made Il Bel Paese part of the British Empire as well.
Continue reading …
Posted in Language | 3 Comments »
Word of the Week
Written by admin on 18 June, 2009 – 9:46 am -This week the the word is…
punto di ancoraggio anchor point
Why such a strange word? Well, I am teaching a course all about InDesign, a page layout program, and today I am giving a lesson on the pen tool. It might not be so useful for everyday conversation, but there may be some graphic designers out there who appreciate it.
Coming soon is a report of the short break I took in Turin (it also happens to be where I live!). My aunt and uncle came to visit so I was able to be a tourist for a couple of days. I’ll also tell you if Turin is worth visiting or not (you can probably guess what I’ll say, especially if you follow Fabrizio’s blog).
Posted in Language | 2 Comments »
Word of the Week
Written by admin on 7 May, 2009 – 7:55 am -Inspired by a headline following Barcelona’s injury time equaliser / winner against Chelsea last night in the Champions League semi-final, the word of the week is
beffare
to mock, to laugh at
- Chelsea beffata dal Barcellona e dall’arbritro Chelsea mocked by Barcelona and the referee
I’m sure not that many people were upset to see an English team get knocked out!
Posted in Language | 1 Comment »
Word of the Week
Written by admin on 22 April, 2009 – 10:23 am -
This week, after a short break, I return to the Italian Commedia dell’Arte characters with…
Pantalone
Usually a lustful, rich, miserly Venetian and one of the vecchi or old men. Traditionally he wears a mask with a long hooked nose and often is the father to one of the innamorati.
Further reading: The Italian Comedy by Pierre Louis Duchartre
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 7 April, 2009 – 10:33 am -
Photo from sunrise7 on Flickr
On Sunday night at 3.32am an earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter Scale devastated the town of Aquila in the region of Abruzzo. At least 179 people were killed and 1,500 injured. 17,000 have been made homeless.
terremoto m.
earthquake
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved in this tragedy.
Posted in Language, News & Weather | 4 Comments »
Word of the Week
Written by admin on 24 March, 2009 – 7:55 am -This week the Italian Commedia dell’Arte character is…
Columbina Lit. Little Dove
“by her keen and active wit, she [is] able to hold her own in every situation and emerge with ease and dignity from the most involved intrigues.” ~ Pierre Louis Duchartre
Columbina (also known as Arlecchina) is an astute and cunning comic servant who is a member of the Zanni
Further reading: The Italian Comedy by Pierre Louis Duchartre
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 16 March, 2009 – 3:23 pm -
This week the Italian Commedia dell’Arte character is…
Arlecchino Harlequin
a mischievous clown, the servant of either Pantalone or Il Dottore (see later posts). He often tries (but fails) to trick his master. The girl he has set his heart upon is Colombina but unluckily she is only interested in making fun of him. However, he is a favourite with the audience.
His costume contains a very colourful diamond shaped design and he can often be found as the Joker on playing cards.
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 11 March, 2009 – 1:44 pm -
Following on from my latest article about Turin’s ChocolaTò I have decided to look into some of the characters from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte (improvisational theatre that began in the 16th century). Let’s start with…
Gianduja
Gianduja represents Turin and Piedmont. He is a happy peasant who enjoys food and wine and has a girlfriend called Giacometta. Usual he wears a brown jacket and a tricorn hat. During the carnival period he is particularly popular.
Gianduja (or Gianduiotto) is also a chocolate. It originates from Turin and dates back to 1865. A blend of cocoa and roasted hazelnuts from the Langhe region of Piedmont, it is easily recognizable by its characteristic boat shape. Produced by Caffarel.
Posted in Language | 3 Comments »
Word of the Week
Written by admin on 1 March, 2009 – 8:04 pm -bocciare
to fail, to turn down, to reject
- bocciare una proposta di legge – to reject a (parliamentary) bill
- mi hanno bocciato in fisica – I failed physics
- è stato bocciato – he failed (eg to fail the school year)
As usual feel free to add your own expressions in the comments section.
Posted in Language | 2 Comments »
