TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
#1487
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Joined: Aug 2015
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Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
The common man is "l'uomo della strada", so you could perhaps use that in a similar context, along the lines of "non è in sintonia con l'uomo della strada"
"uomo della strada
"uomo della strada
- Fig.: il cittadino medio, che rappresenta le aspirazioni, la cultura e la mentalità corrente del Paese in cui vive."
#1488
Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
Folks where I live are simple. They'd just say, "non sa stare con la gente."
I was once dumped, (for want of a nicer expression) with a young apprentice on the first day of an international trade fair in Milan. He was nice and pleasant and wishy-washy and insignificant. When my boss asked me at the end of the day what my thoughts were, I said that he wasn't very "assertivo". My boss told me that wasn't Italian. It is, but I thought about it a lot and realised that the folks where I live always use the same vocab. Something is bello or bellissimo or it's non molto bello. I had one hundred different adjectives to describe something and here it was bello o brutto. That's simplifying things a little but it is also true. The lawyers and the engineers all think they are some kind of Dante with big, long winded speak, unnecessary 500 word sentences and the normal folk just speak plainly.
I was once dumped, (for want of a nicer expression) with a young apprentice on the first day of an international trade fair in Milan. He was nice and pleasant and wishy-washy and insignificant. When my boss asked me at the end of the day what my thoughts were, I said that he wasn't very "assertivo". My boss told me that wasn't Italian. It is, but I thought about it a lot and realised that the folks where I live always use the same vocab. Something is bello or bellissimo or it's non molto bello. I had one hundred different adjectives to describe something and here it was bello o brutto. That's simplifying things a little but it is also true. The lawyers and the engineers all think they are some kind of Dante with big, long winded speak, unnecessary 500 word sentences and the normal folk just speak plainly.
#1489
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Joined: Feb 2020
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Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
In English we can say sugar bowl for zuccheriera . But how can/do we translate formaggiera? 'Cheese bowl' I've never heard but maybe I've been out of the UK too long. I know it's a thing fairly unique to Italy but what might an authentic trattoria or restaurant in the UK term it for the locals?
#1490
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Location: Milan, Italy
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Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
We call a sugar bowl a sugar bowl because it is a bowl - that's its shape, For cheese I'd say "cheese board", or maybe "cheese platter" if I wanted to sound rustic and traditional.
#1491
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Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
you misunderstood. I mean the container with a lid and small spoon which contains grated parmigiano or sometimes peccorino and is for sprinkling over your pasta or risotto.
#1492
Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
In English we can say sugar bowl for zuccheriera . But how can/do we translate formaggiera? 'Cheese bowl' I've never heard but maybe I've been out of the UK too long. I know it's a thing fairly unique to Italy but what might an authentic trattoria or restaurant in the UK term it for the locals?
#1493
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Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
I've found "Parmesan cheese holder" or "grated Parmesan holder".
#1494
Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
yeah but nobody talks like that back home. If ever in an Italian restaurant it's usually them that ask if you want cheese. You'd never sit there and ask them to bring the cheese holder.
#1495
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Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
Agreed. I'd say "Could I have some cheese, please?" (assuming they didn't bring it automatically).
But terms like "grated Parmesan holder" you'd find in a retaurant supplies catalogue.
But terms like "grated Parmesan holder" you'd find in a retaurant supplies catalogue.
#1496
Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
#1497
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Location: Milan, Italy
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Re: TALK THE TALK. ITALIAN LANGUAGE QUESTIONS.
I've just looked at some old posts from 2 years back (# 1487) discussing how to ranslate "l'uomo della strada", If it's any help to anyone, the literal translation "the man in the street" is quite common and usually fits quite well.