shiva

indeed, whilst not keen on the actual piss off part I often find locals and expats tend to use phrases that tourists dont that effectively imply "piss off i live here". In fact in Dubai I often just use, "I live here sorry" at which point they wander off hunting tourists.
saves no end of hassles

37100

I think a smile only works if you are a man. They just keep on and on if a women is too polite.

Lorna at Vicenza

Somebody I know and see at least once a week for an aperitivo has decided to teach me more dialect. I meet her at her village bar and have got to know all the locals that pop in and out and only speak dialect all the time. I've become a bit of a local there myself swapping rounds and being "part of the gang". I can understand them and their dialect. I've only asked the translation of one or two more obscure words and now she's taken it upon herself to speak to me in her old dad's generation of dialect and told everybody else that I want to speak dialect.
Give me a ****ing break!

Maybe1day

When I was in the Middle East I used to say NO several times and thank you all in Arabic and it was OK, but a woman friend always had problems with them, then she would swear at them in Arabic, they would leave her alone after that and go away muttering under their breath.
I found that the Rom girls in Rome are a big problem, I have been on the point of striking them when they have tried to put their hands in my pockets.

Lorna at Vicenza

I find that everybody is getting on my ******* nerves these days. Telephone people more than ever. The only one that doesn't is the ancient old man with his ancient old dog outside the bread shop on market day and he plays lovely music on his ancient fisarmonica. The kids and I always give him a few pennies and Alex even spent some of his pocket money on a doggy treat for the cute, shaggy little faithful dog. The Carabinieri used to move him away all the time. He's so old now that most of them (if not all) turn a blind eye. I have a kind of my own rule ....... I will throw a few pennies in your hat if you do something for it ..... like play music or be a gold statue or make me laugh. If you just sit there with cardboard saying "give me" ...... well I can do that. I can't play nice, happy music that makes me feel happier.

Maybe1day

"Telephone people" Orange has sold our details to who knows who! We answer the house phone when it displays an unknown number with "Hello who is this" followed by "I don't understand" even if they try in English.
Always results in them hanging up. Only once did we get a follow up in English, Instant reply "Thanks but no thanks" and this time we hang up.

sunnysider

Question from an outsider here, so can't pop into town to check a chinese menu - though of course they might not be the best guide if they are trying to ingratiate themselves with nervous wary locals.

So, what's the best italian word for "noodle"? Have looked it up a few times but keep being offered words which, to me, appear to be types of italian pasta.

MarkRD

Probably the most common is just 'spaghetti cinesi', as that's what it is. Maybe the Chinese people themselves might recognise the word 'noodle'..

I prefer 'spaghetti di riso' myself, but they're something different

Maybe1day

Aren't those glass noodles? the normal noodles (cream coloured) are often called "nidi di" pasta or spaghetti, spaghettini. That is about as close as it gets in Italy. Noodles is also widely used as the noodle snacks that have been introduced into Italy in the last couple of years and as chinese restaurants have become commonplace. At the end of the day Noodles are Noodles. In Asian countries there is also a considerable choice of types and styles of noodles. (Pasta, Riso and Soya)

sunnysider

Thanks for the reply maybe1day, but i am not sure what you mean by that. Are you saying i could just use the "english" word and it would be recognised? Background to my question - i would be using the word in a context where i would want it to be simply clear that i was not talking about any form of italian pasta, ie:noodles as distinct from any italian pasta, however fine and string like.

MarkRD

In the light of all our previous discussions about 'foreign' words creeping into Italian, I wouldn't be surprised if 'noodles' gets adopted soon meaning precisely 'spaghetti/fettuccine cinesi' ...

I think a lot of young people will probably know the term already.

37100

My Chinese menu says 'spaghetti'. Except for pot noodles, I've never heard/seen the word 'noodle'.

Maybe1day

Noodles in Italy means Chinese or Asian spaghetti, according to my Italian wife, son etc and some friends (It) I just spoke to. Called my 86 yr old mother in law she does not know...... so I guess it is limited to those that eat in Chinese places or eat pot noodles or go to mister noodles.

PSG2014

certainly ordering hot spicy noodles in a Chinese, it comes a spaghetti, albeit more crispy.

MarkRD

Sawa thing at the Ipercoop the other day ... Chinese style meal (by B*it*ni I think) and it stated 'noodles con verdure' .. .