Page 15 - Italian American Herald - December 2020

ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERALD
DECEMBER 2020 | ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM 15
ITALIAN MADE FUN & SIMPLE
Unlike the United States that generally recognizes Thanksgiving as the day that ushers in the nation’s Christmas holiday season, in Italy “the season opener” can vary. Depending where you are in Italy, it can be anywhere from the first Sunday of Advent, St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6 or Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. For the most part the Feast of Immaculate Conception (l’Immacolata Concezione) is the most recognized day as the season’s beginning. Though a Catholic holy day, it is also recognized as a national Italian holiday, with all public offices and schools closed.
The second most popular day for welcoming in the Christmas season in Italy is the Feast of St. Nicholas (La Festa di San Nicola). In areas where he is venerated, on that day old traditions are played out to honor him and ring in the season. The best known of these traditions happens on the eve of St. Nicholas Day, when children place their shoes by the fire place (vicino al focolare), or under their bed (sotto il letto). The next morning the children find their shoes filled with little presents from the great saint.
From the season’s onset to the last day of the season Jan. 6, the Epiphany (l’Epifania), other Christmas-related holiday take place Dec. 13, Festa di Santa Lucia; Dec. 24, La Vigilia di Natale; Dec. 26, Festa di Santo Stefano; Dec. 28, Festa degl’Innocenti and Dec. 31, La Festa di San Silvestro or La Vigilia di Capo d’Anno. Some Italians still hold the tradition of the Festa della Candelora on Feb. 2 when they take down the presepio. Another day, though not a holiday per se, is Dec. 16, known as La Novena di Natale. Novena, Latin for the ordinal number, ninth, indicates the nine-day period prior to Christmas Day. Activities begin in full force, especially the visit to the presepi by the zampognari to serenade il Bambino Gesu`.
Let’s look at some ways to greet at this season:
The management and staff of The Italian-American Herald augurano a tutti i nostri lettori e cari amici Buon Natale e Buon Anno Nuovo. (We wish all our readers and dear friends Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.)
Surnames and Their Origins
You can research your surname on these two websites:
• surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/italian/ • cognomix.it/mappe-dei-cognomi-italiani.
Merry Christmas................................................. Buon Natale
Happy New Year Buon Capo d’Anno or Buon Anno Nuovo holidays.............................................................. Buone feste
Vocabulary with religious significance:
The Three Wise Men .......................................... I Re Magi
The Holy Family................................................. La Sacra Famiglia Nativity scene..................................................... Presepio or presepe
The shepherds.................................................... I pastori
Special seasonal days:
Feast of St. Lucy ................................................. Festa di Santa Lucia Christmas Eve .................................................... La Vigilia di Natale
St. Stephan’s Day ................................................ La Festa di Santo Stefano New Year’s Eve.................................................... La Vigilia di Capo d’Anno Feast of St. Silvester............................................ Festa di San Silvestro Feast of the Holy Innocents ................................ Festa degl’Innocenti Candlemas ......................................................... Festa della Candelora Special seasonal words:
Santa Claus/Father Christmas ............................ Babbo Natale
Bagpipers ........................................................... Zampognari
Snowman ........................................................... Pupazzo di neve Christmas tree .................................................... L’Albero di Natale Traditional Foods:
The Christmas Eve Dinner.................................. Il cenone Eel...................................................................... L’anquilla
Octopus ............................................................. Il polpo
Fish .................................................................... Il pesce
Traditional nougat candy .................................... Torrone
A traditional style raisin bread ............................ Il panettone
This issue, in celebration of Christmas, we look at names and surnames that
are either in some way connected to Christmas directly or in connotation. Historically many of the names that we will be examining are biblical in origin. In most instances, we will see that surnames often evolved from a proper name.
We begin with the most obvious.
CHRISTIAN – Christian or in Italian, Cristiano, which appears in Acts 11:26 first indicating a follower of Christ. Eventually as Christianity spread, the use of the word developed into the proper name which today gives us a number of derivatives as a proper name and as a surname.
Related proper names:
Christine, Chris, Christopher.
Related Italian surnames: Di Cristoforo, Cristi, Cristaldo, Cristaldi.
DAVID – David or in Italian, Davide. This name is most often associated with the Old Testament. However, scripture states that Jesus descended from the “House of David.” The word David means well-beloved, dear, obviously feelings that followers of Jesus hold strongly to the Messiah.
Related Italian surnames:
Daviddi, Daviti, Davidi.
EMMANUAL – Emmanuel or in Italian, Emmanuele, actually is another word that Christians use to refer to Jesus. It’s one of few biblical words attributed simultaneously to Latin and Hebrew. In either language, it means God with us. It is
a common first name in Italy. Related Italian surnames:
Emmanueli, D ’Emanuele, Manuello.
EPIPHANY – Epiphany or in Italian, Epifania, is practically unheard of as a proper name in the United States. However, in Italy it is sometimes given as a proper name. As a surname, it is more frequent.
Related Italian surnames:
Epifanio, Epifana, Epifania, Epifanio.
NAZZARO – Nazzaro or Nazzareno and their feminine forms are common proper names in Italy. An obvious name which translates to Nazarene, is directly connected to Jesus, who was known as “Jesus of Nazareth” or in Italian “Gesù il Nazzareno.” The form Nazzari is the usual form when adopted as an Italian surname.
NATALIE – Natalie or in Italian, Natalia, derives a proper name from the Italian word for Christmas, Natale. In the word we see the English “natal.” Clearly indicating that Italians name the special day from
the Latin “natalis,” referring to birth. As a proper name it is heard frequently here and in Italy. If parents wish to name their son after the holiday, it actually is Natale. Diminutives are Natalino and Natalina.
Related Italian surnames:
Di Natale.
JOY – Joy or Italian, Gioia, is from Latin and means happiness. The relationship to Christmas is quite clear, appearing in song, greetings, and just a very joyous time of year.
Happy
This month’s proverb
It comes from Naples.
Napolitano: Carnevale addò te truove,
Natale e Pasca a’ casa toia.
Italiano: Carnevale dove ti trovi, Natale a casa tua.
English Literal: Carnival time enjoy wherever you are; Christmas though be in your home.
Figuratively: Carnival is a time to go out and enjoy the festivities; your place at Christmas is home with loved ones.
This month’s falso amico
Common biblical names in English, their origins and the Italian equivalent.
Joseph (Hebrew) Gen. 30:24, increase; addition.......................Giuseppe Stephen (Greek) Acts 6:5, crown; crowned .............................Stefano Angela (Greek) Gen. 16:7, Angelic ...........................................Angela Anna (Greek, from Hebrew) Luke 2:36, gracious; ..................Anna Bethel (Hebrew) Gen. 12:8, the house of God........................Bettina Elizabeth (Hebrew) Luke 1:5, the oath, or fullness, of God...Elizabetta Mary (Hebrew) Matt. 1:16, rebellion; sea of bitterness...........Maria Joanna (Hebrew) Luke 8:3, grace or gift of the Lord ..............Giovanna Joy (Old French, Latin) Heb. 1:9, happiness...........................Gioia
Buon Natale a tutti!
It is “caramella.” With the holidays upon us, sweets and treats are the order of the day. Let’s look at the Italian word for candy, caramella.
In Italian caramella means candy, not caramel. However, the word for caramel is not too far off from caramella, it’s caramello.