Page 24 - Italian-American Herald - July 2024

24 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | JULY2024 ITALIAN-AMERICANHERALD ITALIAN MADE FUN & SIMPLE
one underperforms leaving the other dissatisfied or commits a blunder. It could be that you are invited to a party and overdress when all the others show up in jeans and tees. You may be referred to as a magra when you inadvertently cause the other discomfort, mistake, or forget a name, anything that causes you and the other to feel embarrassed.
Finally, there are the words we feature in our monthly lessons, falsi amici, false friends. These words look similar to English but are not cognates. Let’s look at one now. Drogheria, not a drug store in Italian. In Italian drogheria is a grocery shop. In Italy, a drug store is defined by one word, Farmacia, which of course means pharmacy.
The lazy hazy days of summer are upon us. This month, instead of vocabulary requiring concentration and time to study, we offer you an informative, easy-to-absorb lesson which we hope brings back memories of growing up Italian in this country. What are some words people think are Italian but are not? For learners of Italian in the United States, let us first note that the “Italian” spoken by Italians and their descendants here has often morphed into what some refer to as Italianese. This way of communicating is a mixture of Italian dialects, some proper Italian and made-up vocabulary English words that have been “Italianized” A student learning Italian here in the U.S., especially those who practice with “Italian” speakers living here for decades or those learning from their grandparents, may actually be picking up words and expressions that won’t help them pass their final Italian exam. However, these language changes are an integral part of Italian assimilation in our country. Here are some common examples of this “Italianese” which was often used by “nonno” or “nonna.” The “Italianese” words below are spelled as they would sound.
This month we will finish Italian surnames starting with the letter Z.
ZARA – This surname derives from the name of the town of Zara, in Croatia. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in 19 of Italy’s
20 regions. It is most prevalent in Sardinia and least registered in Val d’Aosta. It is not present in Basilicata. Variations: ZARATINI, ZARATTINI, ZARATINO, ZARATTINO.
ZARLENGA – This surname derives from a dialect word meaning piece of salted and dry animal meat. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in only 10 of Italy’s 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Molise and least registered in Trentino Alto-Adige.
ZAVARELLA – This surname derives from a dialect word “zavatta,” coming from the standard Italian word ciabatta meaning foot slipper. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in only 12 of Italy’s 20 regions and is most prevalent in Abruzzo. Variation: ZAVARELLE.
ZICCARDI – This surname derives
from the dialect word “zicche,” meaning occasion. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in 18 of Italy’s 20 regions and most prevalent in Campania. It is not present in Val d’Aosta or in Trentino Alto-Adige. Variation: ZICCARDO.
ZINNI –This surname is possibly from the dialect words “zinnu” or “zinna” meaning small or little. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in 19 of Italy’s 20 regions and most prevalent in Abruzzo. It is not present in Basilicata. Variation: ZINNO.
ZORZOLI – This surname comes from
the first name Giorgio, deriving from the Greek word “gheorgos,” meaning farmer. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in only 13 of Italy’s 20 regions and is most prevalent in Lombardia. Variations: ZORZELLI, ZORZELLO, ZORZINI, ZORZIN, ZORZIL, ZORZON, ZORZENON, ZORAZANI, ZORZAN, ZORZANELLO, ZURZULLI, ZORZALO, ZORZALLO, ZORZAL, ZORZUTTI.
ZUCCARELLI – This surname derives from the Italian word “zucchero,” meaning sugar, and is used as a nickname for a sweet and good person. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in 16 of Italy’s 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Calabria and least registered in Le Marche. Variations: ZUCARO, ZUCCARINI, ZUCCARI, ZUCCARINO, ZUCCHERINO, ZUCCUHERINI, ZUCARO, ZUCCARI.
ZUCCO –This surname derives from the Italian word “zucca” which is the singular word for pumpkin, squash and gourd. It derives from the Latin word “cucutia”. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in only 18 of Italy’s 20 regions and is most prevalent in Piemonte. It is not present in Molise e Basilicata. Variation: ZUCCOLA.
ZULLI – This surname derives possibly from the Greek surname “Tsulos,” from Giulio. It is registered with the Bureau of Statistics in 17 of Italy’s 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Piemomte. It is not present
in Abruzzo and least prevalent in Molise. It is not present in Val d’Aosta, Umbria or Trentino Alto-Adige. Variation: ZULLO.
Italianese
Bisinisso Bosso Checca Cenciarella Chizze Fresce Giobba Sanguiccio Scianiare Sciumecco Troboli
English
business boss cake ginger ale kids fresh
job sandwich to shine shoemaker troubles
Italian
affari
padrone
torta
spuma
ragazzini
scostumato (a “fresh” person) impiego
tramezzino lustrare calzolaio guai
There are words that are Italian, which are heard here, that come from Italian, but derive from a variety of southern dialects. These are now in common usage.
Here's an example: Paisà or paisan. The correct Italian word is compaesano or paesano, which means a person who comes from the same village. Today, in the two aforementioned colloquial forms, they more commonly can be heard here than in modern day Italy.
Lastly, there are Italian words, which are often misused but are familiar to non-speaking Italians or even Italian-Americans who never really studied their heritage language in depth.
Let's begin with al fresco which English speakers commonly say for dining outside. In Italian, it means in prison. Al fresco means in a cool place, and it is used because in the old times prisons had no heating.
Bella figura, which translates as being beautiful or elegant, is used in a literal way by English speakers, as it can refer to a person's looks. However, if said in a sarcastic manner it could change to the expressions cattiva figura, grama figura, magra figura, figura di merda (vulgar), or figuraccia. In this context it is not flattering by any means. A figuraccia is when
You can research your surname on these two websites:
• surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/italian/ • cognomix.it/mappe-dei-cognomi-italiani.