My Italian word of the day: il

La Parola del Giorno

I have set myself the challenge of translating ‘Storia di una Capinera’ by Giovanni Verga into English at the rate of a word a day.

Verga: Storia di una capinera (book cover)

 

___________

 

The next new word in the text is ‘il‘.

My dictionary gives this as:

il (art. det. m.) = the (in front of masculine nouns)

il is the masculine definite article (l’articolo determinativo maschile)

 ___________

Here is an example:

Il bambino ha la febbre. = The baby has a temperature.

 

 

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The story so far

Original text:

Storia di una capinera

Avevo visto una povera capinera chiusa in gabbia: era timide, triste, malaticcia ci guardava con occhio spaventato; si rifuggiava in un angolo della sua gabbia, e allorché udiva il canto allegro degli altri uccelletti che cinguettavano sul verde del prato o nell’azzurro del cielo, li seguiva con uno sguardo che avrebbe potuto dirsi pieno di lagrime. Ma non osava ribellarsi, non osava tentare di rompere il . . .

My translations:

Story of a blackcap

I had seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: it was timid, sad, sickly it watched us with terrified eye; taking shelter in a corner of its cage, and when it heard the joyful song of the other small birds that were singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed them with a gaze that one would have been able to say to oneself, full of tears. But she dared not rebel, she dared not try to break the . . .

a ‘worked on‘ alternative:

I have seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: shy, sad and sickly, cowering in a corner of her cage, she watched us with terrified eyes and on hearing the cheerful sound of the other small birds singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed it with an expression that one could be persuaded was full of tears. But she dared not rebel, she dared not try to break the .  .  .

 

 

___________

 

 

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

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Reflections: Tory Benefit Changes

 

The latest Tory Christmas present: Osborne has announced a two-year freeze on working age benefits.

 

For those of you out there who rely on some sort of benefit or another to get by, here is a list of what has been capped:

 

1. Jobseeker’s Allowance;
2. Tax Credits;
3. Universal Credit;
4. Child Benefit;
5. Income Support;
6. The work-related activity component of Employment and Support Allowance;
7. The local housing allowance rates in Housing Benefit.

 

I hope you are not too badly affected by these changes. It may not be for too long: next year we get the opportunity to remove these heartless, self-serving bullies.

 

Cold comfort, but not included (yet) are:

 

1. Maternity Pay;
2. Paternity Pay;
3. Sickness Pay;
4. Adoption Pay;
5. Disability Benefits;
6. Pensioners Benefits.

 

Boz

29th September 2014

 

My Italian word of the day: rompere

La Parola del Giorno

I have set myself the challenge of translating ‘Storia di una Capinera’ by Giovanni Verga into English at the rate of a word a day.

Verga: Storia di una capinera (book cover)

 

___________

 

The next new word in the text is ‘rompere‘.

My dictionary gives this as:

rompere (vt.) = to break, to damage, to crack, to sever, to shatter

rompere is the infinitive (infinito) form of the verb.

 

 

___________

Here is an example:

È possibile rompere un bicchiere con la sola forza della voce? = Is it possible to break a glass with only the force of the voice?

 

 

___________

 

The story so far

Original text:

Storia di una capinera

Avevo visto una povera capinera chiusa in gabbia: era timide, triste, malaticcia ci guardava con occhio spaventato; si rifuggiava in un angolo della sua gabbia, e allorché udiva il canto allegro degli altri uccelletti che cinguettavano sul verde del prato o nell’azzurro del cielo, li seguiva con uno sguardo che avrebbe potuto dirsi pieno di lagrime. Ma non osava ribellarsi, non osava tentare di rompere . . .

My translations:

Story of a blackcap

I had seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: it was timid, sad, sickly it watched us with terrified eye; taking shelter in a corner of its cage, and when it heard the joyful song of the other small birds that were singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed them with a gaze that one would have been able to say to oneself, full of tears. But she dared not rebel, she dared not try to break . . .

a ‘worked on‘ alternative:

I have seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: shy, sad and sickly, cowering in a corner of her cage, she watched us with terrified eyes and on hearing the cheerful sound of the other small birds singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed it with an expression that one could be persuaded was full of tears. But she dared not rebel, she dared not try to break .  .  .

 

 

___________

 

 

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

<<	Previous Italian Word of the Day: tentare	Next Italian Word of the Day: il	>>

 

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Reflections: Tory Defections

On reading, with thinly veiled pleasure, the news that Tory MP Mark Reckless has left the Tories for UKIP, I wondered when Nick Robinson (the oh (not) so objective BBC political editor) would be jumping ship and leaving Iggle-piggle and his toffee-nosed bunch of school bullies.

Another Tory first:

Brooks Newmark (who tweeted a selfie of his todger to a journalist!) was Minister for Civil Society (2014–2014) in the Tory Government! What a name for a Ministry. George Orwell would have been impressed with that.

I hope this doesn’t become a habit amongst Tory Ministers: we know they are all pricks, but we don’t want to see them.

Perhaps they can both find a place in the farago party?

PS: Mark Reckless is not the person who sang a song about Norman being a Moron.

Boz

28/09/2014

My Italian word of the day: tentare

La Parola del Giorno

I have set myself the challenge of translating ‘Storia di una Capinera’ by Giovanni Verga into English at the rate of a word a day.

Verga: Storia di una capinera (book cover)

 

___________

 

The next new word in the text is ‘tentare‘.

My dictionary gives this as:

tentare (vt.) = to attempt, to try, to experiment, to lure, to tempt

tentare is the infinitive (infinito) form of the verb.

 

 

___________

Here is an example:

tentare un nuovo metodo = To try a new method

 

 

___________

 

The story so far

Original text:

Storia di una capinera

Avevo visto una povera capinera chiusa in gabbia: era timide, triste, malaticcia ci guardava con occhio spaventato; si rifuggiava in un angolo della sua gabbia, e allorché udiva il canto allegro degli altri uccelletti che cinguettavano sul verde del prato o nell’azzurro del cielo, li seguiva con uno sguardo che avrebbe potuto dirsi pieno di lagrime. Ma non osava ribellarsi, non osava tentare . . .

My translations:

Story of a blackcap

I had seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: it was timid, sad, sickly it watched us with terrified eye; taking shelter in a corner of its cage, and when it heard the joyful song of the other small birds that were singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed them with a gaze that one would have been able to say to oneself, full of tears. But she dared not rebel, she dared not try . . .

a ‘worked on‘ alternative:

I have seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: shy, sad and sickly, cowering in a corner of her cage, she watched us with terrified eyes and on hearing the cheerful sound of the other small birds singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed it with an expression that one could be persuaded was full of tears. But she dared not rebel, she dared not try .  .  .

 

 

___________

 

 

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

<<	Previous Italian Word of the Day: ribellarsi	Next Italian Word of the Day: rompere	>>

 

___________

My Italian word of the day: ribellarsi

La Parola del Giorno

I have set myself the challenge of translating ‘Storia di una Capinera’ by Giovanni Verga into English at the rate of a word a day.

Verga: Storia di una capinera (book cover)

 

___________

 

The next new word in the text is ‘ribellarsi‘.

My dictionary gives this as:

ribellarsi (v. rif.) = to rebel, to resist, to oppose, to rise up

ribellarsi is the infinitive (infinito) form of the verb.

 

 

___________

Here is an example:

La gente comincia a ribellarsi! = The people are starting to revolt!

 

 

___________

 

The story so far

Original text:

Storia di una capinera

Avevo visto una povera capinera chiusa in gabbia: era timide, triste, malaticcia ci guardava con occhio spaventato; si rifuggiava in un angolo della sua gabbia, e allorché udiva il canto allegro degli altri uccelletti che cinguettavano sul verde del prato o nell’azzurro del cielo, li seguiva con uno sguardo che avrebbe potuto dirsi pieno di lagrime. Ma non osava ribellarsi

My translations:

Story of a blackcap

I had seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: it was timid, sad, sickly it watched us with terrified eye; taking shelter in a corner of its cage, and when it heard the joyful song of the other small birds that were singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed them with a gaze that one would have been able to say to oneself, full of tears. But she dared not rebel

a ‘worked on‘ alternative:

I have seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: shy, sad and sickly, cowering in a corner of her cage, she watched us with terrified eyes and on hearing the cheerful sound of the other small birds singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed it with an expression that one could be persuaded was full of tears. But she dared not rebel

 

 

___________

 

 

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

<<	Previous Italian Word of the Day: osava	Next Italian Word of the Day: tentare	>>

 

___________

I giorni della settimana

La Parola del Giorno

 

 

 

I giorni della settimana

 

Three pieces of verse to help you remember the days of the week:

 

Buon Giorno, Lunedì;

come sta Martedì?

Bene, Mercoledì;

andiam da Giovedì

per dire a Venerdì

che bisogna che Sabato

si pensi alla Domenica.

 

 

—

 

 

Buongiorno signor Lunedì,

come sta il dottor Martedì;

è in casa il signor Mercoledì?

Dica per favore al signor Giovedì

che la signora Venerdì;

Sabato va da mamma Domenica.

 

 

—

 

 

Buongiorno Lunedì!

Come sta Martedì?

Molto bene, Mercoledì.

Vengo da Giovedi

Per dire a Venerdì

Che si veste Sabato

Per ballare fino a Domenica.

 

—

 

___________

 

 

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

<<	Previous Italian Word of the Day: non	Next Italian Word of the Day: storia	>>

 

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My Italian word of the day: osava

La Parola del Giorno

I have set myself the challenge of translating ‘Storia di una Capinera’ by Giovanni Verga into English at the rate of a word a day.

Verga: Storia di una capinera (book cover)

 

___________

 

The next new word in the text is ‘osava‘.

My dictionary gives this as:

osava (vt.) = he dared, she dared, it dared, one dared

osava is the 3rd person singular imperfect indicative (3° persona singolare dell’indicativo imperfetto) of the verb osare (to dare, to venture, to hazard)

 

 

___________

Here is an example:

non osava domandargli = he didn’t dare ask him

 

 

___________

 

The story so far

Original text:

Storia di una capinera

Avevo visto una povera capinera chiusa in gabbia: era timide, triste, malaticcia ci guardava con occhio spaventato; si rifuggiava in un angolo della sua gabbia, e allorché udiva il canto allegro degli altri uccelletti che cinguettavano sul verde del prato o nell’azzurro del cielo, li seguiva con uno sguardo che avrebbe potuto dirsi pieno di lagrime. Ma non osava

My translations:

Story of a blackcap

I had seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: it was timid, sad, sickly it watched us with terrified eye; taking shelter in a corner of its cage, and when it heard the joyful song of the other small birds that were singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed them with a gaze that one would have been able to say to oneself, full of tears. But she dared not

a ‘worked on‘ alternative:

I have seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: shy, sad and sickly, cowering in a corner of her cage, she watched us with terrified eyes and on hearing the cheerful sound of the other small birds singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed it with an expression that one could be persuaded was full of tears. But she dared not

 

 

___________

 

 

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

<<	Previous Italian Word of the Day: non	Next Italian Word of the Day: ribellarsi	>>

 

___________

My Italian word of the day: non

La Parola del Giorno

I have set myself the challenge of translating ‘Storia di una Capinera’ by Giovanni Verga into English at the rate of a word a day.

Verga: Storia di una capinera (book cover)

 

___________

 

The next new word in the text is ‘non‘.

My dictionary gives this as:

non (avv.) = not

 

___________

Here is an example:

non sono inglesi = they are not English

 

 

___________

 

The story so far

Original text:

Storia di una capinera

Avevo visto una povera capinera chiusa in gabbia: era timide, triste, malaticcia ci guardava con occhio spaventato; si rifuggiava in un angolo della sua gabbia, e allorché udiva il canto allegro degli altri uccelletti che cinguettavano sul verde del prato o nell’azzurro del cielo, li seguiva con uno sguardo che avrebbe potuto dirsi pieno di lagrime. Ma non

My translations:

Story of a blackcap

I had seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: it was timid, sad, sickly it watched us with terrified eye; taking shelter in a corner of its cage, and when it heard the joyful song of the other small birds that were singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed them with a gaze that one would have been able to say to oneself, full of tears. But not

a ‘worked on’ alternative:

I have seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: shy, sad and sickly, cowering in a corner of her cage, she watched us with terrified eyes and on hearing the cheerful sound of the other small birds singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed it with an expression that one could be persuaded was full of tears. But not

 

 

___________

 

 

___________

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

<<	Previous Italian Word of the Day: ma	Next Italian Word of the Day: osava	>>

 

___________

My Italian word of the day: ma

La Parola del Giorno

I have set myself the challenge of translating ‘Storia di una Capinera’ by Giovanni Verga into English at the rate of a word a day.

Verga: Storia di una capinera (book cover)

 

___________

 

The next new word in the text is ‘ma‘.

My dictionary gives this as:

ma (cong.) = but, however

 

___________

Here is an example:

mi piacerebbe venire ma non posso

=

I would love to come but I can’t

 

 

 

___________

 

The story so far

Original text:

Storia di una capinera

Avevo visto una povera capinera chiusa in gabbia: era timide, triste, malaticcia ci guardava con occhio spaventato; si rifuggiava in un angolo della sua gabbia, e allorché udiva il canto allegro degli altri uccelletti che cinguettavano sul verde del prato o nell’azzurro del cielo, li seguiva con uno sguardo che avrebbe potuto dirsi pieno di lagrime. Ma

My translations:

Story of a blackcap

I had seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: it was timid, sad, sickly it watched us with terrified eye; taking shelter in a corner of its cage, and when it heard the joyful song of the other small birds that were singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed them with a gaze that one would have been able to say to oneself, full of tears. But

a ‘worked on’ alternative:

I have seen a poor blackcap locked in a cage: shy, sad and sickly, cowering in a corner of her cage, she watched us with terrified eyes and on hearing the cheerful sound of the other small birds singing on the green of the meadow or in the blue of the sky, she followed it with an expression that one could be persuaded was full of tears. But

 

 

___________

 

 

___________

 

Vocabulary:

The vocabulary has been moved to its own page.

Please click here:

>>> * VOCABOLARIO * <<<

 

___________

 

Navigation:

<<	Previous Italian Word of the Day: lagrime	Next Italian Word of the Day: non	>>

 

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