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Author: Tony
Born and raised in Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Educated at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England. Living in the foothills of Mount Etna since 1982 and teaching English at Catania University since 1987. View all posts by Tony
Living with such an old (better: ancient) housemate can be extremely useful; you can get first-hand information about past events.
PS: why are British people so fond of ghost stories? Because of the fog? Italy is a sunny place, so, could ghosts feel uneasy?
Could ghosts feel uneasy? Well, it’s an interesting theory, Giuseppe. Perhaps you should do some serious research?
Thanks, Tony; I have found something in my memory. As a child, I lived in a village in the center of Sicily. My friends and I, in disguise, used to knock on our neighbors’ doors during the celebration of our deceased relatives, asking for presents left by them for us. Why were our ancestors kind and protective, while Halloween dead people are scary and give gifts only under threat? Different traditions reveal different education approaches.
Maybe that explains why I decided to settle in Sicily?
Sicilienness hardly ever let talented people leave.
😂👍
Ahaha, what a cute little ghost!
Delightful, isn’t he?
Really hilarious 💐
😂👍
274 years old? Wow, we are plenty of exercise and good die-t there!!!
Especially the die-t!
But why “we are”?
I tried to translate an Italian saying word-for-word, but it probably doesn’t work in English…
In modo informale, da noi si usa enfatizzare una situazione “inusuale” con un “Siamo”…
Ad esempio: vado in un ufficio qui al lavoro dove dei colleghi stanno chiacchierando o comunque “bighellonando”, entro e dico “Siamo pieni di lavoro qui!” per sottolineare in modo più o meno scherzoso che non stanno lavorando…
In poche parole ho cercato di enfatizzare il fatto dei 274 anni, che non è una cosa “usuale”, e probabilmente in inglese non funziona…
It’s complicated. It is possible in English, but you can’t follow “we are” with “plenty”, as it would mean “siamo abbondanti”!
Tu come diresti, Tony?
Without “we are”. 😉
Soccia!
A very British response! 😉
“soccia” is an extremely vulgar exclamatory where I live.
From what I understand, a lot depends on how it is said and in what circumstances, as is so often the case with this kind of “exclamation” (“exclamatory” is an adjective).
🙂
Oh my gosh, where do you live, Giuseppe?
I live near Bologna, where people know that exclamation’s real meaning. Do you know it?
I live in Bologna, Giuseppe, where I was born a long time ago… It’s not an extremely vulgar exclamation, believe me, at least it’s not worse than ‘tortellini’…
Very nice…
😉👍