That’s about as much Italian I’ve acquired. Courtesy of sharing too many showers standing next to, (not literally of course) many Frankie S woulda bea’s.
While we’ve been roaming, we’ve picked up many forgettable words. A few others will stay with us a little longer. Top of the list has to be “prego” (no, nothing to do with a knocked up woman – that has two “g”s). It seems you can use this word in multiple situations. A bit like the French n’est-ce-pas?, but much more fluid. Add “skooozy”, “grassy” (pronounced with a northern accent and a long “a”), “chinkwantachinkay” (this is a really confusing number – we never worked out what it was, but everything we ever bought seemed to contain this number, so we would just hand over the biggest note we had). The Italians seemed to use it loads in their everyday conversations too. They also use “si” a lot. It can mean more than just yes. They throw “si”around like confetti. (quite appropriate, eh?) And finally a word you see signed all over the place – “uscita”, but difficult to find one when you really need to. We discovered late on that the “sc” created the “sh” sound, so we became quite reticent to use it, even though asking “doe-vay uscita?” can be quite useful. With these few words the Italians start and end their gi-normously long conversations.
“Skoozy” – “Prego” – “Prego” – “Si?” – “Prego” – “uscita?” – “Si” – “grassy” – “Si” – “Prego” – “chinkwantachinkay” – “Si prego” – “Prego” – “chinkwantachinkay si prego?” – “si, chinkwantachinkay” – “si, grassy” – “si prego, si grassy! “ – “Prego si, chinkwantachinkay!!” – “Prego?” – “Prego grassy” – ” “Skoozy?” – “Si skoozy?” – “Si prego” – ” Grassy – prego?“ – “Prego” – “Grassy. Chow” – “Chow”
Did I forget to mention “Chow”. Saying that word, makes you feel sooooo Italian! You just have to remember not to add “baby”.
They add flavour too, to all of their conversations as a matter of course, with customary gesticulations. My favourite, the head bowing hands together praying motion. Like a Hindu subservient namaste. Yes, they really do do that. I think it means something like “Yea, so you gotta my little sister preggo, So youra granny ain’t gonna make ita through to tomorrowa”
“Grassy meelay” for joining with us on our travels again. And until the next time . . .
Chow Baby!!