Household Sayings
Fichidini.
Fruit.
Means prickly pears, an edible cactus fruit. Tough to harvest. Delicious to eat. See the About page and this article for more.
La Famiglia.
The apex of life.
Means “the family,” of course. My family photos, dating back nearly 100 years, inspired this website and the work-in-progress novel “You’re in America Now.”
Parla como mangi.
Mild admonishment to speak plainly.
Literal translation: “speak like you eat”.
American translation: stay solid; keep it real.
Alza il culo e andiamo!
Command.
Get off your ass, and let’s go!
Dove c'è Dio, c'è pace.
Blessing.
Meaning: “Where there is God, there is peace.” An Italian ceramica plaque with this saying hung above our kitchen sink.
Chiù niuri ri mezzannotte nun pò fari.
Encouragement
It literally means, “it can’t get any darker than midnight.” In English you might say “things can only get better.”
Lui cervellu non pigghia abbastanza aria bona.
Insult.
Attributes a tall person’s poor judgement to the thin air he breathes at lofty heights, whether by altitude, power, or arrogance. Translates as, “his brain can’t get enough oxygen.”
L’ amuri è come a tussi…nun si po ammucciari.
Truism.
Love is like coughing… you can’t hide it.
