Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Some Italian false friends...

As promised to edevils, here's some common false friends I heard while
working in Puglia last month, visiting schools and talking to hundreds
of adults and children who were learning English. (This is offered in
the context of my own very low-level Italian, so apologies for mistakes
- but I'm learning!). I'm sure some of these will already be very well
known to the group...
OK, starting with a big one: 'Ciao' can mean 'hello', but 'hello'
doesn't always mean 'ciao'. Students I meet regularly say 'hello' as
they *leave* the interview room. Ciao can be for meeting *and* parting;
'hello' is only ever used when people meet.
'In front of' and 'opposite' are not the same thing - 'opposite'
suggests a static face to face relationship - ('di fronte'?); 'in front
of' refers to  (possibly moving) objects facing in the same direction
('davanti'?). I don't fully understand the relationship between 'di
fronte' and 'davanti', but the confusion students have with the English
pair suggests this isn't an exact match - so we hear things like 'the
blue car is opposite the red car'.
This one is not unique to Italian English learners, but is common......
cucina doesn't always = kitchen. So we get *"my favourite food is the
Italian kitchen' Of course, the *room* where people cook is a kitchen,
but the English word for characteristic regional food style is 'cusine'
- 'I love French cusine'.
While we're in the kitchen, another false friend that's not unique to
Italian speakers - in fact many learners of English from around the
world do this - is sometimes mixing up the words 'kitchen' and
'chicken' *'I live in an appartment with two bedrooms, a living room
and a chicken'. It can be hard to keep a straight face when students
come out with this one...
Unlike 'ragazzi', 'boys' are always male. Teachers often say 'the boys
are waiting for you' when, of course, there are students of both sexes.
Also in school, a 'classroom' is a physical room in a school, not a
group of students. I often hear *'my friend is in the same classroom as
me'. At least in British English, that should be 'the same class'.
One I heard a couple of times and am confused about was 'hypermarket'.
A 'hypermarket' is a bit of an outdated term now (at least in BrE) - it
sounds a bit 1970s or 80s - but it referred to a big, out of town
supermarket. There's plenty of those in Italy, but these students were
referring to city centre shops where you might buy clothes or CDs on a
Saturday trip into town - *'I love shopping in Bari because there are
lots of hypermarkets there'. Maybe that should be 'department store'.
Hmm.
Those are the ones I remember - what I really need is a list of false
friends for English-speaking learners of Italian...
ciao for now
DC
-- 

 of' refers to  ... objects facing in the same direction ...
Nice list, but I want to point out that the 'objects' don't need to be facing 
in the same direction.
She stood in front of me, gazing into my eyes with a look that said, "i've 
really missed you."
-- 
Joey from NY

 DC
"Actually" is not "attualmente" (at the moment), "a parent" is not "un 
parente" (a relative), "brave" is not "bravo", "eventual" is not 
"eventuale" (possible, potential), "a factory" is not "una fattoria" (a 
farm), "fabric" is not "fabbrica" (factory), "canteen" is not "cantina" 
(cellar), "pepperoni" is not "peperoni" (peppers), "confetti" is not 
"confetti" (sugar-coated almonds), "library" is not "libreria" (book 
shop or bookcase), "preservative" is not "preservativo" (condom), 
"morbid" is not "morbido" (soft)... and many many others!

 I guess it's because of the French gastronomic supremacy.
Oh, now it's clear. You're kidding! ;)))
-- 
Bye, Lem
Ceterum censeo ISLAM esse delendum
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 Oh, now it's clear. You're kidding! ;)))
A me non piace, ma così è tradizionalmente considerata.

 DC
-- 
groetjes Renée
The way to know life is to love many things.
 Vincent van Gogh

 DC
-- 


 the railway station" and "The church is opposite the railway station".
IMHO the choice can be made depending on ones point of view.
If you're standing on the street between the two, the church is opposite the 
station. (And vice-versa.)
If you're standing by or behind the church, the church is in front of the 
station.
If, on the other hand, you're standing by or behind the station, etc. etc.
-- 
Joey from NY

 are waiting for you' when, of course, there are students of both sexes.
In compenso, "guys" che una volta penso fosse solo maschile (cf. "Guys
and chicks") adesso lo sento usare riferito a gruppi misti più o meno
tutti i giorni, e qualche volta l'ho anche sentito riferito a gruppi
di sole donne.

 di sole donne.
Si' si', si usa anche se ci sono solo femmine.


Fighting will not be my destiny :P



Credo che l'unico limite sia che si applica a un gruppo, ma non a una 
singola donna.
Ovvero, un uomo può essere "a guy", a un gruppo di uomini si può dire 
"guys", idem a un gruppo misto o anche a un gruppo di donne, ma una  
singola donna non viene detta "a guy".

 non viene detta "a guy".
depends on what she looks like....
-- 
groetjes Renï¿œe


 Fighting will not be my destiny
Ma a volte anche la "lotta" può essere elegante. ;)))
http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/2291215/7192279
Occhio, anzi orecchio! La comprensione precisa di alcuni passaggi di 
questa sigla mi pare davvero difficile per chi non sia madrelingua.


 questa sigla mi pare davvero difficile per chi non sia madrelingua.
E visto che ormai son lanciato sulle sigle dei cartoni animati:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_BqFPbPdf8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsBb1MOuJYk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAsyWN_7X14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJMM87_Wkrw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4qoj_ZYtTQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI8O1YfOqv8
Per ora può bastare. ;)


 depends on what she looks like....
LOL! :D

 Per ora può bastare. ;)
Se dice che cartoni animato sono per i bambini, ma molti di questi sono 
violenti.


 are waiting for you' when, of course, there are students of both sexes.
Anyway, as far as I know, it's common for a group of female friends to
call themselves "guys", even if they're indeed all women.
Would this occur also for the term "boys"?
Ciao,
 Luigi

):

No. 'Guys' works, but 'boys' doesn't.
-- 
Joey from NY

 depends on what she looks like....
LMAO!

 Would this occur also for the term "boys"?
Only if a grown-up was talking to a group of (only) boys.  That's when I 
would expect to hear that.

 many others!
Brilliant - some of these I knew, but by no means all... 'morbid
cheese' always makes me laugh... 'cantina' is curious, because I'd
guessed it was similar to Spanish 'cantina'. There's a historic site in
Barletta called the Cantina della Sfida - now the name makes sense to
me. And I learned about confetti on my trip in November, when someone
offered me some!
DC
--