Che Bella Figura!
Subtitle: The Power of Performance in an Italian Ladies' Club in Chicago (S U N Y Series in Speech Communication)
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Published: June 1999
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 160
ISBN-13: 9780791440926
Subjects: Association: clubs, societies; Ethnic studies; Women's studies; Social conditions; Italian Americans; Social Science; Women's Studies - General; Sociology; USA; Social life and customs; Minority Studies - Ethnic American; Italian American women; Chicago; Illinois; Societies and clubs
Description: Literally translated, fare bella figura means "to make a beautiful figure," and figuratively it refers to the act of putting on a good show, performance, or display. The author uncovers the "real rules" of an Italian "ladies" club by analyzing their language and behavior. In so doing, she gives examples of the historical and linguistic importance of this concept, as well as its potential for cross-cultural misunderstanding.