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> Remembering What Italian Words Mean...
sneekymum
post Sep 28 2006, 09:31 AM
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Inspired by another thread where someone mentioned the difficulty of remembering what the Italian words mean I thought I'd share two I can help with...

Andante - I was told by my teacher to think of "holding hands" - "handante" while walking = at a walking pace.

Legato - think "leg wax"= smoothly

(my apologies to any Italian people reading this)

Can anyone add to this tiny list?
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Charlies Aunt
post Sep 28 2006, 09:41 AM
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QUOTE(sneekymum @ Sep 28 2006, 10:31 AM) *

Inspired by another thread where someone mentioned the difficulty of remembering what the Italian words mean I thought I'd share two I can help with...

Andante - I was told by my teacher to think for "holding hands" - "handante" while walking = at a walking pace.

Legato - think "leg wax"= smoothly

(my apologies to any Italian people reading this)

Can anyone add to this tiny list?


Staccato- short and detached- think "detached house"
Legato- smooth and joined- think "terraced houses" (Dotted crotchet- think "house and garage")
Fortissimo-loud, but not as loud as forte- think "forty something"
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sbhoa
post Sep 28 2006, 11:14 AM
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Isn't fortissimo louder than forte?
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Dulciana
post Sep 28 2006, 11:47 AM
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You can often make an educated guess at the main word if you remember the following (and if you have a basic understanding of Latin - that very under-rated subject! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) ). Looking at the score and hearing it in your head also helps sometimes in making a reasonable guess.

-issimo means very something
poco... means a little something
-ando is the Italian equivalent of -ing - so it's "doing something progressive" instruction rather than being a basic indication of tempo - i.e calando, accellerando, etc.
-etto means less so than the word would mean without the -etto at the end.
con means with (so the next word is a noun)
-ato is a past participle (the English word would end in -ed)

I'm sure there are more generalisations - that's what occurs to me now. What really stumps me is the German words! How can you remember something that you can't even pronounce! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
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Pixie*Porsche
post Sep 28 2006, 12:06 PM
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I am italian!! It's poulenc with his french thats the problem....and don't get me started on the german words!!
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Roseau
post Sep 28 2006, 12:26 PM
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When I was in the sixth form doing A level French I used to teach the piano to the daughter of one of my mother's friends. She was very impressed that I could speak French and Italian!
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JohnS
post Sep 28 2006, 01:09 PM
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One of my pupil's parents made me laugh inside a few months ago. I was testing the child's knowledge of Grade 1 Italian words and asked "cantabile." He said that he didn't know you pronounced it like that. He said "cant-a-bile" as it rhymes with "singing style"! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


Allegro: popular car when I was younger and it sort of went fast.

Allegretto: an estate allegro so it goes a bit slower.
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salrec
post Sep 28 2006, 01:27 PM
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For lento, one of my daughters always thinks of lentils swimming slowly around the soup . . .
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Charlies Aunt
post Sep 28 2006, 01:49 PM
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QUOTE(sbhoa @ Sep 28 2006, 12:14 PM) *

Isn't fortissimo louder than forte?


OOps Sorry- yes it is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)
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joyjoy
post Sep 28 2006, 01:55 PM
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When you come across 'moto' try thinking of the phrase 'Hello Moto' that often appears in a sponsor for films on TV. I tell my students to think of 'Hello moto', then think that is it normally a flip phone - therefore, they think of movement! Goes around the houses but it works!

Also, Giocoso - think of a pet, then think playful. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
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fsharpminor
post Sep 28 2006, 02:46 PM
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For years I used to think 'simile' meant 'smile' !
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Reverie
post Sep 28 2006, 04:10 PM
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QUOTE(JohnS @ Sep 28 2006, 02:09 PM) *

One of my pupil's parents made me laugh inside a few months ago. I was testing the child's knowledge of Grade 1 Italian words and asked "cantabile." He said that he didn't know you pronounced it like that. He said "cant-a-bile"

I used to think that's how it was pronounced (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) The real way sounds much nicer though.
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lizbun
post Sep 28 2006, 04:57 PM
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I only know 'allegro' and 'largo' and 'dolce'
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Rosemary7391
post Sep 28 2006, 06:58 PM
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It helps if you learn spanish. They're quite similar.
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La_Chopiniste_
post Sep 28 2006, 08:48 PM
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QUOTE(sneekymum @ Sep 28 2006, 09:31 AM) *

Inspired by another thread where someone mentioned the difficulty of remembering what the Italian words mean I thought I'd share two I can help with...

I think that was me... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
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