Sunday, June 20, 2010

English as she is spoken in Italy

I was browsing through this guide aimed at assisting Italian students with the essay-writing section of their school-leaving examinations, and was very amused to come across a list of 'English Terms in use in the Italian Language.' Amused? Yes, because some of these supposed English terms mean something quite different in Italian. Some of them I've never even heard in English.

For example, whilst studying in Rome I knew that the English word 'badge' was used to denote what we'd call an ID Card. I also knew that a Pullman was neither an atheist writer nor a a railway sleeping car, but meant a motor coach. The list on the linked document allows me to add the following:
Big mo - Short for 'big momentum' or popular enthusiasm
Big one - A $1,000 bill
Boomerang - An adult who returns home to live with parents
Boxie - A bottle blonde. (A loxie is a natural blonde, apparently.)
Buzz book - A book which has created quite a stir
Gadget - A marketing term meaning homage/tribute (Really? This seems to make very little sense)
Mooch - One susceptable to being defrauded (An easy mark?)
Muppie - A Middle-aged Urban Professinal (Older than a yuppie)
Pumpkin time - A Cinderella reference... the time when the fairytale comes to an end, and things return to normal
Shout show - The kind of chat-show where guests shout at each other
Now, maybe one or two of those terms are used occasionally by real English speakers, but most of them just make me wonder how these supposed English language terms worked their way into Italian.