Monday, 10 March 2014

CLAUDIAPEDIA_Italian lessons _Metamorfosi (English)


ClaudiaPEDIA

Italian apple: one a day keeps the teacher away

The Italian word of the day is METAMORFOSI (not an easy one!).

Metamorfosi (singular, feminine noun, invariable). English correspondence: Metamorphosis.
Origin: this word derives from ancient Greek μεταμόρϕωσις > μεταμορϕόω «to transform». It consists of two parts: μετα- «meta-» e μορϕή «forma»
Definitions: in the classic mythology, in fairy tales, and literature it represents a supernatural transformation of a being or an object into something different. For example, from a human being into a tree.

Later, it started being used to indicate any type of change, alteration, variation.

So far, so good! But, how can an Italian in Canada apply this word to a real context?

As an Italian who moved to Canada you know that a Metamorfosi is happening when:

1)      You start saying, “Hi, how are you?” without waiting for the other person to answer


2)      Your daughter starts changing the entire structure of a sentence. For example, la mia amica che mi piace giocare con - instead of la mia amica con la quale mi piace giocare -  and you actually understand her!


3)      When the temperature reaches 3˚C, after a winter spent below 15 minimum, and you actually think something like, “Ohhhh, what a warm day today!”
 

4)      You stop turning your nose up in front of anything edible whose name ends with “parmigiana”. For example, chicken parmigiana, cotoletta parmigiana, mushrooms parmigiana, gelato parmigiana (for this, just kidding!). When I arrived it sounded like everything was parmigiana

 
5)      You stop wearing jeans – even the most elegant ones – to go to a job interview

 
6)      You randomly use your track pants to go to the supermarket and not necessarily to the gym

 
7)      You keep two different types of coffee at home (espresso and American), and you actually drink both, one after the other


8)      You start packing your gifts using fancy bags full of overflowing colorful paper sheets as if you wanted to keep secret the most amazing gift ever, and it’s actually a gift card  “only”


9)      You say something like, “Ohhhh, it’s soooo cute!” even when you don’t think so, but for some reason your brain disconnected from your tongue! But, it was not a stroke!

 
10)   You start looking for a human being line wherever you are, or you actually stop where a red line is on the floor telling you “wait your turn here” and NOBODY is before you!


If you can relate yourself to one of the ten descriptions, my friend, then La Metamorfosi è cominciata (Metamorphosis has started), and there’s nothing you can do about it…

Enjoy the ride!
 
(The following is a video suggested by a friend...)
 

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