Time for nougats, merry lights, and much deserved rest.
Magically here is also il Giornalino Natalizio (the Little Christmas Journal), a fun enrichment of the Italian language and culture even during the holidays.
In it you will find stories, quizzes, riddles, proverbs and more to enjoy a bit at a time or all in one breath.
You can browse the pages in company or alone, sipping a hot chocolate or mulled wine.
After a year of commitments and frenetic races, it’s nice to sit and breathe holding il Giornalino Natalizio and not think about anything!
Mi è giunta la notizia di tre racconti vagabondi quest’estate…per la precisione sono racconti scritti da tre autori italiani superlativi che hanno segnato la storia della letteratura italiana del XX secolo.
A questo punto ti starai chiedendo: “Ma chi saranno questi tre?” E va be’, te lo rivelo! Sono Natalia Ginzburg, Gianni Rodari e Italo Svevo. Tre autori diversi tra di loro sia per genere letterario che per stile di scrittura.
Scopri alcune chicche su di loro facendo questo quiz:
Quanto conosci questi 3 autori italiani?
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Entra nel Circolo Letterario Italiano dell’Estate.
Quale di questi autori italiani è di origini ebraiche?
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Natalia Ginzburg è nata a…
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Quali di questi libri non è stato scritto da Italo Svevo?
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Gianni Rodari diceva che con un po’ di esercizio è possibile prendere lezioni di ottimismo anche da
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Era anti-fascista e nel 1983 viene eletto/a nelle liste del Partito Comunista Italiano al Parlamento
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«Andrà lontano? Farà fortuna? Raddrizzerà tutte le cose storte di questo mondo? Noi non lo sappiamo, perché egli sta ancora marciando con il coraggio e la decisione del primo giorno. Possiamo solo augurargli, di tutto cuore: – Buon viaggio!»
(Gianni Rodari, Il giovane gambero, da “Favole al telefono”)
Alla salute e alla lettura!
Mirella
“La bella al davanzale” 1971 | “Chi mi guarda?” 1972 Gianni Rodari
The news of three wandering short stories has come to my attention… to be exact they are stories written by three outstanding Italian authors that have marked the history of Italian literature of the twentieth century.
At this point you must be wondering: “Who are these three?” OK, I’ll reveal them! They are Natalia Ginzburg, Gianni Rodari and Italo Svevo. Three authors that differ both for literary genre and for writing style.
Check out some goodies about them by doing this quiz:
How much do you know these three authors?
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Question 1 of 7
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Which of these Italian authors is of Jewish origins?
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Natalia Ginzburg was born in …
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Gianni Rodari was one of the greatest writers of
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Who was the English teacher of Italo Svevo?
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Which of these books was not written by Italo Svevo?
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Gianni Rodari said that with a bit of exercise you can take lessons in optimism from
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He or she was anti-Fascist and in 1983 was elected in the lists of the Italian Communist Party to Parliament
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“Will he go far? Will he be lucky? Straighten all the wrongs of this world? We do not know, because he is still marching with the courage and the determination of the first day. We can only wish him, with all our heart: – Have a good trip! ” (Gianni Rodari, The young shrimp, from “Fables on the phone”)
Ho buone notizie! Come ti avevo accennato poco tempo fa, mi diverte molto creare animazioni e ho quindi deciso di unire l’utile al dilettevole.
Allora ecco “Il Quizino” (la “z” ha un suono forte), una serie di animazioni di grammatica italiana che sicuramente non ti faranno sbadigliare mentre impari la lingua, ma al contrario, ti divertirai anche studiando cose complicate.
In questo primo video metterai alla prova le tue conoscenze verbali e precisamente il participio passato di tre verbi irregolari.
Dopo il quiz fai pratica creando delle frasi e non dimenticarti di condividerle nei commenti!
La prossima settimana arriverà il secondo video!
Buona visione e felice studio!
Mirella
I have good news! As Imentionedrecently,I really enjoycreatinganimations, soIdecided to combinebusiness with pleasure.
Here’s “Il Quizino”(the “z” hasastrong sound), a series ofanimated quizzesofItalian grammarthatdefinitelywill not make youyawnwhile you learnthe language, buton the contrary, you’ll have funalso studyingcomplicated things.
Inthis first video you will testyour verb skills andpreciselythe past participleof threeirregular verbs.
After the quiz practice making sentences and don’t forget to share them in the comments.
Il tempo vola! Sono tornata in Italia all’inizio di ottobre e il Bel Paese mi ha regalato il clima invernale più mite che avrei mai potuto sognare. In puro stile italiano ho mangiato, appena raccolti dall’orto di mio padre, tanta frutta e verdura, ho fatto viaggi a Roma, Torino e in magici paesini sconosciuti. Ho anche contemplato le nuvole durante i temporali e dopo il funerale del mio caro zio, un promemoria per apprezzare ogni momento, e amare sempre al massimo.
In tempi come questi la mia creatività raggiunge il picco, quindi sono molto felice di presentarti il mio canale YouTube dove creerò animazioni in 2D e 3D, una delle mie passioni, in combinazione con la lingua italiana. Spero che ti piaceranno!
Il mio primo video è un semplice Augurio Natalizio per ringraziarti del tuo appoggio e per augurarti tutta la felicità che meriti. Credo che a qualsiasi età e ovunque ci troviamo nella vita, i sogni possono diventare realtà!
Con Affetto,
Mirella
Il tempo vola! Time flies…I’ve been back in Italy since the beginning of October and il Bel Paese has gifted me with the mildest winter weather I could dream of. In pure Italian style I’ve been eating, fresh from my Dad’s vegetable garden, orto, lots of vegetables and fruits, enjoyed trips to Roma, Torino and to magical unknown towns. I have also been contemplating the clouds during rain storms, and after the funeral of my dear uncle, a reminder to appreciate every moment, and to always love to the fullest.
In times like these my creativity peaks so I’m very happy to present to you my YouTube channel, where I’ll be creating animations in 2D and 3D, one of my passions, in combination with teaching Italian. I hope you enjoy them!
My first video is a simple Holiday Greeting to thank you for your support and to wish you all the happiness you deserve. I believe that at any age and anywhere you are in life, dreams can come true!
In this guest post Dianne Hales, author of “La Bella Lingua”, tells us how her new book about La Bella Mona Lisa came to life. At the end of the post you can challenge your knowledge of Mona Lisa with a little quiz that Dianne and I have created for you.
“Earlier Version” and the Louvre Mona Lisa – courtesy of the Mona Lisa Foundation
Her name seduced me. The first time that I heard “Mona (Madame) Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo”— many years after I first beheld Leonardo’s portrait in the Louvre — I repeated the syllables out loud to listen to their Italian sounds. Immediately I felt a surge of curiosity about the woman everyone recognizes but hardly anyone knows.
After falling—happily, gladly, giddily—in love with Italian many years ago, I became just as enamored with the life and times of a true Fiorentina, a daughter of the Renaissance, a merchant’s wife, a loving mother, an artist’s muse and, in her husband’s words, “a noble spirit.” Somehow it seemed only natural to go from a passion for la bella lingua to a quest for una bella donna.
On the trail of Lisa’s story, I followed facts wherever I could find them. I sought the help of authoritative experts in an array of fields, from art to history to sociology to women’s studies. I delved into archives and read through a veritable library of scholarly articles and texts. And I relied on a reporter’s most timeless and trustworthy tool: shoe leather. In the course of extended visits over several years, I walked the streets and neighborhoods of Mona Lisa’s Florence, explored its museums and monuments and came to know—and love—its skies and seasons.
Mona Lisa, I discovered, was a quintessential woman of her times, caught in a whirl of political upheavals, family dramas, and public scandals. Descended from ancient nobles, she was born and baptized in Florence in 1479. Wed to a truculent businessman twice her age, she gave birth to six children and died at age sixty-three in 1542.
Mona Lisa’s life spanned the most tumultuous chapters in the history of Florence, decades of war, rebellion, invasion, siege — and of the greatest artistic outpouring the world has ever seen. Her story creates an extraordinary tapestry of daily life in a vibrant city bursting into fullest bloom.
Five centuries after Mona Lisa Gherardini’s death, the world remains eager to learn more about her. Amazon.com chose my book, Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered, published by Simon & Schuster, as one of the “best books of the month” for history and for biography and memoirs. BBC read episodes on the radio for its “Book of the Week” program. CNN and USA Today selected it as one of their “hottest reads” of the summer. Reviewers have praised it as “entertaining,” “enthralling,” “vivid and accessible” and “lyrical.” BRIDES magazine included it on its list of “10 most-read books for your honeymoon.” “Anyone who loves Italy and art—and who doesn’t?—will adore this book,” predicts Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun.
I hope that all of you who love Italian will enjoy this new journey of discovery!
Dianne Hales
Dianne Hales is a prize-winning, widely published journalist and the author of MONA LISA: A Life Discovered. In recognition of her previous book, La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Enchanting Language, as “an invaluable tool for promoting the Italian language,” the President of Italy conferred on Dianne the highest honor its government can bestow on a foreigner, the title of Cavaliere dell’ Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity.) You can follow her prize-winning blog on Italy’s language and culture at www.becomingitalianwordbyword.typepad.com and new blog on discovering Mona Lisa at www.monalisabook.com
QUIZ:
10 Facts You May Not Have Known about Mona Lisa
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La misteriosa Mona Lisa is less mysterious now!
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“Mona”—spelled “monna” in modern Italian—means “Madame,” a respectful title for married ladies.
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“Mona”—spelled “monna” in modern Italian—means “Madame,” a respectful title for married ladies.
Question 2 of 10
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Where was the Mona Lisa first hung?
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The Mona Lisa was first hung in a French king’s bathing salon. King Francis I, Leonardo’s last patron, bought the portrait for the equivalent of $10 million and hung it in the royal bathing suite at the Palace of Fontainbleau, where the high humidity damaged and dulled its colors.
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The Mona Lisa was first hung in a French king’s bathing salon. King Francis I, Leonardo’s last patron, bought the portrait for the equivalent of $10 million and hung it in the royal bathing suite at the Palace of Fontainbleau, where the high humidity damaged and dulled its colors.
Question 3 of 10
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How old was Mona Lisa when she was wed?
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Mona Lisa was a teenage bride who was wed at age 15 in an arranged marriage to Francesco del Giocondo, a prosperous merchant almost twice her age.
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Mona Lisa was a teenage bride who was wed at age 15 in an arranged marriage to Francesco del Giocondo, a prosperous merchant almost twice her age.
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What was Mona Lisa’s last name?
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Her last name was Lisa Gherardini. She was a real women who descended from a proud, ancient clan who once were rich and powerful Tuscan knights and barons.
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Her last name was Lisa Gherardini. She was a real women who descended from a proud, ancient clan who once were rich and powerful Tuscan knights and barons.
Question 5 of 10
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Leonardo
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Art historians believe that he kept refining and embellishing the painting long after he began the work in 1503. Leonardo kept Lisa’s portrait with him until his death in 1519.
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Art historians believe that he kept refining and embellishing the painting long after he began the work in 1503. Leonardo kept Lisa’s portrait with him until his death in 1519.
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What does “Gioconda” mean?
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Gioconda” means the happy one—a nickname given to the great grandfather of Lisa’s husband, a barrelmaker so merry that all his descendants inherited his nickname. Italians call the Mona Lisa “La Gioconda” as a play on her husband ‘s name and the descriptive for a smiling or jovial woman.
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Gioconda” means the happy one—a nickname given to the great grandfather of Lisa’s husband, a barrelmaker so merry that all his descendants inherited his nickname. Italians call the Mona Lisa “La Gioconda” as a play on her husband ‘s name and the descriptive for a smiling or jovial woman.
Question 7 of 10
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How many daughters did Mona Lisa have?
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She had three daughters—one died at age two and two entered nunneries.
Mona Lisa gave birth to six children—three boys and three girls—and acquired a stepson from her husband’s first marriage.
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She had three daughters—one died at age two and two entered nunneries.
Mona Lisa gave birth to six children—three boys and three girls—and acquired a stepson from her husband’s first marriage.
Question 8 of 10
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Which art historian wrote a biography of Leonardo and his Mona Lisa?
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Giorgio Vasari’s account of the Mona Lisa comes from his biography of Leonardo published in 1550, 31 years after the artist’s death, and which has long been the best known source of information on the provenance of the work and identity of Leonardo.
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Giorgio Vasari’s account of the Mona Lisa comes from his biography of Leonardo published in 1550, 31 years after the artist’s death, and which has long been the best known source of information on the provenance of the work and identity of Leonardo.
Question 9 of 10
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Who commissioned the painting of The Mona Lisa?
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Leonardo undertook to paint, for Francesco del Giocondo, the portrait of Mona Lisa, his wife.
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Leonardo undertook to paint, for Francesco del Giocondo, the portrait of Mona Lisa, his wife.
Question 10 of 10
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Who inherited The Mona Lisa when Leonardo died?
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On his death the painting was inherited, among other works, by his pupil and assistant, Salaì.
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On his death the painting was inherited, among other works, by his pupil and assistant, Salaì.
Join the ITALIANO ALLA MANO club for weekly study plans, learning materials and tips:
Chi lavora con le sue mani è un lavoratore. Chi lavora con le sue mani e la sua testa è un artigiano. Chi lavora con le sue mani e la sua testa ed il suo cuore è un artista. ~ San Francesco D’Assisi
He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist. ~ St. Francis of Assisi
Buona festa del Papà to my father, a hard worker, a craftsman and an artist.
March 19 is St. Joseph (San Giuseppe) in Italy where it is celebrated as Father’s Day because San Giuseppe was un uomo e padre fantastico! A man that talked little and worked a lot, respected women, escaped oppression, followed his dreams, and provided for his childrens’ future.
In the painting Felice Giani humanizes the religious theme of the Holy Family where St. Joseph in his carpenting shop lovingly fills a jug of wine from a large barrel. In the background you can see his work table on which lay his working tools.
San Giuseppe is a role model. A man who interprets the messages of his dreams and puts them into action. He first marries his girlfriend who is pregnant of a child that is not his own, sheltering them from contempt and a merciless punishment. He then carries out his second dream. He emigrates to a foreign land to escape the rule of a tyrant, and thus saves the future of his child. At last, after having rasied and taught his son a job, he realizes that at twelve years of age he is capable of dealing with the alleged wise men of the country. At this point his tasks are complete and he retires to the sidelines without honors or rewards. With a father like that no wonder (non cè da meravigliarsi) Gesus became a hero!
It may also be that San Giuseppe taught him the importance of languages and communication which I’m sure came in very handy as the saviour (il salvatore).
When my father emigrated to Canada he actually learned how to speak English fairly well compared to his brothers, setting an example for his children about the importance of learning and improving.
And talking about hard work…I know that when it comes to languages lots of work is required including tongue-twisters (scioglilingua), a useful tool to improve pronunciation and fluency. So here’s a popular Italian tongue-twister…at two different speeds.
How fast can you say it without stumbling?
Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa.
What do you do when everything is going wrong? (quando tutto va storto) In Italy we laugh to keep from crying! (ridiamo per non piangere) Armed with a sense of humour, everything is easier even after the heavy storms that flooded many Italian cities this past week, among which the capital (la capitale), whose manholes (tombini) haven’t been cleaned since the Roman Times! (dai tempi dei Romani).
But with Carnevale approaching we are reminded that in Italy comedy and drama go hand in hand. An example of this is La Commedia dell’Arte, a colorful theatrical art form which began in the 16th century. What made it so special was that there was no need for spoken language (la lingua parlata), therefore all social classes, regions, dialects came together and enjoyed the comic plots based on skillful mime, stereotyped stock characters, masks, physical gestures, improvised dialogues and clowning. Some of the characters that reigned La Commedia dell’Arte are: Arlecchino, Columbina, Pulcinella, il Dottore, il Capitano and Pantalone.
However, if you’re lucky to be in Italy in February/March, don’t miss (non ti perdere) some of the most famous carnivals which are held in Venice, Viareggio, Ivrea, Cento, Gabettola and Acireale.
And don’t forget to carry some Italian expressions of laughter with you!
What’s your favourite expression? Try making a sentence!
1) morire dal ridere – laugh to death
2) ridere a crepapelle – laugh out loud
3) sbellicarsi dal ridere – crack up laughing
4) ridere sotto i baffi – to snigger
5) schiantarsi dal ridere – to knock yourself out laughing
6) ridere di cuore – laugh wholeheartedly
7) ridere alle spalle – laugh at someone’s back
8) ridere con gusto – laugh with gusto
9) ridere da pazzi – laugh like crazy
10) ridere per non piangere – laugh to keep from crying
It’s Christmas! 
