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
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