Translations

OK, here's a compilation of most of the Italian I use in the story. None of it is essential, just interesting, and I would have put it in the text, but it took away from the story. Not all of this is gramatically correct, but it is what Italians say, so if you're studying the language and it seems strange, just bear with me, because I'm an American living in Rome, and you do pick this stuff up.

  • Pronto - literally, ready, but it's used instead of hello when answering the phone
  • Calcio - soccer, guys play a game called calcetto soccer on a small court.
  • Ciao - informal hello or goodbye
  • Sono io - literally, I'm me, but It's me
  • Va bene - OK
  • Certo - certainly, sure
  • bar - a cheap cafe type thing where you can get food, coffee, and wine. You don't go there to drink.
  • calzoni - bread pockets with cheese, proscuitto, sauce, sausage, whatever in them.
  • proscuitto - Cured ham that is sliced really thin and incredibly good, there are a bunch of different kinds, and I don't think anybody's tried them all!
  • tramezzini - thin, big, flat sandwiches on really soft bread
  • crochette - deep fried potato thingies
  • Mi Dio - Oh god
  • Dove Siamo - Where are we
  • Non lo so - I don't know
  • C'è carnivale? - Is it Carnival? They dress up for carnival (Mardi Gras) kinda the same way we do for halloween
  • capisce - You understand?
  • Basta cosí - Stop it already.
  • Mama Mia - yes, they do actually say this. Literally, my mother, but I think it's a Marian reference.
  • Pronunciation Guidelines:

    You don't have to read this, but it will help, and you'll be able to impress all your friends with your command of Italian, the language of love. ^_~

    • c - when followed by 'i' or 'e' becomes 'ch', otherwise always 'k', so C'è is pronounced 'che' and the word che (what) is pronounced 'keh'. If there's an h after the 'c' it makes it 'k'; crochette is pronounced 'kroketteh'
    • e - always pronounced 'eh'
    • i - pronounced 'ee'
    • sc - when followed by 'i' 'e' or 'u' is 'sh', otherwise 'sk' as with 'ci' or 'ce' an 'h' nullifies it.
    • z - always pronounced 'ts'; tramezzini is 'trah-mets-eenee' *Yeah, I know it looks funny when I write it!*

    Also, here's the disclaimer for the whole story:

    Kel & co. belong to Tamora Pierce, but Raecla Domenico, Luisa Rodriguez, Rob Kerrigan, and Marco Mattiuzzo belong to me, Adoracia. Use them without my express permission and I'll sic Robbin, the god of zany writers; Xerox, the god of office equipment; and Clarissa, the goddess of schizophrenic novelists, on you! Mwahahaha, see if you can stand up to that!

    And by the way, the mention of 'Pixie' refers to a super caffineated sugary drink created by Meghanne called Pixie Light. That belongs to her and was invented in either Shang Visitors or Shang Returns, I can't remember.

    ~ Adoracia