More unusual Italian words...

[MarcuccioV]

AngelaGrace56,

Here are a few more words for you to ponder from my grandmother's "parlata burina": Her term for bleach was 'varechina' -- while it translates, it appears to be uncommon parlance today, and none of our Italian family friends used the term and seemed confused when she said it. Another is 'cocozza' -- we used it for zucchina -- it appears to be of more common use in Sicily. The third is a pronunciation -- we always used 'melangiane' for eggplant (rather than melanzane), and this also appears to be of Sicilian origin.

As I've noted before, DNA points to deeper maternal line roots from the Agrigento & Messina regions...

[PippoM]

Hi Mark,
in family, we still say "varechina" or "varecchina", though "candeggina" seems to be more "modern".
"cocozza" is used in a lot of dialects for pumpkins and/or zucchini; if you say "cocozza" I think everybody will understand what you mean, in Central/Southern Italy.

[MarcuccioV]

Hi Mark,
in family, we still say "varechina" or "varecchina", though "candeggina" seems to be more "modern".
"cocozza" is used in a lot of dialects for pumpkins and/or zucchini; if you say "cocozza" I think everybody will understand what you mean, in Central/Southern Italy.

Pippo, I find it funny that none of our paisani used varechina. Our Barese neighbors just said "medicina"...

[MarcuccioV]

Hi Mark,
in family, we still say "varechina" or "varecchina", though "candeggina" seems to be more "modern".
"cocozza" is used in a lot of dialects for pumpkins and/or zucchini; if you say "cocozza" I think everybody will understand what you mean, in Central/Southern Italy.

Pippo, I find it funny that none of our paisani used varechina. Our Barese neighbors just said "medicina"...

Also, in thinking about it, we used the pronuciation that sounded more like "cuguzza"...

[AngelaGrace56]

AngelaGrace56,

Here are a few more words for you to ponder from my grandmother's "parlata burina":

Her term for bleach was 'varechina' -- while it translates, it appears to be uncommon parlance today, and none of our Italian family friends used the term and seemed confused when she said it.

“varechina” I don’t recall the word being used. My mother called bleach by its trade name which sounded Italian anyway, so was very easy for her to say.


Another is 'cocozza' -- we used it for zucchina -- it appears to be of more common use in Sicily.


“cocozza” – I’m remembering what sounded like “na cucozza” to be a pumpkin, which is what Pippo has basically also said. Not sure the “a” at the end was pronounzed. (I’m sure we pronounced it “gugozz” though, similar to what you have also said.)

(Courgettes, however, we call “zucchini” which kind of makes sense since if a zucchini was allowed to grow into a big vegetable it would become a marrow (“zucca”?) We never called marrows zucca though.

The third is a pronunciation -- we always used 'melangiane' for eggplant (rather than melanzane), and this also appears to be of Sicilian origin.

Eggplants - we call them "muleniaam" - not sure of the exact spelling.

As I've noted before, DNA points to deeper maternal line roots from the Agrigento & Messina regions...

Thank you for the opportunity to "ponder". I do it a lot. (I think it's my gifting. )

BTW What exactly is your definition of "parlata burina"? I know that you and Pippo have mentioned this at times on the forum and I don't know exactly what you are saying.

Angela

[MarcuccioV]

AngelaGrace56,

Here are a few more words for you to ponder from my grandmother's "parlata burina":

Her term for bleach was 'varechina' -- while it translates, it appears to be uncommon parlance today, and none of our Italian family friends used the term and seemed confused when she said it.

“varechina” I don’t recall the word being used. My mother called bleach by its trade name which sounded Italian anyway, so was very easy for her to say.


Another is 'cocozza' -- we used it for zucchina -- it appears to be of more common use in Sicily.


“cocozza” – I’m remembering what sounded like “na cucozza” to be a pumpkin, which is what Pippo has basically also said. Not sure the “a” at the end was pronounzed. (I’m sure we pronounced it “gugozz” though, similar to what you have also said.)

(Courgettes, however, we call “zucchini” which kind of makes sense since if a zucchini was allowed to grow into a big vegetable it would become a marrow (“zucca”?) We never called marrows zucca though.

The third is a pronunciation -- we always used 'melangiane' for eggplant (rather than melanzane), and this also appears to be of Sicilian origin.

Eggplants - we call them "muleniaam" - not sure of the exact spelling.

As I've noted before, DNA points to deeper maternal line roots from the Agrigento & Messina regions...

Thank you for the opportunity to "ponder". I do it a lot. (I think it's my gifting. )

BTW What exactly is your definition of "parlata burina"? I know that you and Pippo have mentioned this at times on the forum and I don't know exactly what you are saying.

Angela

Angela, "parlata burina" I guess you could say is "backwoods" talk (sort of like "hillbilly" here in the USA). No one in my grandmother's family prior to her (including her older sister) were literate. One of the reasons I bring up these linguistics is because in my genetics there exists deeper-rooted Sicilian (confirmed by DNA matches and mtDNA) that I can't attach a paper trail to. I have found some videos of comparisons to Italian/Sicilian words and much of the "parlata burina" tends to lean more Sicilian than Roman (our family commune is outside of Rome). All these clues lead me to believe there were a family (or group) of Sicilians that (possibly over generations) made their way up to central Lazio, bringing some of their lingo with them...

[AngelaGrace56]

Angela, "parlata burina" I guess you could say is "backwoods" talk (sort of like "hillbilly" here in the USA). No one in my grandmother's family prior to her (including her older sister) were literate. One of the reasons I bring up these linguistics is because in my genetics there exists deeper-rooted Sicilian (confirmed by DNA matches and mtDNA) that I can't attach a paper trail to. I have found some videos of comparisons to Italian/Sicilian words and much of the "parlata burina" tends to lean more Sicilian than Roman (our family commune is outside of Rome). All these clues lead me to believe there were a family (or group) of Sicilians that (possibly over generations) made their way up to central Lazio, bringing some of their lingo with them...

Okay Mark, thanks for explaining. I shall ponder on ....

Angela

[AngelaGrace56]

(Courgettes, however, we call “zucchini” which kind of makes sense since if a zucchini was allowed to grow into a big vegetable it would become a marrow (“zucca”?) We never called marrows zucca though - a marrow - maybe you call them "long zucchini"? we called (sounds like) "gugguziell"

Angela

[AngelaGrace56]

.... All these clues lead me to believe there were a family (or group) of Sicilians that (possibly over generations) made their way up to central Lazio, bringing some of their lingo with them...

Could very well be. I don't really know enough about this to comment. I know you have had your DNA tested at various places, what about contacting some of your DNA matches with Sicilian DNA, if you haven't already done so. You just might just get a break through (hopeful here).

Best to you.
Angela

[MarcuccioV]

.... All these clues lead me to believe there were a family (or group) of Sicilians that (possibly over generations) made their way up to central Lazio, bringing some of their lingo with them...

Could very well be. I don't really know enough about this to comment. I know you have had your DNA tested at various places, what about contacting some of your DNA matches with Sicilian DNA, if you haven't already done so. You just might just get a break through (hopeful here).

Best to you.
Angela

I may try, although most (like me) don't have very deep or extensive trees... I have researched as deeply as possible into some of them, but with no luck (thus far)...

[AngelaGrace56]

All the best with that, Mark. (Really frustrating I know, but .... Miracles do happen. )

Angela

[gemmalyly]

AngelaGrace56,

Here are a few more words for you to ponder from my grandmother's "parlata burina": Her term for bleach was 'varechina' -- while it translates, it appears to be uncommon parlance today, and none of our Italian family friends used the term and seemed confused when she said it. Another is 'cocozza' -- we used it for zucchina -- it appears to be of more common use in Sicily. The third is a pronunciation -- we always used 'melangiane' for eggplant (rather than melanzane), and this also appears to be of Sicilian origin. smash karts

As I've noted before, DNA points to deeper maternal line roots from the Agrigento & Messina regions...

Why it’s unusual: It’s a playful way to describe that post-pasta nap urge, a universal experience with a uniquely Italian label.