I giorni della settimana – The Days of the week

Listen and repeat: Come ti chiami? Mi chiamo____________

Listen to the articles of clothing and repeat.

Listen to the colors and repeat.

Il Corpo Umano: Listen and repeat the following vocabulary.

Listen to the numbers, repeat and practice.

Try pronouncing the words on pg. 3 of your packet and then listen and repeat:

After listening to the song and reading the article, click here to answer questions about the Tarantella.

Dancing the Tarantella

Dancing the Tarantella Throughout history, dancing has been used as a way to celebrate, worship, uplift, and cure, and countries around the world have folk dances that tell stories and bring insight into its rich history. Italy is no exception, with dozens of beautiful folk dances created within its timeline. Of all the Italian folk dances out there, none are more notable than the Tarantella.

Today, if you mention the word “tarantella” in Italy, you might be met with descriptions of a frenzied wedding dance. But really, this folk dance has a much darker history spanning several centuries.

FROM A DANCE TO CURE

Also known as “the dance of the spider,” the Tarantella is derived from the Italian word tarantola, meaning “tarantula.” The tarantola gets its name from the town of Taranto in Puglia, where the bite of the local wolf spider (the tarantula) was widely believed to be highly poisonous and led to a condition known as “tarantism.”

Tarantism was an epidemic that swept through Taranto and other parts of Italy between the 15^th and 17^th centuries. According to legend, once bitten by a tarantula, the victim, referred to as the tarantata would fall into a fit in which she was plagued by heightened excitability and restlessness. Eventually, she would succumb to the condition and die.

The only cure, it seemed, was to engage in the frenzied dancing ritual of the Tarantella. Townspeople would surround the tarantata while musicians would play instruments such as mandolins, guitars, and tambourines in different tempos in search of the correct healing rhythm. Each varied beat would affect the tarantata, leading her to move in erratic ways in line with the tempo. Once the correct rhythm was found, the victim — dancing the Tarantella alone until exhausted — was thought to be cured, having “sweated out” the venom!

TO A DANCE TO COURT

As the passage of time faded the legend’s mystique, the Tarantella eventually transformed from a cure to a deadly disease to a couple’s dance — either a man and woman, or two women — performed at wedding ceremonies and other celebrations. In fact, the Tarantella is now considered unlucky by some to be danced alone.

With music written in a lively 6/8 time, this rapid whirling dance is characterized by light, quick steps, and flirtatious gestures between the two partners. Typically, the woman carries a tambourine, and her rapid movements are used as a way to excite her counterpart. On the other hand, the man’s movements are made to charm his partner with his agility and tenderness. Sounds suave, indeed!

Listen and repeat the colors.

Ascolta e impara. Listen and learn

I mesi dell’anno – The months of the year

Listen to the months of the year, repeat and practice

Listen to the following numbers 1 -30 and repeat.

Try pronouncing the words on pg. 3 of your packet and then listen and repeat:

La scuola: Listen, repeat and practice.

Listen to the days of the week, repeat and practice.

Let’s practice the parts of the body !

Location: Italy is a country in southern Europe. It is a boot-shaped peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea. Italy is bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia.

Capital: Rome is the capital of Italy.

Size: Italy covers 116,306 square miles (301,230 sq km), including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

Population: The population of Italy is about 57,634,300 (as of July 2000).

Flag: Italy’s flag is made of three equal-sized rectangles of red, white and green. The green is by the flagpole.

Other Countries Located Within Italy: San Marino is located within Italy near the eastern coast. The independent Vatican City (Holy See) is located within Rome.

Climate: Italy mostly has a mild, Mediterranean climate. The far north is cold and mountainous; the south is rugged, hot and dry.

Major Rivers: The major rivers in Italy are: the Po River (which flows from the Alps near the French border, through Turin, and eastward into the Adriatic Sea), the Arno River (which flows from the north-central Apennines, through Florence, and into the Tyrrhenian Sea), and the Tiber River (which flows from the north-central Apennines, south through Rome, and into the Tyrrhenian Sea).

Mountain Ranges: The Alps are a mountain range located along the north of Italy. The Apennines are another mountain range that runs through the center of Italy.

Highest Point: The highest point in Italy is Mont Blanc, in the Alps on the border of Italy and France. Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) is 15,770 feet (4,807 m) tall.

Lowest Point: The lowest points in Italy are at sea level (the level of the Mediterranean Sea).

Try to read the words on page 3 of your alphabet packet and then listen carefully to see if you have pronounced the words correctly.

Benvenuti alla classe d’italiano

9 Italian words used differently in English

Bimbo – The origins of the English expression ‘bimbo’ are Italian – but beware how you use the word in Italy. You may think that a bimbo is a rather unintelligent female, but Italians use the word to mean a very young male child.

Al fresco – In English we say “al fresco” to mean outdoors, for example “al fresco dining”. In Italian, however, “al fresco” means “in the open air” or “in the cool place” and conjures up images of shivering outside (“fresco” means cool or fresh). Worse still, “finire al fresco” means to go to prison. The correct translation would be “all’aperto”.

Latte – You may think this is the word for milky coffee – but try ordering a “latte” in Italy and you’ll get a shock. “Latte” is simply the Italian for milk – so the waiter will just give you a glass of milk. If you want coffee with it, then you’re better off ordering a caffè latte or a cappuccino.

Panini – In the US or the UK, a panini is a grilled sandwich. Not in Italy. There, panini is just the plural of sandwich (panino). So best to ask for a “panino tostato”.

Pepperoni – If you want a pizza covered in spicy salami, then don’t order a “pepperoni pizza” in Italy. “Peperoni” with two “p”s is just the plural for peppers in Italian. So ask for a pizza with “salame piccante” instead.

Confetti – If an Italian suggests eating confetti, don’t be alarmed. In Italy, confetti are sugared almonds. The word has been traced back to early 19th century Italy, when real or imitation sweets were thrown during carnivals. Meanwhile, if you ever want to buy a packet of those small pieces of coloured paper that are traditionally sprinkled over newly-weds, ask for “coriandoli”.

Stiletto – Be careful when boasting to your Italian friends about your brand new stiletto heels. In Italian, stiletto just means a small dagger. If you mean spiky high heels, however, say: “tacchi a spillo”.

Prosciutto – In England, prosciutto refers to raw, cured ham, also called Parma ham. In Italy, however, it’s just the general word for ham.

Expresso – This is a common mistake made by English speakers who just can’t get their heads round the Italian pronunciation of “Espresso”.

Listen carefully to the adjectives and repeat.

Let’s practice!

Listen carefully to the clothing vocabulary and repeat after me.

I giorni della settimana – Listen, repeat and learn the days of the week.