Italian Pronounciations

[Elburn]

If you've seen The Untouchables, you'll know that I'm talking about. In the scene where Capone goes to the opera and sees Vesti la Giubba.

Now, the clown sings this:

Ridi Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!
Ridi del duol che t'avvelena il cor!

(Laugh loud, Pagliaccio, forget all of your troubles,
Laugh off the pain that so empoisons your heart.)

If any one with some Italian background could help me with the pronounciation of this part, that would be great (trying to learn from the singing is difficult).

-Stephen

[Theophylact]

Italian's an extremely phonetic language, with each vowel given its full value (so "duol" would be pronounced 'doo-ole", or "dwol"). But ""gl" is more like the "ll" in Spanish; it's pronounced "lyuh". And "c" before "e" or "i" is pronounced "tch", while "ch" before "c" or "e" is pronounced "k".

So it's "REE-dee, Pal-YATCH-yo, sool tuo a-MOR-ay in-FRAN-to; REE-dee del duol kay tav-el-AY-na il cor."

But I suggest you get a CD and a libretto and follow along; you'll learn it in no time.

[Elburn]

Thanks, that helps.

[wallie_x]

Italian pronounciation:

Spaceman: pronunciation: specimen
(with a fake Italian accent of course)

[Solid Snake]

Interesting thread, sorry to crap on it, but how do you pronnounce these Italian names:

Mercandetti
Cinardo

I'd hate to butcher a name.

[The_Saint]

Hey guys!!

Italian here! Native Italian, in fact my English is crap!

Anyway....

The phonetics given by Theophylact were correct. In Italian you pronounce every letter as it is written.

then Mercandetti = Mer-Kan-detti the a is an AH in English without the h. and the double tt is like the final T in That.

Cinardo=Chee-nar-do <-- Ch as in CHurch

The R in Italian is quite tricky. You have to let your tongue bounce very fast on you upper mouth.

All this would have been easier if I had a mike.

Any more question....well I`m here let me know.

(In fact I am also an Italian Tutor for my College so if you need lessons we can work out something! )

[Solid Snake]

Thanks a lot.

[The_Saint]

You`re very welcome. Always glad to see other people interested in my language.

[thekingofpain]

Hey wheres KDAB, got a wonderful nana that invites strangers like me over for incredible home cooking and linguistic lessons???

I need that :-)

[The_Saint]

you`re always welcome TKOP, just tell me when! You would not believe how good italian dishes can be!! you could gain weight like you never imagined!


KDAB is Daytona Beach, Florida.

I should change that, shoudn't I?