- JUNE 2013 -
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Dialect Proverbs
If a “poor man” falls ill there’s no hope
by Alberto Sobrero La malattia de lu villanu dura vintiquattr’oreA lla sira lu dottore, a lla mane lu Signore
[The illness of a peasant lasts for twenty-four hours
In the evening the doctor, in the morning the Lord]
(Salento) June 2013
The harsh law of hunger
by Alberto Sobrero Ci me dae mmangiareChiamu tata
[The one who feeds me
I shall call him “Dad”]
(Salento) April 2013
Our first lesson in life? In a nursery rhyme
by Alberto Sobrero Lu piccineddu miu, quandu nascìuLu Papa a Roma la missa cantàu
Nu panarieddu de denaru nchìu
E allu piccinnu miu li lu donàu
[When my baby was born,
The Pope in Rome sang the Mass,
He filled a basket with money
And offered it to my child]
(Salento) March 2013
Man and woman: an old proverb – incredible! – is in favor of equality. As far as hitting each other is concerned…
by Alberto Sobrero Marìte me sinde, mugghière te songheMazzate me dà, mazzate te donghe
[You are my husband, I am your wife
Blows you give me, blows I give you]
(Northern Puglia) January 2013
Women? Witches who lead you to the gallows To be used for love and child-bearing
by Alberto Sobrero La fèmmene fasce la forche e u uòmmene se mbbènne[Women get the gallows ready and men get strung up]
(Northern Puglia) November 2012
Marriage: what a sentence for men!
by Alberto Sobrero U prim’anne ’nzerateO malate o ’ngarciarate
[In the first year of your marriage
You are either sick or locked up]
(Puglia settentrionale) October 2012
Women “diabolical carriers of perdition”
by Alberto Sobrero La fimmena tene quatte pannèrecarcere, malatì, forche e galère
[Women have four banners / jail, sickness, the gallows and prison]
(Known all over Puglia) July 2012
Women Closer to the devil than to holy water
by Alberto Sobrero La fimmana ricca è uziosaLa piccula è vizziosa
La bbedda è vvanitosa
La bbrutta è ffastiddiosa
[Rich women are lazy / Small women are vicious / Beautiful women vain / And ugly ones annoying]
(Salento) June 2012
The longstanding diffidence of the people towards “the caste”
by Alberto Sobrero L’abbucatu è ccomu lu préviti,ti tutti tiémpi, méti
[The lawyer is like the priest / in all seasons he reaps]
(Taranto) May 2012
A playful rhyme for the bitter fatalism of underlings
by Alberto Sobrero Lu patrunu de campagnacu arti e cu ngannu
campa mienzu annu
e cu ngannu e cu arti
campa l’atra parti
[The landowner/with art and deceit /gets by for half the year/ and with deceit and art/ gets by for the rest]
(Salento) April 2012
The over-privileged who wield the money: a never-ending story
by Alberto Sobrero Ci maneggia fisteggia[Life is a party for those who control the money]
(Salento) March 2012
That hateful prejudice towards anyone different
by Alberto Sobrero Ddiu li sègna, e tu javìtili![God marks them out, and you avoid them]
(Taranto area) February 2012
The power of the poor
by Alberto Sobrero Ttre su’ lli putentilu rre, lu papa, e cci nu ttene gnenti
[Three men are powerful / the king, the Pope, and the man who has nothing]
(Salento) January 2012
If “you add a place at the table”…
by Alberto Sobrero Ennusce che téicheca menge che méiche
[Bring something with you / and come eat with me]
(Bari area) December 2011
The unwritten laws of social injustice
by Alberto Sobrero A purtè respétte a-u chéne d-u patrune[The master’s dog must be shown respect]
(Bari area) September 2011
The arrogance of the flea-man
by Alberto Sobrero Quannu la pulice se vitte a la farinadisse ca era capu mulinaru
[When the flea found itself in the flour / it said it was the master miller]
(Salento proverb known all over Puglia in slightly differing versions) July 2011
Authority and subjects A relationship without hope
by Alberto Sobrero Patre e patrone / sampe lore hann’avè ragione[Father and master / they will always be right]
(Capitanata) June 2011
Fatalism of the weak
by Alberto Sobrero Sorte noscia! – tissi la cozza – Cinca passa ne scafazza[Oh woe is me! – said the snail – Everyone that passes by tramples me underfoot]
(Salento) May 2011
