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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Italian word of the day: ‘Coprifuoco’

This medieval word is back on everyone's lips in the time of Covid-19.

Italian word of the day: 'Coprifuoco'
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash

Today's word is one you'll recognise from Italian headlines: coprifuoco, 'curfew'.

It literally means 'cover fire', from the verb coprire ('to cover') and fuoco, 'fire'.

And in fact so does our English equivalent, it's just slightly harder to see the roots. We took our word from the Old French 'couvre-feu' ('cover fire'), which mutated into 'curfew'.

All three versions refer to the same tradition: in medieval times, a bell would be rung in the evening to remind townspeople to put out the fires burning in their hearths before they went to bed, to prevent sparks catching while they slept and setting the entire neighbourhood ablaze.

The signal became known as a 'cover fire'.

In the centuries that followed, by extension, the term applied to any warning that it was time to return home and get to bed.

Until recently, most people had probably only ever received such warnings from parents.

Non vengo al pub, mia madre ha messo il coprifuoco.
I'm not coming to the pub, my mum set a curfew.

But in recent days, curfews have become official orders. At least three regions of Italy have declared coprifuochi (plural) in response to a steep rise in coronavirus infections.

In Lombardia da giovedì ci sarà il coprifuoco dalle 23 alle 5.
In Lombardy from Thursday there will be a curfew from 11pm to 5am.

Per chi dovrà uscire durante le ore di coprifuoco sarà necessaria un'autocertificazione.
Those who have to go out during curfew hours will need a self-certification form.

Just like the original version, this latest curfew isn't just for your own benefit, it's to protect your neighbours too. That's worth a few early bedtimes, isn't it?

Do you have a favourite Italian word you'd like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.

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ITALIAN WORD OF THE DAY

Italian word of the day: ‘Rimorchiare’

Here's an Italian word you'll want to pick up.

Italian word of the day: 'Rimorchiare'

If you’ve ever studied for your foglio rosa (provisional driver’s licence) exam in Italy, you’re sure to have come across the word rimorchio (trailer).

Theory test T/F question: ‘The width of the trailer must never exceed that of the vehicle pulling it.’

Credo che dovremo noleggiare un rimorchio per trasportare tutta la merce.
I think we might need to rent a trailer to transport all the goods.

And rimorchiare, along with the more formal trainare, means to haul or tow.

La barca è stata rimorchiata a riva.
The boat was towed to shore.

But rimorchiare isn’t just used to talk about vehicles. It also means to pick or chat someone up, or hook up with them.

Sono usciti per rimorchiare.
They’ve gone out on the pull.

Se n’è appena andata con un tipo che ha rimorchiato.
She just left with some guy she picked up.

A rimorchiatore is a tugboat, but can also mean a player/persistent flirt, and rimorchione/a also describes someone who’s constantly chatting people up.

got talent nina GIF by Italia's Got Talent

In some parts of the country, meanwhile, you might hear someone described as a provolone – a big tryhard or wannabe player.

That’s a wordplay based on the reflexive verb provarci, meaning ‘to try it on with’, and the famous Italian cheese. 

È un gran provolone ma non riesce mai a rimorchiare.
He’s a real tryhard but he never manages to pull.

Do you have a favourite Italian word or expression you’d like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.

Don’t miss any of our Italian words and expressions of the day: download our app (available on Apple and Android) and then select the Italian Word of the Day in your Notification options via the User button.

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