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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Italian word of the day: ‘Qualunquismo’

Politics? Yeah, whatever.

Italian word of the day: 'Qualunquismo'

If you're past caring about the latest political goings-on, this word is for you.

As a pejorative, the word qualunque can be translated as “whatever”.

And the related noun qualunquismo means an attitude of distrust, scepticism, defeatism and apathy  – something like “whateverism” or “meh-ism”.

 

But it's not plain old indifference, because there's a heavy note of contempt.

That might explain why it's so often used in relation to politics.

Qualunquismo is a word for feeling fed up, when you've had it up to here, and can't stand the sight of something (usually politicans) for a minute longer.

It's the attitude of “they're all the same, so what's the point?” that so often stops people from voting in elections. It's sometimes translated as “everymanism”.

You pronounce it kwal-un-kwiz-mo.

READ ALSO: Ten untranslatable words that only exist in Italian

While this word often pops up in writing about former Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, the word can be traced all the way back to 1946 and the right-wing populist, monarchist and anti-communist party, the Fronte dell'Uomo Qualunque (The Everyman's Front).

Formed just after the Second World War, the party apparently offered an “apolitical” alternative to both fascism and anti-fascism, at a time when Italians had heard more than enough about both.

This particular movement was short-lived, but it seems the attitude it embodied has lived on.

By extension, a person who feels a lot of qualunquismo is a qualunquista.

The word is a cousin of menefreghismo, a rather dark word that could be translated as “not-giving-a-damn-ism.”

Qualunquismo isn't a word you'll hear very often, but if you do find a reason to use it you'll no doubt impress your friends and surprise your Italian teacher.

If you care about that.
 

Do you have an 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.

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