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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Italian word of the day: ‘Focolaio’

This topical word will help you make sense of Italy's headlines.

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

Many of us might never have learned the word focolaio if it weren't for the coronavirus pandemic.

The word comes from the Latin focus, meaning 'fireplace' (the same root gave Italian its word for fire, fuoco). So un focolaio is quite literally 'a hotspot'. 

In molte regioni italiane sono stati accertati negli ultimi giorni diversi nuovi focolai di coronavirus.
New coronavirus hotspots have been identified in several Italian regions in recent days.

Doctors use it figuratively to describe the main site of a disease or injury.

il focolaio infettivo
the centre of infection

il focolaio di frattura
the fracture site

By extension, it's also used for the place where something – usually bad – begins, like a 'hotbed' or 'breeding ground'.

un focolaio di rivolte
a hotbed of revolt

un focolaio di corruzione
a breeding ground for corruption

Since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, focolai (plural) have made their way into Italian headlines as people hunt for details of each new flash point.

While the term really refers to a place or site, in this context it's sometimes easier to translate it as 'outbreak' or 'cluster'.

'C’è un nuovo grosso focolaio nel mantovano'
'There's a large new outbreak near Mantua' – a recent headline in Il Post.

Find out where Italy's latest focolai have been identified in this article.

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.

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