Origins of names as reported by Bill Bryson: Kennedy= ugly head, Campbell= crooked mouth. The same is equally true for other
languages : Gorky= bitter, Tolstoy=
fat, Macchiavelli= bad nail, Cicero= wart on the nose.
Did you know that Leonardo
DiCaprio was named while his pregnant mother was standing in front of
Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting at the Galleria degli Uffizi? It was then that she
first felt baby DiCaprio’s kick.
It is illegal to be a
prostitute in Siena, Italy, if your name is Mary.
Cappuccino (coffee)
derives from the Italian word cappuccino which means hood, which is itself
derived from Latin “cappa”. A properly prepared cappuccino leaves a brown ring
along the rim of the cup making it look like a capuchin (Franciscan monk) cowl.
Did you ever think why the
abbreviation for pound is “lb.”? Because
in ancient Rome the value of a sack of coins was determined by weight which was
measured in “libras”
Where does the term “paparazzi”come from?
This term was popularized by
Federico Fellini’s 1960 film “La Dolce Vita”.
One of the characters in the film is
“Signore Paparazzo”a tabloid photographer. Since then photographers who
stalk public figures and celebrities, such as athletes, politicians, actors, singers etc. are called “paparazzi”.
Don’t be surprised
In 2005 two etymologists from
Cornell University dedicated the names of 3 new beetles (roaches) to George
Bush, then President, Dick Cheney, Vice President, and Donald Rumsfeld, secretary of defense at the time. The 3 new species were given the names of
Agathidium bushi, Agathidium cheneyi, and Agathidium rumsfeldi.
For all lovers out there
A study done in England
reveals that kissing causes the brain
to release oxytocin, sometimes called bonding hormone. The study suggests that
more oxytocin release did make easier for men to relax and act more lovingly
toward their sexual partner.
Here a short list
of not too well-known and humorous
Italian sayings:
Ama il tuo
letto come te stesso. Love
your bed like yourself.
Quando ti
viene voglia di lavorare, metteti a sedere e aspetti che ti passa.
When you feel like
working, sit down and wait, it will pass.
Di troppo
riposo non è morto nessuno. Nobody
has ever died from too much rest.
Si nasce
stanchi e si vive per riposare. We are born tired and we live to rest.
Quello che ha
inventato la fatica è morto da un pezzo.
He who invented hard work died a long time ago.
Se vedi
qualcuno che si riposa aiutalo. If
you see somebody resting let him be.
Non fare oggi
quello che puoi fare domani. Don’t
do today what you can do tomorrow.
