Coppolina

babysnakes

New Member
USA - English
Hello International friends!

I am a 4th generation Italian/American - my mother's grandparents came here in the late 1800's. When I was a child, my grandmother would use a few idiomatic Italian words and phrases, that still seem to crop up in my vocabulary even after all these years. One word that has I've never forgotten is what she called the knit caps that we wore in the winter. She called them "cupolines", which I'm guessing probably means "a small cupola, or roof"? I haven't found it in any conventional Italian translation guide, however a teacher of Italian in a nearby school has said that probably makes sense. Well, those types of hats are all the rage with our teenage children, and I just can't help but call them "cupolines"! My kids think I'm nuts! But I kind of like using my grandmother's word after all these years. Whenever I see any of my cousins now, we reminicence about our wonderful grandmother and laugh about her the so-called Italian words, wondering if they were real words. I'd love to tell them what I've discovered! Any thoughts?
 
  • Coppola: berretto di panno con visiera, usato specialmente in Sicilia (cloth peaked cap, especially used in Sicily)

    Coppolina or coppoletta mean "little coppola"

    Try google that ;)
     
    Thank you SilviaP! You are very helpful! Can you translate the Einstein quote at the bottom of your reply for me? I've tried a few translation services, but the reply is always:

    "Only two things are infinite, the universe and the human stupidity, and they are not sure of before."

    Unfortunately the last few words do not make sense in the context of the quote. And now I am very curious!
     
    babysnakes said:
    Thank you SilviaP! You are very helpful! Can you translate the Einstein quote at the bottom of your reply for me? I've tried a few translation services, but the reply is always:

    "Only two things are infinite, the universe and the human stupidity, and they are not sure of before."

    Unfortunately the last few words do not make sense in the context of the quote. And now I am very curious!
    the right translation is:"Only two things are infinite, the universe and the human stupidity,and I'm not sue of the second one"(I'm not sure if the second one is true)
     
    mimitabby said:
    don't you mean, i'm not sure of the first one?
    Errata corrige:"Only two things are infinite, the universe and the human stupidity,and I'm not sure of the first one"
    excuse me for the stupid thing I wrote before, but, you know...this morning I did a hard exam and...I'm still confused!:rolleyes:
     
    alfry said:
    souldn't we use "former and latter" when there are only two choices?
    how do you do?
    icon10.gif
    I come always next! and with the same response!
     
    dalila said:
    icon10.gif
    hey, non prendertela,ok? è solo una constatazione!I like joking!
    icon10.gif
    e perchè dovrei, non hai fatto nulla di male!
    sei entrata nello spirito del forum.
    Cerchi di aiutare e di imparare.
    Visto il periodo di nervosismo postnatalizio le persone come te non possono fare altro che bene.
    Se a volte ci sovrapponiamo non fa nulla. Si impara sia con pareri concordanti che discordanti.
     
    Friends - this one is easy, since the original english quote is available. The popular (if not true) quote is, "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

    BTW, I have never heard a rule that first and second must be former and latter with only two possibilities.
     
    alfry said:
    Si impara sia con pareri concordanti che discordanti.
    I love this line, I may use it as my signature one day! I will cite you as the original author, of course. Imagine, I'd be going from Kipling to Shaw to Alfry :D
     
    lsp said:
    I love this line, I may use it as my signature one day! I will cite you as the original author, of course. Imagine, I'd be going from Kipling to Shaw to Alfry :D
    this would be too much for me....
    and a sacrilege for Kipling and Shaw!

    no problem, anyway; there is no copyright for that sentence;)
     
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