Anachronism, that username is funny, considering your first post in our forum replied to one 13 months old! Well, there's always something or someone new who will benefit! Welcome aboard!Anachronism said:This phrase does loosely translate to a common english expression of "Good Luck" or "break a leg" since it is often used as a theather expression. However, it does mean "into the mouth of the wolf". This is offered up to someone to instill courage, since they are about to attempt a task that is very noteworthy. The well wisher offers this to their colleague and the response to it is "crepi il lupo" "I shall eat the wolf"
nowall said:What should I reply to anyone who says to me: 'break a leg'?
corrections are always welcomed!![]()
Then why is the reply "crepi il lupo!"finalorbit said:These two twins later founded Rome and this is why "In Bucca Al Lupo" means best wishes or good luck.
I found this on the Internet carrickp. You may find it interesting.carrickp said:When I used to do opera this phrase was commonly used to mean "break a leg." Since it was "in bocca al lupo" instead of "in bocca del lupo" I always interpreted it (since it was aimed at me as a singer) as saying, "May you howl like a wolf" (like "break a leg," wishing bad luck so that good luck may actually result). What do you natives think of this? I've read all the stuff about Romulus and Remus and shepherds and whatnot, but I must say my interpretation makes more sense to me.
Charles Costante said:...as each departed late at night it was customary for their friends to caution them to 'beware of the mouth of the wolf' (in bocca al lupo) on the journey home, to which they boldly replied: 'crepi lupo' or simply "crepi'." Well, you had to be there to hear Gobbi's delight in recounting the story, but I have always taken his word for it. erivation of "In bocca al lupo"
finalorbit said:Grazie! But I kind of don't understand the conjugation of "crepi". Wouldn't "crepi" be the second person singular of Crepare? So it sounds like after a person is wished good luck he replies, "you kill the wolf"?
Am I translating too literally again?
Tommaso Gastaldi said:L'espressione è talmente vecchia che pare nessuno ne sappia esattamente l'origine.
In genere la versione più accreditata è quella che la fa' derivare da un augurio rivolto ai cacciatori. Il che e' parecchio plausibile.
Ecco un esempio riadattato di spiegazione:
<Il modo di dire in bocca al lupo viene dal gergo dei cacciatori ed equivale a "buona caccia!". Trovarsi in bocca al lupo,ossia vicino al lupo, per un cacciatore significava trovarsi nella condizione ottimale per ucciderlo, perciò l'espressione era da intendersi in forma di augurio. E l'uso vuole che a questo augurio non si risponda mai "grazie", bensì "crepi!", riferendosi ovviamente al lupo.>
Tommaso Gastaldi said:it's 3rd person conjunctive, referred to the wolf: "crepi" = "that it die" = "(I do hope) that it (the wolf) die"
Tommaso Gastaldi said:What about if I answered: "Thanks, I will do my best to break it!"?
Ian Tenor said:Dear Friends / Cari Amici -
Gli artisti in Italia, prima di andare sul palcoscenico fare un concerto, si dicano "In bocca a'l lupo" per augurarsi buona fortuna. Come si scrive, esattamente, quest'espressione ?
Stage and concert artistes have various ways of wishng each other well before performances. The use of "Good Luck" is avoided amongst English speakers since it is considered unlucky, and, at least in the USA, "Break a leg" is used instead.
In Italy, "In bocca a'l lupo" is used, to which the rply is "Crep il lupo", or just "Crepi ...".
I am not sure, however, that I am spelling these Italian expressions correctly. Can antyone please help ?
And, yes, I DO know the alternative involving "la balena" (the whale) ... !!!
E, si - conosco bene l'altra espressione chi fa refernz'alla "balena". Molto carino, questo ... !!!
Best -
Auguri - se posso dirlo senza pericolo ...
Ian
Ian Tenor said:Cara Emma -
Grazie per la tua risposta ... e che velocità !!!
"Tanta merda" ... Chequestaspiegazione affascinante.
In Francia, dove vivo, si dice, semplicemente , "Merde!" ... almeno che tu sia un tantino raffinato, allora piuttosto diresti "Toi-Toi" come dicono i Tedeschi.
Ian
diddue said:Ma come si risponde in Inglese? Break a leg.. Non si risponde?
Cristina
diddue said:Ma come si risponde in Inglese? Break a leg.. Non si risponde?
Cristina
uinni said:La risposta è:
"and a handful of shit!"
(come vedi torna fuori anche in inglese)
Basically..
"Crepi!" is also a common response, though I think this is southish Italy.
It's a good question... why being eaten by a wolf is?Okay... chiarimento per favore!
Anybody know WHY being in a whale's ass is good luck?