Corriere has recently run a poll on the most popular Italian words of 2007. The winner is "La Casta", the title of a book on Italian politicians by two Corriere journalists: the caste [plural] of the title refer to the strongholds of political power throughout Italy and the book reveals that Italian politicians cost more and enjoy more perks than any in Europe: The Presidential HQ costs more to run than Buckingham Palace, the Italian Parliament building is the most expensive to maintain in Europe and, most scandalously, after only 30 months of service, Italian parliamentarians are guaranteed a good pension once they are 60! No wonder Italians are the most disillusioned people in Europe when it comes to those who run their country.
Other words I like which appear in the list are "bamboccioni", a term coined by the economy Minister for the over-30s who will not leave the parental nest [-one is a suffix denoting "big"] and, at number 10, predellino, referring to the car running board from which the irrepressible [you have to hand him that!] Berlusconi announced the setting up of a new party.
Are there any new coinages or "words of the year" where you are?
12 comments:
we had 'k-rudd' a shortened version of kevin rudd's name, who was our opposition leader before our october elections here in aus, now he's the prime minister! oh and he also had kevin07 as his running slogan... i love the bamboccioni one, funny how so many of our 'ism's' are invented by politicians hey!
Amazing though that it still remains sucha strong world economy. Shows that pollies are unnecessary in the end.
You know I can't think of a single new word this year. I'll have to look out for what new words get added to the dictionary this year.
Happy New Year.
The only new word I've come across this year is "eeso" which is a horrible type of teenager.
I like the word "bamboccioni". I don't want my sons to leave home either, but then I guess they should have flown the nest by 30. I shouldn't make life so cosy for them perhaps.
I will keep thinking about the new words.
I'm sure they do ones in the Times/Guardian type papers... but these things are so ephemeral
I'll tell you one dead cert for 2007
(OK it's a phrase not a "word")
"fit for purpose"
that has been USED TO DEATH by politicians ... such saying baredly existed prior to last year
:->...
Hi, kyles. I didn't know about any of that so thanks for telling me. I am trying to sat the words to myself in an Australian accent to see how they sound! Hi, James - yes, the Italians always pull it off, whatever befalls them politically. Happy New Year to you, too, MJW. Let me know if you come across any! Hi, WW. That's a new one on me! Ciao, Ellee. I'm sure your sons don't want to leave the lovely home you have made for them - or you - well, not yet, anyway! Please let me know if you come across any new words. Ciao, Gleds. Yes, come to think of it, I've heard that a lot on Sky this year. Thanks.
I always use "Roger's Profanisaurus" for my new words...I'm not sure you'd appreciate my giving you a flavour of them on your blog though, WL....
Ciao, tin drummer. Oh, I don't know - it might liven the blog up a bit!
Sorry WL, I'm talking tripe. What I meant was "emo"
Well, I hadn't heard that one either, WW!
Here in the U.S. the word "sub-prime" has been declared the word of the year. As in, "sub-prime mortgage crisis."
I remember during the 2000 elections the word of the year was "chad," because everyone was talking about those silly little punch-holes in ballots (apparently they're called 'chads').
It's never a cool word.
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