SILLY WEEK: QUIZ: SICILIAN PROVERBS - 5

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For Silly Week, I have chosen some proverbs which I hope will give you a laugh. For answers and explanations, you have to highlight the seemingly blank space under where it says, "Highlight below for answers" at the end of the quiz. One of the sayings below is an idiom rather than a proverb but I couldn't resist including it! Match the proverbs 1 - 6 with their meanings a - f:

1. Megghiu un colpu di balestra ca un colpu di finestru.

2. O ti manci sta minestra o ti jetti di la finestra.

3. Cui va a donni senza ninni, havi dittu: "Jitivinni".

4. 'Ntempu d'epiremia duttura in alligria.

5. Siri còmu a pèddi re cugghiùna.

6. 'A jaddina fà l'uovu e jaddu ci abbrùsca 'u culu.


a. When there's an epidemic doctors rejoice.

b. The hen lays the egg while the rooster has an itchy bum.

c. To be like the skin of the testicles [clingy].

d. He who goes to women without turkeys will be told to go away.

e. Either eat this soup or throw yourself out of the window.

f. It's better to be hit with a crossbow than a window.

Highlight below for answers and explanations: [There's something written below this - really, there is!]

1f, 2e, 3d, 4a, 5c, 6b. 1f. Because being hit with a window is humiliating! 2e. Means if you don't get used to little troubles, you'll have bigger ones later. 3d. [Not as daft as it seems]. The husband who comes home without meat for the wife to cook will be sent out again. 4a. Because the doctors get rich. [Shows Sicilian contempt for those who profit from others' troubles. ] 5c. Err.... 6b The person who does the work concentrates on what they are doing whilst the idler just criticises.