To round off Silly Week, here are some strange - though sometimes very apt - Sicilian proverbs and idioms. To make it more interesting, I've turned it into a quiz so see if you can match the proverbs and idioms 1 - 6 with their meanings a - f. The answers are at the bottom of the post.
Proverbs
1. Cui sputa 'n celu, 'n facci cci torna.
2. Màritati e mùli hanu a stàri suli.
3. Unni ci sù vòsca ci su' lùpi e ùnni ci sù campàni ci sù buttàni.
4. L'amuri è comu 'n çiuovu, si 'u scippi ci rresta 'u pirtusu.
5. Sutta 'i linzola siemu tutti richi.
6. Cu' è fissa si ni stapi a sa casa.
a. We are all rich under the sheets.
b. He who spits towards the sky will get the spit back in his face [or "What goes round, comes round".]
c. Where there are woods there are wolves and where there are bells [ie., in towns] there are whores.
d. Let a stupid person be stupid at home [to protect him and save the family from shame!]
e. Love is like a nail - when you pull it out, you can still see the hole.
f. Married couples and mules need to be left alone [ because the married couple need time alone and if you leave a mule alone you can't get kicked!]
Idioms
1. Ti sienti tuttu carciuòfila.
2. Sunu tuttu amuri e bruoru di çiçiri.
3. Chiddu mi pari paliccu.
4. Ci puoi calari a' pasta!
5. Farisi cacari am mucca.
6. Hai 'i manu ri ricotta.
a. He looks like a toothpick [said of someone who is too thin or of someone whose opinion counts for nothing.]
b. You've got ricotta hands [said to someone clumsy].
c. You can throw the pasta in the pot [meaning you can count on something].
d. They're all love and chickpea broth [said of people who are lovesick].
e. You feel like an artichoke [said to someone who gives themselves airs].
f. To make someone defecate in their mouth [meaning to humiliate someone].
For answers, highlight the space below:
Proverbs: 1b; 2f; 3c; 4e; 5a; 6d. Idioms: 1e; 2d; 3a; 4c; 5f; 6b.
