Pâques
Notwithstanding ankles that looked as though lemons had been sewed under the skin, I had one of the loveliest Easters I've ever known. I hope that your long-weekend finale was sweet, too - if not quite "shiveringly delicious," as Nicole Kidman's character puts it in Fliriting (which I saw for the first time tonight, thanks to Ms NOLA). Can anybody tell me why Ms Kidman made this move as a supporting actress two years after she'd starred as the only woman in a cast of three (Sam Neill, Billy Zane), for the scariest movie ever made, Dead Calm?
Even though nobody is interested anymore (I hope), here is my take on the Terri Schiavo case: Skee-ah-voe. The Italian for slave, not that that means anything, since her name was Schindler, which means, I suppose, roofer in German, since a Schindel is a shingle. Whatever else the case amounted to, it put an absolute end to my patience with the mispronunciation of Italian names. Italian-Americans: have you no pride? If you've gotten used to the Americanized version of your name, then be effing American and change the spelling! ("Chimento" for Cimento. I hate this when I see it on the moving vans, but at least I know that "Chimento" non si dice in italiano.) Baritone Thomas Meglioranza's post on how he has decided to say his own name all'italiana decided me: this is a major issue! Cimento, by the way, means struggle.
And while we're at it, the leader of all the Russias is Vlah-DEE-mir Poo-TEEN. If Putin means something in Russian, I don't know what it is, but I do know that the American newscaster's habit of rhyming it with "shootin'" is meant to be disrespectful, like a junior-high boys' joke. Meant.
Comments
Oh, you've awakened almost fond memories of Bush le pere's good friend "SADD-um." Forget that Schiavo is her married name. That it means "slave" is rivetingly relevant. Mispronunciation trumps presumptive diminution of a proper name for disrespect, but not by much, Bob. Love, Sue
Posted by: Susan | March 28, 2005 08:41 AM
Heh, I knew how to pronounce "Schiavo," but was ignorant that it meant "slave."
Amusingly, in German, Geisel (as in Theodore, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) means "hostage."
Posted by: Max | March 29, 2005 03:44 AM
Further on the language issue, I am always amused when French people call Passover "Pâques juive", because the etymology of pâques is from the Hebrew pessach, which is, of course, Passover.
Posted by: Max | March 29, 2005 04:09 AM
"Paschal" is a term that pops up often in Catholic texts, most often in connection with "lamb" - Christ as the Passover offering. There is also the Paschal candle that burns throughout the forty days of Lent.
This is all further evidence that early Christians saw themselves as the New Jews, replacing those who didn't believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Theirs was not a new faith but an old faith reborn. What is it about Christianity that lends itself to fevers?
Posted by: R J Keefe | March 29, 2005 09:58 AM
Yes, my mother and I once shared a good laugh about the paschal lamb, represented by Americans eating "paschal ham." Here in NZ, to nobody's surprise, they appear to eat the lamb.
Posted by: Max | March 30, 2005 03:25 AM