L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano T oday's word, anzi ( a n t s - e e ) i s a n i n t e r e s t i n g a n d versatile term we use a lot in every- day conversations. Etymologically, anzi origi- nates from the Latin word ante, which means "before" or "in front of," and was first attested in Italian during the 13th century. Its usage has been documented in various literary texts, indicating its integration into the language during the early stages of the Italian literary tradition. Over time, anzi has devel- oped a range of meanings and uses, making it a versatile connector in the Bella Lingua. For instance, it can serve to correct or contradict a previ- ous statement, similar to "on the contrary" or "actually" in English: if someone says, Pen- savo che il film fosse noioso, ("I thought the movie was boring") one might respond w i t h , N o , a n z i e r a m o l t o interessante, meaning "No, actually, it was very interest- ing." Anzi can also be used to e m p h a s i z e a p o i n t o r a d d information, akin to "indeed" or "in fact." For instance, È un bravissimo cuoco, anzi, il migliore che conosca, trans- lates to "He is an excellent 1 (you/tu) see 3 eight 7 (I) believe 8 (a plural form of) the 9 rain 13 he 14 (I) swim 16 hatred 17 things Using the provided meanings as clues, search for the appropriate Italian word in the grid 1 voice 2 two 4 (you/tu) cut 5 (he) hates 6 (they) ache; (they) hurt 10 beginnings 11 tall; high, elevated 12 where 15 gold c o o k , i n d e e d , t h e b e s t I know." In another context, anzi can introduce a clarification or reinforcement of a previ- ous statement. For example, Non è solo un buon amico, anzi, è come un fratello per me, which means "He is not just a good friend; in fact, he is like a brother to me." Anzi is a little, versatile word that allows us to seam- lessly connect thoughts, clari- f y m e a n i n g s , a n d a d d emphasis in our conversa- tions. It is an excellent exam- ple of how a single term can enrich the expressive capaci- ty of a language, and help s p e a k e r s a r t i c u l a t e t h e i r thoughts more precisely and dynamically. Non è vero che non gli piace. Anzi, lo adora! I t ' s n o t t r u e t h a t h e doesn't like it. On the con- trary, he loves it John è molto gentile, anzi, è la persona più gentile che conosca John is very kind, indeed, he is the kindest person I know N o n s o l o h a f i n i t o i l lavoro in tempo, anzi, lo ha consegnato in anticipo Not only did he finish the work on time, in fact, he sub- mitted it early LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Anzi: a word of many meanings (Photo: Diego Vito Cervo/Dreamstime) 1 one 2 car 3 to look 4 home 5 to turn 6 hand 7 to hold 8 man 9 woman 10 girl 11 head 12 table 13 face 14 two 15 to drink 16 three 17 to run A C R O S S D O W N ITALIAN WORD SEARCH The solution to these word games will be available on the next edition. Games courtesy of Lexis Rex

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