La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Enchanting Language
Where to buy La Bella Lingua: My Like Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Delightful Language books online?
- ISBN13: 9780767927703
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
“Italians say that a name who buys a new language ‘possesses’ it. In my case, Italian possesses me. With Italian racing like blood through my veins, I do indeed see with different eyes, hear with different ears, and drink in the world with all my senses…”
A celebration of the language and culture of Italy, La Bella Lingua is the tale of how a language shaped a nation, told against the backdrop of one woman’s personal quest to speak fluent Italian.
For anyone who has been to Italy, the fantasy of living the Italian life is powerfully seductive. But to truly become Italian, one must learn the language. This is how Dianne Hales started her journey. In La Bella Lingua, she brings the tale of her decades-long experience with the “the world’s most loved and lovable language” together with explorations of Italy’s history, literature, art, composition, movies, lifestyle, and food in a right opera amorosa—a labor of her like of Italy.
Throughout her first excursion in Italy—with “non parlo Italiano” as her only Italian axiom—Dianne delighted in the beauty of what she saw but craved comprehension of what she heard. And so she chose to inhabit the language. Over more than twenty-five years she has studied Italian in every way possible: through Berlitz, books, CDs, podcasts, private tutorials and conversation groups, and, most importantly, large blocks of time in Italy. In the process she establish that Italian became not just a passion and a pleasure, but a passport into Italy’s storia and its very soul. She offers charming insights into what makes Italian the most emotionally expressive of languages, from how the “pronto” (“Ready!”) Italians say when they answer the telephone conveys a sense of something coming alive, to how even ordinary things such as a towel (asciugamano) or handkerchief (fazzoletto) sound better in Italian.
She invites readers to join her as she traces the evolution of Italian in the zesty graffiti on the walls of Pompeii, in Dante’s incandescent cantos, and in Boccaccio’s bawdy Decameron. She describes how social graces remain natural fiber into the fabric of Italian: even the chipper “ciao,” which does double duty as “hi” and “bye,” reflects centuries of bella figura. And she exalts the glories of Italy’s food and its rich and regularly uproarious gastronomic language: Italians deftly clarify a name uptight as a baccala (dried cod), a busybody who noses into everything as a prezzemolo (sage), a worthless or banal movie as a polpettone (large meatball).
Like Dianne, readers of La Bella Lingua will find themselves innamorata, enchanted, by Italian, fascinated by its saga, tantalized by its adventures, addicted to its sound, and ever keen to spend more time in its company.Amazon.com Review
Book Description
“Italians say that a name who buys a new language ‘possesses’ it. In my case, Italian possesses me. With Italian racing like blood through my veins, I do indeed see with different eyes, hear with different ears, and drink in the world with all my senses…”
A celebration of the language and culture of Italy, La Bella Lingua is the tale of how a language shaped a nation, told against the backdrop of one woman’s personal quest to speak fluent Italian.
For anyone who has been to Italy, the fantasy of living the Italian life is powerfully seductive. But to truly become Italian, one must learn the language. This is how Dianne Hales started her journey. In La Bella Linguaa, she brings the tale of her decades-long experience with the “the world’s most loved and lovable language” together with explorations of Italy’s history, literature, art, composition, movies, lifestyle and food in a right opera amorosa—a labor of her like of Italy.
Throughout her first excursion in Italy—with “non parlo Italiano” as her only Italian axiom—Dianne delighted in the beauty of what she saw but craved comprehension of what she heard. And so she chose to inhabit the language. Over more than twenty-five years she has studied Italian in every way possible through Berlitz, books, CDs, podcasts, private tutorials and conversation groups, and, most importantly, large blocks of time in Italy. In the process she establish that Italian became not just a passion and a pleasure, but a passport into Italy’s storia and its very soul. She offers charming insights into what it is that makes Italian the most emotionally expressive of languages, from how the “pronto” (“Ready!”) Italians say when they answer the telephone conveys a sense of something coming alive, to how even ordinary things such as a towel (asciugamano) or handkerchief (fazzoletto) sound better in Italian.
She invites readers to join her as she traces the evolution of Italian in the zesty graffiti on the walls of Pompeii, in Dante’s incandescent cantos and in Boccaccio’s bawdy Decameron. She describes how social graces remain natural fiber into the fabric of Italian: even the chipper “ciao,” which does double duty as “hi” and “bye,” reflects centuries of bella figura. And she exalts the glories of Italy’s food and its rich and regularly uproarious gastronomic language: Italians deftly clarify a name uptight as a baccala (dried cod), a busybody who noses into everything as a prezzemolo (sage), a worthless or banal movie as a polpettone (large meatball).
Like Dianne, readers of La Bella Lingua will find themselves innamorata, enchanted, by Italian, fascinated by its saga, tantalized by its adventures, addicted to its sound, and ever keen to spend more time in its company.
Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Dianne Hales
Question: Why did you choose to write a book on Italian?
Dianne Hales: As a journalist, I know a fantastic tale when I see one—and the tale of how Italian became the world’s most delightful language has everything: adventure, drama, passion, gorgeous women, gallant heroes, unscrupulous scoundrels—not to mention glorious composition and fabulous food.
Question: Whom did you write this book for?
Dianne Hales: People who delight in Italian food, composition, art, film, travel and traditions. If you like Italy, you’ll like learning about its language. If you come from an Italian family tree, you’ll learn more about your heritage. If you’re studying Italian, you’ll find a new perspective that takes you beyond vocabulary and grammar. If you’re traveling to Italy, you’ll appreciate more about the people you meet and the places you visit. And if you’re an armchair adventurer—well, buckle your seat belt!
Question: Why and when did you start studying Italian?
Dianne Hales: I chose to study Italian more than twenty years ago so I could communicate with the friendly people we met on our travels in Italy. My goal was just to know and be understood. But, the more Italian I learned, the more I wanted to know about Italian—where it came from, how it evolved, why it’s so musical and vibrant. I had so much fun in Italian classes and conversation groups that I didn’t want to stop my Italian education—and I never have.
Question: How did you do go about researching La Bella Lingua?
Dianne Hales: I used all the skills I honed in decades as a journalist and textbook leader. I took classes in Italian language, history and culture both in the U.S. and in Italy. I worked very closely with a wonderful Italian tutor in San Francisco. In Italy I went to the fantastic citadels of Italian, such as L’Accademia della Crusca and the Società Dante Alighieri, to interview leading linguists and scholars. But my greatest resources turned out to be the Italian people, who have deep pride in their mother tongue and infinite patience with persons who try to master it.
(Photo © Robert Hales)
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There are some appealing tidbits here but the leader falls into the trap of sinking Italians to stereotypical caricatures, a common pitfall for travel writers, but so unnecessary. For a excellent read try an leader like Pico Iyar who understands how to bring an intellectual and enlightened point of view to a travel experience.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
For me, this book was best read 1 or 2 chapters at a time – not more. Otherwise I got bored. But if you are interested in history and language you will delight in it.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
If you ever wanted to know appealing facts about Italian culture this is the book for you! La Bella Lingua is a wonderful compilation of quotes from the greatest composers, authors, and artists as well as fascinating background on all things Italian. I like this book!
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
This book is extremely pleasant for a name like me, attempting to learn Italian at an advanced age. Every puzzle that arises seems to be one that Ms. Hales has confronted as she learned Italian, from the pronunciation of Turandot (pp. 186-87) and Chicago (p. 39) to the forms of “you” (pp. 137-41) and when to switch to buonasera (p. 286). I got the book because I recognizable the leader’s photo from her terrific Italian blog. We should all be so fortunate as Ms. Hales, whose career and income permit her to spend months in Italy periodically.
My only complaint about the book is the publisher’s failure to provide an pointer. I followed the practice of Justice Black and made my own pointer — in fact, two indices, one of words (e.g., giallo 21) and the additional of subjects (e.g., Petrarch 85-90, Verdi 177-81). Despite this drawback, I recommend the book highly.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
La Bella Lingua came recommended by a friend, as most of my favorites have. And now the first thing I question friends is, “Have you read this book?” It is a tribute to Ms Hales’ genius that she has written a book that appeals to Italophiles at every level. There is no particular knowledge of Italy or its language and culture required, but–as the jacket comment by Beppe Severgnini (a sort of Italian William Safire) attests–even experts learn from this book. You don’t have to be an opera lover at all to laugh out loud over the description of a long anticipated visit to a performance at La Scala.
This is a book I plot to reread many times.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5