# Any Italians out there who can help with a word?



## Gargh (Nov 29, 2014)

I have a scratching at the back of my head that says that one of the conjugations of the Italian _scaldare _is used as slang for a naughty child; as in, one that heats things up. I can't remember which, but I'd like to use it. I _think_ it might be scaldino or scaldini but I'm not sure and I am awful with foreign languages. 

I have had as much of a poke around the internet as my lack of information to go on will permit me.  Has anyone else heard this or have any particular knowledge of its use?

Thanks


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## Bloggsworth (Nov 29, 2014)

I scold him. I scold her - _Mi lo sgridare. Mi lei sgridare_ would, I believe, be correct.


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## Gargh (Nov 29, 2014)

My recollection of it is that it is flung as a single name/label rather than a properly worded admonishment, more like we might use firecracker. 

Almost


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## Riis Marshall (Nov 30, 2014)

Hello Gargh

Any time you're stuck for a word in Italian, 'prego' seems to get the job done.

All the best with your writing.

Warmest regards
Riis


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## Apex (Dec 4, 2014)

Foreign languages words can slow, even stop a reader. Many well written works avoid using them. It has been found to tint a characters speech is better: "So now you a big shot." "I no say I'm a big shot. Lue, he is a big shot."


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## Bloggsworth (Dec 4, 2014)

You could try any of these 3, though Canaglia would seem to suit best: _monello, canaglia, peste._


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## Gargh (Dec 4, 2014)

Riis Marshall said:


> Any time you're stuck for a word in Italian, 'prego' seems to get the job done.



It travels many miles, that's true, but not very characterful!



Apex said:


> Foreign languages words can slow, even stop a reader. Many well written works avoid using them. It has been found to tint a characters speech is better: "So now you a big shot." "I no say I'm a big shot. Lue, he is a big shot."



Cheers. My character is ex-pat and just has a few leftover slang words that have never quite translated. I think it tells the reader more about them than trying to alter all the dialogue to reflect their accent. 



Bloggsworth said:


> You could try any of these 3, though Canaglia would seem to suit best: _monello, canaglia, peste._



I like canaglia! You've got to really want to say it. I'll try that, but I'm going to keep digging around for my original query too. I'll end up one of those crazy people at Christmas parties that everyone avoids. No Italian will be safe from my questioning! I've a feeling it may be many years before I get the answer I'm after though -- you know what Italian's like: I probably picked it up from some dialect only ever spoken by three families living on a tidal island during a harvest moon -- so at least I have something else to use in the interim. Thank you!


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## garza (Dec 21, 2014)

I don't know if it's proper Italian, but I've heard my sister say to my nephew Vincente, 'eh, fasti - andare divolo.' She used a lot of Sicilian expressions picked up from her husband, Salvatore. He was a musician and not exactly a scholar, so I offer the expression here for what it's worth. However I have heard 'fasti' used often by others so I believe it's a common bit of slang that means something like a pest or nuisance.


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## Gargh (Dec 22, 2014)

garza said:


> I don't know if it's proper Italian, but I've heard my sister say to my nephew Vincente, 'eh, fasti - andare divolo.' She used a lot of Sicilian expressions picked up from her husband, Salvatore. He was a musician and not exactly a scholar, so I offer the expression here for what it's worth. However I have heard 'fasti' used often by others so I believe it's a common bit of slang that means something like a pest or nuisance.



That's interesting, the literal translation of 'fasti' comes up loosely as 'splendour' or 'magnificence' so I'm guessing it's originally sarcastic. Like Brit-English speakers calling someone 'Your Majesty' perhaps? The latter's 'go to hell' but I can't use that, it's a children's book!


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## garza (Dec 26, 2014)

My sister is fluent in sarcasm.


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## OzzieMandrill (Feb 5, 2015)

Gargh said:


> I have a scratching at the back of my head that says that one of the conjugations of the Italian _scaldare _is used as slang for a naughty child; as in, one that heats things up. I can't remember which, but I'd like to use it. I _think_ it might be scaldino or scaldini but I'm not sure and I am awful with foreign languages.
> 
> I have had as much of a poke around the internet as my lack of information to go on will permit me.  Has anyone else heard this or have any particular knowledge of its use?
> 
> Thanks



Here's your italian guy :biggrin:

I don't know if it's the word you're looking for, but here in tuscany we use the term _fumino _(which may be an adjective, like in this case, or the third-person plural of the present subjunctive of the italian verb _fumare - _to smoke, in english) to describe someone, not necessarily a child, who tends to become angry or upset very easily.

Hope I've been clear enough, but feel free to ask anything if you need :biggrin:.


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