Connector Words Every Italian Student Should Learn

If youve ever sat in an Italian bar having a cappuccino or a glass of wine and listened to an animated conversation among Italians, even if you speak only a little bit you surely noticed a few words catching your ear over and over again. Short, punchy, and ubiquitous, they range from allora and dunque to ma, perchà ©, come, eppure, and purchà ©, and, well, back to allora and dunque again. They are the words that make Italian shimmy and shine, twist and dance: the conjunctions, or connector words, that express contraposition, doubt, questioning, and disagreement, and that while conveying key connections between words and concepts, also add the salt and pepper to storytelling. Italian conjunctions are plentiful and complex; these little connectors come in many guises and different types, simple and composite, disjunctive and declarative, and they are worth reading about and studying. Here, through, you will find a dozen or so very popular conjunctions that, once mastered and conquered and their power harnessed, will boost your confidence to speak and give you a much better sense of what is being said around you. In this list we skipped over the straightforward conjunctions e, o, ma, and che because you know them—and, or, but, and that—to favor these more interesting cohorts. Perà ²: But and However On the surface, the adversative or contrasting conjunction perà ² has the same meaning as its fellow ma. And it does mean but. But as usual, Italian is full of meaningful nuance and perà ² is slightly more adversative (and to make it really adversative, sometimes people use both together, though purists frown upon it). Se vuoi andare, vai; perà ² ti avverto che à ¨ di cattivo umore. If you want to go, go ahead; but, I warn you that she is in a bad mood.Ma perà ² anche lui ha sbagliato. Yes, but he was wrong, too. There, it almost could serve as a however. And here, too: Sà ¬, il maglione mi piace, perà ² à ¨ troppo caro. Yes, I like the sweater, but it is too expensive. In addition, perà ² can be placed at the end of a sentence (which ma cannot) to give it a stronger contrasting emphasis, with a bit of a though meaning. In that regard, perà ² is a useful word to make a clarification or state a correction. Te lo avevo detto, perà ². I had told you, though. Perà ², lo sapevi. But, you knew (that was the case).È un bel posto perà ². Its a nice place, though. In addition, you can also use perà ² as a freestanding word with interjective value that conveys that you are surprised or impressed. It comes with the right tone of voice and facial expression. For example, if you told someone that last year you made a million dollars, he might answer, Perà ²! Infatti: Indeed, In Fact As in English, infatti is a declarative conjunction that confirms or validates something previously said (though sometimes in English it is used to mean in actuality, contrasting what was previously said). In Italian, it is meant to agree and corroborate what is said. Sure thing; sure enough. Indeed. Sapevo che Giulio non si sentiva bene, e infatti il giorno dopo aveva la febbre. I knew that Giulio was not feeling well and, indeed, the following day he had a fever.Pensavo che il mercato fosse chiuso il mercoledà ¬, e infatti quando siamo andati era chiuso. I thought that the market was closed on Wednesdays, and, sure enough, when we went it was closed.I fumatori hanno maggiore probabilità   di contrarre il cancro ai polmoni, e infatti il nostro studio lo conferma. Smokers have a greater probability of contracting lung cancer, and indeed, our study confirms it. It also means as a matter of fact: Al contrario, Paolo non era a casa, come aveva detto, e infatti, lo vidi al mercato quel pomeriggio. To the contrary, Paolo was not home, as he said, and indeed, I saw him at the market that afternoon. Infatti is sometimes used as a final, conclusive word of confirmation. Lo sapevo che facevi tardi e perdevi il treno. E infatti. I knew that you were late and that you would miss the train. Indeed, I did. Anche: Also, Too, As Well and Even One cant really function without anche. Depending on its position in the sentence, it covers a lot of ground, mostly putting emphasis in different places: Ho comprato il pane, il vino e anche dei fiori. I bought bread, wine, and some flowers, too (or, I bought bread, wine and also some flowers).Mi piace molto leggere; anche al mio ragazzo piace leggere. I love to read; my boyfriend also likes to read.Anche te hai portato il vino? You, too, brought wine?Ho letto anche questo libro. I have read that book, too.Sà ¬, mi ha detto questo anche. Yes, he told me that too. Note the meaning of as well: Anche qui piove. It is raining here as well.Anche lui mi ha detto la stessa cosa. He as well told me the same thing.Vorrei anche un contorno. I would like a side as well. And even: Abbiamo camminato moltissimo; ci siamo anche persi! We walked a lot; we even got lost! Anche se means even though or even if. Cioà ¨: In Other Words, That Is A good explicative and declarative conjunction, cioà ¨ is a keyword in refining what we say and mean: to clarify and correct what was said. Non voglio andare al museo; cioà ¨, non ci voglio andare oggi. I dont want to go to the museum; that is, I dont want to go today.Ho visto Giovanni ieri—cioà ¨, lho visto ma non ci ho parlato. I saw Giovanni yesterday—that is, I saw him but I didnt get to talk to him.Vado in Italia fra due mesi, cioà ¨ a giugno. I’m going to Italy in two months, in other words, in June.Mi piace; cioà ¨, mi piace ma non moltissimo. I like it; that is, I like it, but not to die for. Often you hear it asked, Cioà ¨, vale a dire? That means, in other words, what does that mean exactly? Purchà ©: As Long As Purchà © is a conditional conjunction that does—infatti—set up a condition: if; as long as. Because of that conditional meaning, it is accompanied by the subjunctive. Vengo al mare con te purchà © guidi piano. I will come to the beach with you as long as you drive slowly.Gli ho detto che puà ² uscire purchà © studi. I told him he could go out as long as he studies.Purchà © usciamo stasera, sono disposta a fare tutto. As long as we go out tonight, I am willing to do anything. Purchà © can come at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. Sebbene and Benchà ©: Though and Although Sebbene and Benchà © are other essential connectors meaning even though, although, though. They suggest a contrast to what was previously said, or some kind of conflict of fact or emotion. You cant talk about love or intentions and anything of the heart without these. They are also used with the subjunctive most often. Sebbene il ristorante fosse chiuso ci ha serviti. Even though the restaurant was closed, he served us.Benchà ¨ non riesca a parlare litaliano perfettamente, faccio comunque molto progresso. Although I cannot speak Italian perfectly, I am still making much progress.Sebbene ci abbiamo provato, non siamo riusciti a trovare la chiesa di cui mi avevi parlato. Although we tried, we were not able to find the church you told me about. Siccome: Since, Given That Siccome falls in the category of most used Italian words ever. It is a causal conjunction, and since you have been studying Italian for a long time, you should know how to use it. Siccome che non ci vediamo da molto tempo, ho deciso di invitarti a cena. Since we have not seen each other in a long time, I decided to invite you for dinner.Siccome che Fiesole à ¨ cosà ¬ vicina a Firenze, abbiamo deciso di visitarla. Since Fiersole is so close to Florence, we decided to visit.Siccome cà ¨ lo sciopero dei treni, abbiamo affittato una macchina. Since there is a train strike, we decided to rent a car. Comunque: In Any Case, Still, However The queen of summing up, comunque is another essential word, thrown in here and there to say that whatever else is said, still, regardless, in any case, whatever the case may be, this final thing must be said. It is often used to offer a conclusive fact or opinion that rests the case. Il parco à ¨ chiuso; comunque, se volete visitare, fatemelo sapere. The park is closed; regardless, let me know if you want to visit it.Sei comunque un maleducato per avermi dato chiodo. You are, in any case, rude for having stood me up.In giardino era freddo, ma abbiamo comunque mangiato bene. The garden was cold, but, regardless, we ate well.Non vengo comunque. I am not coming in any case.Comunque, anche se pensi di avere ragione, hai torto. In any case, even if you think you are right, you are wrong. Poi: Then Poi is technically an adverb, not a conjunction, but it merits mention for its vast uses as a connector word. Indeed, it has temporal value as then, later or afterwards, and also has meaning as in addition to or on top of. Prendi il treno #2 e poi un taxi. You take the #2 train, and then you get a cab.Poi te lo dico. Ill tell you later.Ho comprato una camicia e poi anche una giacca! I bought a shirt and then a jacket, too!Non voglio uscire con Luca. È disoccupato, e poi non mi piace! I dont want to go out with Luca. He is unemployed, and on top of it I dont like him! It is used often as an interrogative word to bridge between passages of a conversation. If someone is telling a suspenseful story and it gets interrupted, you might ask, E poi? Anzi: Rather, Moreover, Whats More This little word is a reinforcing conjunction that corrects, punches, and doubles down on something. It serves to contradict something entirely or to agree with it wholeheartedly. Confused? Take a look: Non mi à ¨ antipatico Ruggero; anzi, mi à ¨ simpaticissimo. I dont dislike Ruggero; to the contrary, I like him a lot.Gli ho detto di andare via; anzi, gli ho chiesto di restare. I didnt ask him to leave; whats more, I asked him to stay.Non sei carina; anzi, sei bellissima. You are not cute; rather, you are gorgeous.Non ti sei comportato male; ti sei comportato orribilmente. You didnt act poorly; you acted horribly to boot. If you use anzi as the final word, it is understood that it means to the contrary and nothing more needs to be said. Non lo odio; anzi. I dont hate him; to the contrary. Dunque, Quindi and Percià ²: So, Thus, Therefore These three are the jewels of conclusive conjunctions: you use them to draw a consequence or conclusion from what was previously said or to connect something that is a consequence. As a result, therefore and so, they are used a lot. They are mostly interchangeable. Non ho studiato, quindi sono andata male allesame. I didnt study, so I did poorly on the exam.Sono arrivata tardi e dunque mi sono perso lo spettacolo. I got there late and therefore I missed the showNon ha i soldi, percià ² non va al teatro. He doesnt have the money, so he is not going to the theater. Quindi is also used sometimes to indicate sequence in time rather than consequence, but the nuance is a fine one, and dunque you should not worry too much about it. All three, by the way, are good for resuming a conversation that has been interrupted. E dunque, ti dicevo... And so I was saying...E quindi, come ti dicevo... And so, as I was saying... Allora: So, In Sum, Therefore And last but not least comes allora—the true star of Italian conversation. It is, infatti, ubiquitously used to the point of madness sometimes (and by foreigners as filler, which it is not). But, its important to get it right. Technically an adverb, allora is also a conclusive conjunction that supports the wrapping up of a conversation or a story. Allora means so, as a consequence, and to conclude. It also means in that case. Giovanni à ¨ partito e non ci siamo pià ¹ sentiti, e allora non so cosa fare. Giovanni left and we have not spoken since, so I dont know what to do.Il museo oggi à ¨ chiuso, allora ci andiamo domani. The museum is closed today, so we will go tomorrow.Allora, cosa dobbiamo fare? So, what do we need to do?Allora, io vado a casa. Ciao! So, I am going home. Bye!Se non ti piace, allora non te lo compro. If you do not like it, I will not buy it for you. Allora also has an important interrogative value. If someone pauses in a story without reaching a conclusion, you might ask, E allora? And then? It also can mean, So? Now what? Say two people are talking: Giovanni ha rovesciato tutto il vino per terra. Giovanni spilled all the wine on the floor.E allora? And now what?E allora dobbiamo andare a comprare il vino. So, we have to go buy more wine. Allora also lends great dramatic flair if, for example, you walk into your childrens room and they are pouring paint over each other. You put your hands together in prayer and yell, Ma allora!! What now! Whats this! Allora, avete imparato tutto? Bravissimi!

The Holocaust, By Robert Burns - 1121 Words

Scottish poet, Robert Burns wrote, â€Å"Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless millions mourn.† When looking back on the history of our society, many incidences that reflect this thought clearly. One that stands out to me is the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the â€Å"purification† of Nazi Germany led by Adolf Hitler from 1939 to 1945. There were millions of people that were cycled through the concentration camps that the Nazis built. The millions of people that were killed are just a small portion of the billions that were indirectly impacted by the horrible actions of the Nazis. I believe that Nazi Germany performed inhumane acts on the people that they put into the concentration camps, therefore indirectly affecting millions, possibly billions, of people. When Adolf Hitler came onto the scene, he claimed that he would be the best ruler that Germany had ever seen. He claimed that he would revert the country back to its once state of greatness. He would have be en one of the greatest rulers of all time if he would not have started the Holocaust. It was not as if the people of Germany had no idea what Hitler was capable of. He wrote down all of the gruesome things he would do to create a pure race if he became a ruler. Hitler wrote Mein Kampf while he was in prison for treason committed after the First World War for five years. In Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler explains the final solution to the Jewish problem. He outlines all of his plans in the book, and was a best seller in Germany.Show MoreRelatedHolocaust Vs. The Auschwitz Gas Chambers1644 Words   |  7 PagesHolocaust Deniers vs. The Auschwitz Gas Chambers Were there really gas chamber at Auschwitz and were where they used for the mass extermination of Jewish people? Many people around the world would say â€Å"Yes†. 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Did Racism Precede Slavery Free Essays

ESSAY There have been debates among scholars over whether racism preceded slavery or vice versa. Present an argument on this question using course materials (lectures, readings, film) While some argue that racism preceded slavery, I firmly believe that racism did not precede slavery. Before examining the reasons behind my opinion, it is important to note how race feeds into racism, and how slavery then latches on to racism. We will write a custom essay sample on Did Racism Precede Slavery? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Race is a socially constructed idea through which a hierarchy largely stemming from the fairness of skin color is formed. As a result, different racial groups are formed with the White race occupying the top position of this hierarchy. Because of this skin-color based hierarchy, White people developed a sense of superiority and dominance over the Black people who lie at the bottom of this hierarchy. This perception of being superior and dominant over another race based on this hierarchy is racism. A connection between slavery and racism can then be formed when the White elites decide to only enslave the Black people when they feel their dominance and superiority is jeopardized in one way or the other. Therefore, the components of racism and slavery together form racialized slavery. Holistically speaking, a three-part system involving race, racism and slavery is effectively formed. While keeping components of this system in mind, it is also necessary to consider how money, productivity and social relations influence my view. When British settlers entered the New World, among their priorities was to hire relatively inexpensive slave labor to generate profits for them. While the freely available, local Native Americans were auditioned, the White settlers realized they had to look elsewhere. Native Americans died via diseases contracted by White settlers, and as a result were neither fully adaptable to slave labor nor productive. Instead, White settlers turned to indentured servitude. As discussed in lecture, indentured servitude saw White settlers import fellow British people and ordered them to work like slaves on cheap, 5-7 year contracts. However, this method of labor was not entirely successful since indentured servants too contracted diseases from settlers and died in numbers, while settlers also couldn’t dictate work conditions once their contracts expired. At this point, the frustrated White settlers wanted to bring in a people on whom they could place unlimited workloads to maximize productivity. This was when the British settlers turned to the African market. While the first British colonialists arrived in 1607, the first Africans were not brought in until 1619. (Week 3 powerpoint, â€Å"slavery-1†, slide 7) It is thus wrong to say that racism prompted and preceded the enslavement of Africans, since it was instead the failure of the Native Americans along with high mortality rates and contract laws of indentured servants that preceded and induced the enslavement of Africans. Moreover, the desire to become wealthier, not racism, convinced White settlers to enslave Africans. After failing with indentured servitude, White settlers imported Africans in pursuit of maximizing productivity and consequently receiving higher profits. As we discussed in class, planters in Virginia were aware of the rewards they could reap by enslaving Africans. Unlike the indentured servants contracts that limited the duration of work summoned by White settlers, enslaving Africans meant that planters could put no limits on the amount of work and time they ordered of them. Therefore, the more work you assign to slaves for much longer periods, the more productivity you get, and the more money your plantation gets you. On top of this though, planters also wanted more slaves to increase the supply of money they ultimately received. Accordingly, â€Å"state laws adopted the principle of partus sequitur ventrem- the child follows the condition of the mother regardless of the race of the father. † (Cannon, 1993, p. 415) Thanks to this law, enslaved mothers gave birth to enslaved children who went on to become extra pairs of hands on plantations. In the case of children being enslaved because of their enslaved mothers, racism once again does not precede slavery. Since child enslavement holds â€Å"regardless of the race of the father†, (Cannon, 1993, p. 415) it is the mother’s status as a slave and not race that precedes and assigns the same title to her children. White settlers wanted enslavement to be cyclical, and it is for this reason why enslaved women were valuable; they produced and reproduced. Although African enslavement eventually became slavery as torture only applicable to Africans, racism does not precede slavery here. As more Africans were imported for enslavement purposes, the White elites’ fears exacerbated. Even though African enslavement was the principal answer to increased wealth for White planters, indentured servitude was not extinct. Friendships between Africans and lower-class Whites existed, and the White elites were concerned these alliances would undermine their summoning powers and provoke a class insurrection. It was at this juncture in 1660 that racialized slavery in Virginia (Week 3 powerpoint, â€Å"slavery-1†, slide 7), a product of components in the system, was only specific to the Africans. Not only did racialized slavery prevent a class conflict between Whites, but also brought racism to the fore. As a system component in this case, racism is a perception of superiority and dominance from the White elites’ to the Africans. Hence, racialized slavery again supports my view since it was the enslavement of Africans and their interactions with lower-class Whites that preceded and incited racism. One can easily get confused by racism and slavery, and claim that slavery would never have occurred without an onslaught of racism. However, the series of events involving White settlers, Native Americans, indentured servants and imported Africans are most logical when we argue that racism did not precede slavery. If the White settlers were racists ever since they arrived in the New World, indentured servitude would never have existed. Without the interaction of Africans and lower-class Whites, racialized slavery would not have been legitimatized, and Black people would not have been historically associated with slavery the most. How to cite Did Racism Precede Slavery?, Papers

Shylock meets Mussolini Essay Example For Students

Shylock meets Mussolini Essay Stenciled on a Venetian building are a pair of faces one black, one white. A sword slices between the heads. La Difesa de la Razza (The Defense of the Race) reads the terse legend. Welcome to 1937 Italy, the apex of Mussolinis power and the setting for the California Shakespeare Festivals season-opening production of The Merchant of Venice, running through Aug. 20. Although the Holocaust is never directly referred to, the audience is well aware of both the imminent passage of Il Duces virulent anti-Jewish laws and the eventual Nazi-inspired campaign of genocide. You cant help but approach this play without considering anti-Semitism in the 20th century, director Michael Addison declares. As a directory you hope you create a millieu that is expansive enough to let us reach back into our own cultural history. Now in his sixth season as the theatres artistic director, Addison interprets The Merchant of Venice as a multi-dimensional clash between tradition and modernity, the past and the future. The lovers, Portia and Bassanio, are juxtaposed with the established order that arbitrates the disposition of Shylock and Antonios sloan. The staid rituals of Belmont, meanwhile, contrast with the libidinous parties of Venice. It is a theme repeated throughout Shakespeares comedies, Addison asserts, namely how humankind manages to find a balance between youthful energies that want to spend themselves freely and uninhibitedly and the impulse of older people to husband resources. The notion of social upheaval has a visceral effect when transposed to the rupture of Italian society and the world in the late 1930s. The theft of Shylocks daughter and jewels evokes more than age-old anti-Semitism; in this context, the Jews merciless yet entirely legal efforts to extract his pound of flesh from his debtor (who once spat on him in public) can be readily understood. In a flash, Shylock is transformed from an anti-Semitic caricature of a greedy Jew into a man whose life and family are threatened with destruction. Last seasons Oregon Shakespeare Festival production of Merchant was prominently criticized by an Orthodox Jewish educator, but Addison does not anticipate the slightest controversy over his portrayal of Shylock in this staging. There may be some in the Jewish community who think the play reinforces stereotypes, he acknowledges, no matter how human you make Shylock and no matter how much cause you give to his atavistic behavior. Citing Shylocks love and concern for his daughter, his erudition, wit and sense of humor, Addison contends that Shylock is a well-rounded character, radically different from other villains of the period. It isnt until his daughter is stolen that he becomes monomaniacal. Whether Shakespeare was an anti-Semite or wrote a play to lead people away from anti-Semitism is an open question. The director never forgets that Merchant is one of the Bards comedies, although he maintains that the comic action doesnt mean anything unless its severely threatened. In finding the balance between light and darkness, Addison recognizes that the plays contrasting moods are one of its assets. I hope the comedy will be strengthened by having a social reality to operate within, he declares. Any play that deals in a significant way with racism and social dissolution is appropriate now.