Daily Italian

The dangers of asking for a latte or a panini in Italy

Although French and Spanish are undoubtedly the Romance languages that have influenced English vocabulary the most, Italian is not absent from our dictionary. Be it because of Italian immigration —especially in American English— or as a remnant of a time when Italian was the language of culture and knowledge, Italian words are present in our everyday speech, though not always with their original meaning. Let’s explore 10 words we inherited from Italian.

Is there anything more American than a pepperoni pizza? Most people would agree that pepperoni is an American staple, and asking for it anywhere in the U.S. would result in a spicy sausage. Not for Italians, though. American ‘pepperoni’ is a corrupted form of the Italian word peperoni, the plural for ‘bell peppers’. The shift in meaning from bell pepper to spicy sausage came from the use of paprika (made from peppers) in spicy sausage, and the double ‘p’ was influenced by the word ‘pepper’.

As many English-speaking tourists know from personal experience, asking for a ‘latte’ in Italy will get you a glass of milk. After all, latte is Italian for ‘milk’. Why do we use it for a drink of espresso and steamed milk, then? This coffee-based drink is of Italian origin, and it’s called caffè e latte or caffelatte (‘coffee and milk’). In America, it was eventually shortened to ‘latte’, but the original name is still used in Italy, which leads to many confused tourists.

The difference is quite small here: asking for a ‘panini’ in English will get you a toasted sandwich, and asking for a panini in Italian will result in more than one sandwich. In Italian, panini is the plural of panino (‘little bread’). While Italians use panino for a small bread roll, it is also a common word for a ciabatta, panino or focaccia sandwich, often filled with cold cuts, vegetables, and cheese.

From the Latin diva (‘goddess’), this Italian word became popular in the 19th century to refer to highly celebrated female singers, particularly in opera. English adopted this use and continues to call female stars ‘divas’, but the word has also gained a negative connotation thanks to the popular association of some female entertainers with entitlement and arrogance.

In Italian, vendetta means ‘vengeance’ or ‘vindication’, while in English it’s used for a long, bitter feud. Despite the difference in meaning, the English meaning of ‘vendetta’ was also coined by Italians. In the 19th century, vendetta became a common name for the bloody family feuds in Southern Italy, a meaning that entered English through Italian immigration. Although the word is many times associated with organized crime, it is also common to describe any personal or political rivalry.

If you go back to English class in high school, you might remember ‘stanzas’ as groups of verses in a poem. In Italian, stanza is derived from the Latin stantia (‘’standing or stopping place’), which resulted in the Italian word meaning ‘a place where one stays’, ergo, a ‘room’. How did it shift from ‘room’ to ‘group of verses’? While a room is a place where one stops, a poem also stops momentarily after a group of verses, and stanza is used in the literary sense in Italian as well. While the domestic meaning never made its way into English, the literary term did.

Being stabbed by a stiletto is painful in both English and Italian, but the situation described is not necessarily the same. In Italian, stiletto is the diminutive form of stilo (‘dagger’), used in the 1500s for a needle-like, narrow dagger. The name carried to the iconic shoes in the 1950s, when Salvatore Ferragamo started using steel rods to stabilize thin heels. Although English had adopted ‘stiletto’ in the 17th century in relation to the weapon, it is now mainly used in its fashion sense.

Scenario comes from the Latin scena (‘stage’ or ‘scene’), and was originally used in Italian to describe the written plot or outline of theater plays, that is, the things that happened on a stage or scene. English adopted the term with this theatrical meaning, but eventually it also came to be used for hypothetical future outcomes. In Italian, the word kept its meaning as ‘stage’ and as ‘plot outline’, but is also used with the meanings of ‘context’ and ‘landscape’.

From the Latin extravagans (‘wandering outside’), the Italian estravaganza evolved to mean ‘an oddity’ or ‘unusual behavior’. While the word was borrowed by English with this meaning in the 18th century, its spelling quickly changed into ‘extravaganza’ by association with other similar-sounding words. Used in association with theater plays, its meaning eventually shifted from ‘odd behavior’ to ‘lavish and spectacular show’.

We all know the term ‘influenza’ as the name for a respiratory virus, commonly shortened to ‘flu’. In Italian, influenza means ‘influence’, and is derived from the Latin influentia, ‘something that flows in’. Related to cosmic forces flowing from above, influenza was used in astrology to describe the pull of stars and planets, which is why, after blaming a 16th-century epidemic on a bad star alignment, the term became associated with a quick-spreading disease.

The moving and the talking!

Head, shoulders, knees... and verbs? Body parts that do more than move!

Image: engin akyurt

Our body takes us to all kinds of places, but not only in the literal sense. You can head a meeting, shoulder a responsibility, or eye someone suspiciously. Some words started as simple body parts, but evolved to take on actions and meanings that go far beyond anatomy! Are you ready to flex your brain?

Image: Evan Lee

You might head something like a company or a movement, in any case, you’re the person in charge. This makes perfect sense, since your head is, well, at the top of your body!

The word comes from Old English heafod, meaning the top or chief part of something. In time, it became a handy verb that keeps things moving forward, literally and figuratively.

Image: Viktor Talashuk

To shoulder something means to take on responsibility or carry a burden. It’s no surprise where this comes from, after all, your shoulders are built to bear weight!

This usage dates back to the 14th century when it referred to physically carrying things. Eventually, it took on a more figurative meaning, like shouldering blame or responsibility.

Image: Diane Alkier

To back someone means to support them, whether it’s a friend, a cause, or a winning horse at the racetrack.

This makes sense because your back provides strength and stability. The verb form of "back" has been around since the 14th century, originally meaning to push something forward or stand behind it. Today, it has multiple meanings but they all go back to the idea of support and assistance.

Image: Teo Zac

To toe the line means to follow the rules, but where does that come from? It dates back to 19th-century military drills, where soldiers had to stand with their toes exactly in a line for inspection.

The phrase evolved to mean strict obedience in all the fields, from sports to business, or politics. It’s a sign of good behavior and appreciation for order. Quite necessary, don’t you think?

Image: Wilhelm Gunkel

To skin something means to remove its outer layer, but it also has a more dramatic meaning: Escaping by the skin of your teeth. This odd phrase comes from the Bible’s Book of Job, where it meant surviving with almost nothing left.

In modern usage, "skinning" something can mean barely avoiding disaster. You might skin your knee falling off a bike, or skin by on just enough money. Which of these have you experienced?

Image: Jonathan Borba

We say muscle, you think of strength, don’t you? That’s right, to muscle your way into something means to use strength, either physical or persuasive, to get what you want.

Whether you’re muscling through a tough workout or muscling your way into an exclusive club, the meaning is quite clear. It’s been used this way since the early 1900s, especially in sports and business.

Image: Arteum.ro

You know when there’s only one slice of cake left and you patiently wait and wish nobody else grab it? You look at it carefully, in the hope you are the one to eat it. Well, you actually eye it!

The verb, first recorded in the 17th century, was used to mean looking at something with intent. Today, we use it for everything from sizing up a deal to checking out a new car.

Image: Tash Williams

Have you ever gone backpacking, with no transport booked, just you and your thumb to take you places? To thumb a ride means to hitchhike, sticking your thumb out on the roadside and hoping for the best.

This practice became common in the early 20th century when travelers relied on the kindness of passing drivers. The thumb became the universal signal for needing a lift, and the verb stuck.

Image: Eugene Chystiakov

To stomach something means to tolerate it, even when it’s unpleasant. This makes sense since our stomachs are in charge of digesting (or rejecting) things we consume.

The verb form has been around since the 16th century, but it originally meant taking something in without protest. Today, we use it for everything from bad news to terrible fashion choices. If you can stomach it, you can get through just about anything!

Image: Joey Nicotra

No hidden meaning in the last body part/verb: When you mouth something, you’re moving your lips without making a sound, like lip-syncing or whispering in a way no one can hear.

Back in the 16th century, "mouthing" referred to exaggerated speech. Today, we use it for silent apologies, or to pretend we know song lyrics, a lot of possible scenarios. You’ll just need to be careful, if you mouth off too much, you might find yourself in trouble!