25 Must-Know Tuscan Words and Idioms
So you are coming to Tuscany for your next summer vacation? It is true that here is where the Italian language was born. Dante wrote his Divine Comedy in a language that was the first sparkle of modern Italian, also called “vulgar”. As a matter of fact, Tuscany does not have a dialect, which means that the official language is also the only language spoken in the region. Nevertheless, the Tuscan people have their own jargon, often consisting of archaic forms of the Italian language that survived here for reasons that only a glottologist would know. Therefore, if you studied Italian and are coming to Tuscany on holiday, you will need to know some of the most typical Tuscan expressions and idioms. This will be helpful even if you have no prior clue of the Italian language.
Bischero. Let’s start with a very Florentine word. If you are a bischero, you are a stupid. The Bischeri family lost all their wealth over a public deal everyone else profited from. Hence they became the archetype of the stupid. Grullo is also used.
Piaggia. It means uphill, and you might hear it when asking for directions.
Scesa. A downhill!
Guadagno di Pottino. You may hear it when bargaining at some street market. Pottino was a drunken wine seller who sold water and drank wine, soon ruining his business.
Strolago di Brozzi. If you are compared to Strolago di Brozzi, you are being told that what you say is quite obvious.
Vaffandomo! This is the equivalent of “vaffanculo”, only more polite and not involving foul words.
Sciapo. Means without salt, and it is often referred to bread, as Tuscan bread is unsalted, but it can refer to anything without salt.
Schiaccia. This is the white pizza base with just salt, no tomato or anything else, often used as bread. It can also be called ciaccino, schiacciata, focaccia, or covaccino.
Ciccio. In Tuscany this refers to meat. Il ciccio bono is good meat to eat!
Finocchio. In Tuscan if you are called that, you are considered to be a lucky person.
Codesto. Simply means “that one thing near you”, but only Tuscans say it this way, as all the rest of Italy says Quello, which means “that”.
Ciuco. Take offense if you are called that. It means donkey, but the implicit meaning is to be stubborn and ignorant.
Maremma…This is often used to clean up one’s cursing, especially to avoid saying profanities. Maremma maiala is what you will hear most often!
Fiaccheraio. Another Florentine-only term referring to horse chart drivers, today only available for touristic tours of the city. It derives from the French word Fiacre, which means charriot.
Becco. Another offense referring to the fact that you were or may have been betrayed by your partner in love.
Briaco. In Italian it is Ubriaco, and means drunk. Tutto Briaco is also very Tuscan, and it means completely drunk.
Barbagianni. It is referred to someone stupid, although in an endearing way.
Cencio. In general Italian it is straccio. Cencio can be a piece of cloth to mop the floor, or a fried dough pastry popular during carnival.
Fare da Nottolo. A typical Tuscan saying referring to someone pretending to be indifferent towards something he has a high interest in.
Seggiola. It is a chair, and in Italian it is called sedia.
Ito. It means gone. At times also said Vito (which can also be a southern Italian name), and in modern Italian it is Andato.
Chetati! It is an imperative request to shut up. In general Italian it is Zitto!
Granata. This is the broom, and in other parts of Italy it is called Scopa.
Popone. It is the melon, also refferred to as Melone in Italian.
Merdaiolo. Concluding on a high note, this refers to someone dishonest, untrustworthy and quite evil. It describes the job of those that in the past emptied septic tanks, often former convicts. Do not say it to anyone you do not have the intention of fighting with!
Matt writes for ThriftyTuscany.com, a by owner only website to rent villas Tuscany coast and find your wedding villa Tuscany.