Learn the superstitions about seeing a black cat and finding a lady bug
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Becky: Hello and welcome to Culture Class: Italian Superstitions and Beliefs, Lesson 1 - Seeing a Black Cat and Finding a Ladybug. I'm Becky and I'm joined by Daniele. |
| Daniele: Ciao! Hi, I'm Daniele. |
| THE TWO SUPERSTITIONS |
| Becky: In this lesson, we’ll talk about two common superstitions in Italy. The first superstition is about bad luck. What is the superstition called in Italian? |
| Daniele: incrociare un gatto nero |
| Becky: Which literally means "meeting a black cat." Daniele, can you repeat the Italian phrase again? |
| Daniele: [slow] incrociare un gatto nero [normal] incrociare un gatto nero |
| Becky: In Italy, it's believed that a black cat is an omen of bad luck. |
| Daniele: That’s true. A friend of mine gets really upset every time one crosses his path. |
| Becky: This is probably because in the past, black cats were often thought to be the accomplices of witches. |
| Daniele: In fact they’re usually depicted together. |
| Becky: Some people even believed that the Devil himself could transform into a black cat. |
| Daniele: I have a black cat now. But, I’m pretty sure she’s not the devil. |
| Becky: The second superstition is about good luck. What’s the superstition called in Italian? |
| Daniele: trovare una coccinella |
| Becky: Which literally means "finding a ladybug." Let’s hear it in Italian again. |
| Daniele: [slow] trovare una coccinella [normal] trovare una coccinella |
| Becky: So in Italy, it's believed that a ladybug will bring you good luck. |
| Daniele: Right, so don’t kill it, or you’ll have bad luck instead! |
| Becky: What should you do if you find a ladybug? |
| Daniele: When I was a child if a ladybug landed on my fingertip, I would make a wish. I believed that if I could make a wish before it flew away, the wish would come true! |
| Becky: Did all of your wishes come true? |
| Daniele: Unfortunately not all! |
Outro |
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| Becky: There you have it - two Italian superstitions! Are they similar to any of your country’s superstitions? Let us know in the comments! |
| Daniele: A presto! |
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