Learn about some common taboo topics
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Intro |
|---|
| Michael: What topics are taboo in Italy? |
| Ofelia: And what are some things I should avoid doing? |
| Michael: At ItalianPod101.com, we hear these questions often. Imagine the following situation: Mark and his friend Marco are having a good conversation while drinking coffee, the atmosphere changes when Mark asks |
| "Who is your favorite politician?" |
| Mark Lee: Chi è il tuo politico preferito? |
| Dialogue |
| Mark Lee: Chi è il tuo politico preferito? |
| Marco Mancini: Parliamo di qualcos'altro. |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Mark Lee: Chi è il tuo politico preferito? |
| Michael: "Who is your favorite politician?" |
| Marco Mancini: Parliamo di qualcos'altro. |
| Michael: "Let's talk about something else." |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: You might have heard that Italians are usually very open and talkative. Especially outside of business situations, Italians seem to not have any |
| Ofelia: argomenti tabù |
| Michael: or "taboo topics." |
| First, what actually are taboo topics? Well, these are topics that are commonly avoided in public discussions, or something that shouldn't be mentioned while talking to strangers or acquaintances. |
| But, do Italians have taboo topics? |
| [Recall] |
| Michael: Let's take a closer look at the dialogue. |
| Do you remember how Mark asks "Who is your favorite politician?" |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Ofelia as Mark Lee: Chi è il tuo politico preferito? |
| Michael: And do you remember how Mark's friend says "Let's talk about something else?" |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Ofelia as Marco Mancini: Parliamo di qualcos'altro. |
| Michael: As you can easily guess from this exchange, "politics" or |
| Ofelia: la politica |
| Michael: is not a good conversation topic. As in many other countries, in Italy, discussing politics with someone you don't know well is not the safest way to get closer. Avoid this topic unless the other person brings it up first, and then listen rather than give opinions. Also, if you're close friends with the other person, but you know that your political opinions don't match, mutually avoiding the topic is considered a basic rule for keeping a good relationship. |
| Another sensitive topic is |
| Ofelia: la religione |
| Michael: or "religion." Of course, this is not a taboo topic per se—Italy is a democratic country where everyone is free to follow their own creed. Still, this topic might start a fierce discussion since your conversation partner might have a different opinion than yours. Like politics, it's good to avoid talking about religion unless you're sure you can do it. |
| Like in other countries, another delicate topic is "private finances" or |
| Ofelia: finanze private |
| Michael: In Italy, talking about your finances, especially if you are wealthy, or asking someone else about theirs is perceived as indelicate and ill-mannered because it's private information. |
| To sum up, politics, religion, and private finances |
| Ofelia: politica, religione, e finanze private |
| Michael: are the biggest taboo topics in Italy, unless you're talking with an intimate friend and you're sure you won't hurt them or make them feel uncomfortable, avoid these topics! |
| Cultural Insight |
| Michael: This lesson wouldn't be complete without mentioning some cultural taboos concerning food. As you might know, the "Italian culinary" culture or |
| Ofelia: cultura culinaria italiana |
| Michael: is very deep-rooted and is a crucial part of national identity. Let's see some of the things that people who don't live in Italy might be doing regularly, but that would greatly surprise and sometimes scandalize an Italian. We'll list some of these habits and give the English translation with a short explanation. Let's start! |
| Ofelia: Mettere il ketchup o la maionese sulla pasta, |
| Michael: "putting ketchup or mayonnaise on top of pasta." This is not acceptable because those are processed sauces and would completely alter the natural taste of pasta. |
| Ofelia: Mettere il formaggio su piatti a base di pesce, |
| Michael: "putting cheese on fish dishes." This is almost considered part of common sense in Italy, though it’s not clear why it is so. |
| Ofelia: Bere un cappuccino dopo i pasti, |
| Michael: "drinking a cappuccino after meals." This is shocking for Italians because, usually, meals, except for breakfast, are complete and satiating, and drinking a cup of milk after is perceived as very challenging for the stomach. |
| Ofelia: Ordinare un caffelatte al bar, |
| Michael: "ordering a caffe latte at the coffee shop," because that's something Italians only drink at home and wouldn't ask a professional barista to prepare. Just ask for a cappuccino! |
| Ofelia: Fare la scarpetta al ristorante, |
| Michael: "mopping up your plate with bread at the restaurant." That's just considered ill-mannered and naive. If you really can't resist, make sure to use a fork to hold the bread! |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We're here to answer them! |
| Ofelia: A presto! |
| Michael: See you soon! |
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