The "interesting" uses of English abroad are a never-ending source of amusement for me. For example, the first time I went to Rome, I spotted a shop near the Spanish Steps proudly labeled "Expensive!", including the exclamation point. I was even more puzzled when closer inspection revealed that it wasn't an expensive shop at all. In fact, the stuff was downright affordable. Much later, when I was back home, I was telling my Italian friend about it and her explanation was, "We think English words are very chic."
Naturally English speakers think the opposite, especially here in the United States, and Italian seems to have overtaken French as the ultimate in chic. I guess that curious uses of Italian words were bound to happen some time and just to prove it, the shop in the photo opened nearby. When I first saw the sign, I didn't think of the expensive (truly!) bathroom fixtures that they were selling, but I did think of the restrooms in Fiumicino airport. Yes indeed, the Italian word for restrooms (plural) is servizi. And aside from the fact that I don't have money to burn on bathroom renovations, I just don't have the guts to ask if they chose that name on purpose.
Since turnabout it fair play, I also found one of my photos of a place I spotted in Florence - and pardon the pun, but I didn't have the guts to go in there either.
No comments:
Post a Comment