A Viewer's Glossary - Italian, Southern Italian and Sicilian Dialect Phrases and Naughty Words

Sep 28, 2026

A viewer-oriented glossary of Italian, Southern Italian, and Sicilian dialect phrases, including common expressions and “naughty words,” presented with plain English meanings and usage notes. The guide also explains key pronunciation rules for vowels, diphthongs, consonant combinations, and accent marks, helping readers approximate native sounds. Entries connect idioms to cultural references, such as regional associations and informal speech.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Italian pronunciation basics

Dialect and phrase glossary

A Viewer's Glossary for Italian, Southern Italian and Sicilian Dialect Phrases and Naughty Words by Greg Gagliano A Guide for Midwesterners and other Madigans of Non-Italian Descent © 1999 Greg Gagliano This is the area of New Jersey where "The Sopranos" takes place. Note that the Soprano family is not Sicilian given that Sicilians are most often associated with the Mafia. © 1999 Greg Gagliano A Quickie Guide to Italian Pronunciation Vowels: All vowel sounds are pronounced. No "silent e" as in English. Vowels are pure e.g. - "I" sounds like the "I" in "Italian". They do not have a compound sound like the "I" in the English which has a "long I" followed by a "long E", that is, we don't say "Eye talian". Diphthongs and Consonants: ci, ce make the English "chi, che" sound (like "checkers") gi, ge make the English "j" sound (like "jelly") zz makes the English "tz" sound (like "pizza" or "pits") s makes the English "z" if there is a vowel on either side of the "s", otherwise it makes the usual English "s" sound ss makes the English "s" sound sci, sce makes the English "sh" sound (like "she" and "shell") gn makes the "nya" sound as in "Onion" gli makes a sound similar to the "ill" in "Million" chi, che make the English "k" sound (like "kiwi" and “ketchup”) ghi, ghe make the English "hard g" sound (like "giddy" and “get”) ho, ha have a silent "h" so only the vowel is heard (as in English "oh" and "ah") Accent Marks: Hey, this is just a quickie guide so let's not worry about these. J © 1999 Greg Gagliano GLOSSARY Nota bene: Italian is a very expressive and subtle language. The exact meaning of a word is sometimes difficult to translate since meanings can change based on the context of the word and inflection of voice. The definitions presented here are generalizations. Afa Nabila –(Southern Italian dialect)– literally "Go to Naples", generally used as "Go to hell"since Naples at one time was not considered a very nice place. Abasta!–(Southern Italian dialect)– Enough! Agita –(Southern Italian dialect)– heart burn, indigestion. A managia –(Southern Italian dialect)– shucks, shoot, damn, darn, etc. Sometimes pronounced "manugia" or "manegia". Antipasto –(Italian)– literally "before the meal", refers to assorted Italian appetizers generally consisting of roasted sweet red peppers; meats such as salami, cappicola, and prosciutto; cheeses such as provolone and gorgonzola; marinated artichoke hearts; seafood such as anchovies, squid and tuna; and Italian bread (or snack crackers) . Oh, and wine…don't forget the wine. Baccalà –(Italian)– salt cod, but often used by Southern Italians as an insult meaning fool, idiot. Bizzuoca –(Southern Italian dialect)– bigoted woman. Braccioli –(Italian)– thinly sliced flank steak which is rolled and filled with cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic and sometimes pignoli (pine nuts) . Served as aside dish with pasta, it is often pronounced "bra joel" in dialect form. Buona fortuna –(Italian)– good luck. Cagherone –(Southern Italian dialect)– dilect form of chiacchierone meaning big mouth, big talker, blow hard, babbler. Calzone –(Southern Italian dialect)– a type of filled bread/pizza dough. Filling depends on the region, but most Americans are familiar with such fillings as sausage, peppers, cheese with tomato sauce. Cannoli –(Italian)– pastry shell filled with flavored, sweetened ricotta cheese. Capo regio –(Italian)– literally "head of a region" and gangster-speak for a boss. Capitan – dialecized form of "capitano" which means captain. Gangster-speak for a boss. © 1999 Greg Gagliano Cappicola –(Italian)– spiced Italian ham, also dialecized as "cap i coal" or "capa gool". Cavatelli –(Italian)– a type of pasta in the shape of small, smooth pea pods. Cidrule –(Southern Italian dialect)– cucumber or stupid (when used as an insult), pronounced "chi drool eh". Ciuccio –(Southern Italian dialect)–jackass, often

FAQs

What pronunciation rules does the glossary cover?

It explains how vowels are pronounced, notes that there is no “silent e” like in English, and gives rules for diphthongs and consonant combinations (e.g., ci/ce, gi/ge, zz, sci/sce). It also includes how accent marks should be treated in the guide context.

How are meanings of Italian words handled in the glossary?

The guide states that Italian meanings can be difficult to translate precisely because they shift with context and inflection. Provided definitions are presented as generalizations.

What kinds of glossary entries are included?

The glossary includes a mix of everyday phrases and more offensive or “naughty” expressions across standard Italian and regional dialects, each with an English meaning and, where relevant, pronunciation or dialect notes.

Sep 28, 2026

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