Risotteria

[MartyL]

Nina and Wilfrid are right about the short first "o" in Risotto. It's not exactly the "o" sound as in "toss", but it is closer to that than to "toe." To go back to Nina's example, find yourself a good recording of Tosca (the cast with Callas and Gobbi please) and listen to how they pronounce the name of the title character.

Oh, and another fun Italian diction tip: The double "t" (like most double consonants) is correctly pronounced by resting ever so briefly following the vowel sound that immediately precedes it.

[Wilfrid]

Thank you, Marty.

And nesita, you're absolutely right. Fat Geezer would have us believe that, just because he says Paris instead of Par-ee, he also sits in restaurants ordering foy grass and bottles of Bordoaks.

[macrosan]

I quote from Speak Italian and know Italy by Gianni Rosa because it's the only Italian language teaching book I have at home.

"Como ==> O is in off or scot ... never as in pole or bone"

That says that I was wrong in saying that if a word ends with O then that O is pronounced as in toe. However, I suspect that the longer O sound I have heard spoken is probably a result of slurring the ending into the next word. It's quite difficult not to.

I can easily say vino with a short O at the end, but I find when I say vino rosso then the O at the end of vino does tend naturally to lengthen. But strictly speaking, that is incorrect pronunciation.

That seems pretty clear then

Going back to risotto I can think of no etymological basis for pronouncing this with a long O. We all know that Americans tend to do this, and often sound long vowels where neither the original language nor Standard English pronunciation would stipulate that. But then that's American English, not Standard English. And both forms of English have many dialects. Some of the vowel sounds of Bostonian dialect don't appear in any manual of any language ! However, given that variety, I think it is quite wrong to suggest that any pronunciation of a foreign word in it's source language form can possibly be incorrect and to suggest that it is an affectation is frankly as foolish as suggesting that pronouncing valet with an audible T is an affectation.

[Fat Guy]

May you be locked in a cell with someone who insists on pronouncing every foriegn word in all its original glory!

[Steve Plotnicki]

I prefer SHAM-BOWL-MOOSE-IN-KNYEE to VHOHNE-ROMAN-I

Marty L - I heard you were at the Balfoor blowout at L'Acajou on Monday. That's who I was at Craft with last night.

[LaNiña]

Even the final o in risotto, osso, rosso, etc. is not pronounced like "toe." The long o in Italian is NOT as long as the long o in English. We do NOT HAVE this vowel in English. It's somewhere betweeen "toe" and "aw" - it's impossible to write. I'll give demonstrations tomorrow at Congee Village for those fortunate enough....

My Italian vocabulary is limited and my Italian is very rusty, but I learned as a child (we spent our summers in northern Italy), and my father grew up near Milano (ages 2 - 10).

[Bux]

But then that's American English, not Standard English.

Yeah, when you change the name of the country to "Standard."

[macrosan]

May you be locked in a cell with someone who insists on pronouncing every foriegn word in all its original glory!

Yeah. but first you have to get me convicted of something

By the way, I'm not sure risotteria is a real word, but if it were then it would be pronounced with the emphasis on the second I and not on the E. I hope this makes the whole thing more contentious

[LaNiña]

I'm falling in love with macrosan.

[Robert Nesta Marley]

I prefer SHAM-BOWL-MOOSE-IN-KNYEE to VHOHNE-ROMAN-I

well, steve, we'll have to compare: you got a prieur muhzigney or dujac bonez-marez lying around? if you do, and you have a lay tatch, too, hey--we can do a taste test! hee hee.

[Fat Guy]

Well, Macrosan, I haven't found your crime yet but I've got several prospective cellmates lined up for you.

[Jason Perlow]

I'm falling in love with macrosan.

what would your kids be like, the Macro Wugmonster?

[LaNiña]

I'm falling in love with macrosan.

what would your kids be like, the Macro Wugmonster?

Gee, that was clever.

[tommy]

I'm falling in love with macrosan.

what would your kids be like, the Macro Wugmonster?

Gee, that was clever.

a-doy.

[Jason Perlow]

Page 7 alert. Move on, there is nothing to see here.

[Jason Perlow]

I'm falling in love with macrosan.

what would your kids be like, the Macro Wugmonster?

Gee, that was clever.

I aim to please.

[Wilfrid]

blowout at L'Acajou

Far be it from me to digress , but - Steve - are they cooking good food at L'Acajou these days? I used to think it did a reasonable job within its modest range, but gave up after a couple of disappointing dinners last year.

[LaNiña]

I'm falling in love with macrosan.

what would your kids be like, the Macro Wugmonster?

Gee, that was clever.

I aim to please.

Thank goodness we're not dependent on your aiming abilities for our national defense or any such thing.

[Fat Guy]

No we only depend on him to keep the site running.

[Steve Plotnicki]

No my favorites are;

Bone Mars

Sham-Bowl-Moose-In-Knyee-a (as in apple)-more-roose

both made by Cris-toff Room-e-ay of course.

[Jason Perlow]

I'm falling in love with macrosan.

what would your kids be like, the Macro Wugmonster?

Gee, that was clever.

I aim to please.

Thank goodness we're not dependent on your aiming abilities for our national defense or any such thing.

Yes, running this site is kind of like trying to pee standing up in the dark.

[tommy]

Even the final o in risotto, osso, rosso, etc. is not pronounced like "toe."  The long o in Italian is NOT as long as the long o in English.  We do NOT HAVE this vowel in English.  It's somewhere betweeen "toe" and "aw" - it's impossible to write.  I'll give demonstrations tomorrow at Congee Village for those fortunate enough....

yes, for those not aware, there will mostly likely be a point during dinner, probably lasting somewhere around 3 hours, that nina will be demonstrating how she talks.

[Wilfrid]

But she's fine about people wearing ear plugs.

[LaNiña]

I adore you both, you Wilfrid and Tommy. I shall be pinching the living hell outta all of your cheeks tomorrow.

[MartyL]

Steve: Unfortunately, I was not at the Balfor dinner at L'Acajou on Monday although I have been there with some of that cast of characters in the past. I hear some 57 Haut Brion was poured blind on Monday and identified correctly by Dr. K.

Please tell me what you guys drank at Craft so I can turn a further shade of green.