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Level: Culture Class

Is Francesco a boy’s name or a girl’s name? Although cultures are different all over the world, no man likes to be called a girl. Both Francesco and Francesca are common Italian names; one is a boy’s name, one is a girl’s. Do you know which is which? Are you sure?

Today we start a new series of lessons regarding Italian names. In this new course we shall see the most common Italian names, their origins and some famous Italians of the past that bore those names and had a significant impact on Italian history and culture. This series will concentrate upon Italian history and culture, leading you into the “unseen” part of Italian language, its origins and cultural significance.

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Level: Culture Class

What do Italy’s most famous explorer and the host of ItalianPod101.com have in common? Yes! They are both Italian. But there’s something else. What is it? Give up? Both have the same first name! Marco Moraglia hosts ItalianPod101.com, while the other Marco explored China. We’ll let you work out the other Marco’s surname. If you’re not sure, it’s in this lesson’s pdf notes. (Hint: think of soccer played on horseback!)

In today’s class we shall talk about two very common Italian given names, Marco and Elisa. When an Italian baby is born, be it boy or girl, a lot of thought is given to their names. We will see their historical origins and derivatives, along with some famous characters that bore those names.

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Level: Culture Class

Your Italian friend has invited you over for dinner with her extended family. You’re excited to practice all of the Italian language that you’ve learned from ItalianPod101.com but you’re having trouble with the names. First there was your friend’s sisters, Guiseppe and Alessandro. Then there was Guiseppe’s wife Bianca, and their children, Antonio, Tizio and Caio. Then you were introduced to Alessandro’s sons Alessandro junior, Mario, Carmelo and little Anna Maria. Next came sisters Carmela, Francesca, and Rita, Carmela’s friend Paolo, Francesca’s husband Sergio and Sergio’s brother Luigi, Rita’s husband Vincenzo and their lovely twins…

If you have trouble remembering the names of all the Italian people you meet, don’t worry. You’re not on your own. But in today’s free lesson you’ll at least learn a little bit about two names, Andrea and Elena. After listening to today’s mp3, at the very least, if you are introduced in Italian to someone named “Andrea” you’ll be able to reply, “oh yes, from the ancient Greek proper noun “Andréas”, an abbreviation of andròs, that meaning “man, masculine individual, warrior, sturdy man”.

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Level: Culture Class

In today’s lesson we shall talk about a pair of extremely frequent Italian names, focusing mostly on their biblical origins, onomastici and patron saints. Furthermore, we will see two important singers that bore these names, whose diverse talents made them an integral part of the Italian music development.

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Level: Culture Class

In today’s class we shall continue the introduction to the most widely used Italian names. We will analyze their etymology, onomastico as well as masculine and feminine variants. In addition, we will have a brief presentation of both an eminent sixteenth-century Italian intellectual and an Italian pop singer.

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