According to Adnkronos International, the first 'official' copies in the Italian language of the Islamic holy book, the Koran, will be published in the Saudi Arabian city of Medina next year. "Compared to the previous translation that sold thousands of copies in Italy, the Saudi version will have fewer annotations, and the Italian translation will also contain the original Arabic equivalent," according to Hamza Piccardo, former secretary of one of Italy's largest Muslim groups, UCOII.

Another Italian-centric language is now threatened with extinction. This time, it's Italiese—Toronto Italian. According to the Toronto Star, in "Say Arriverderci to the Basimento," "...so many Italians immigrated here [Toronto] after World War II that Toronto became, by the mid-1960s, the largest Italian city outside of Italy...and in time roughly 500,000 people in Greater Toronto were speaking a new tongue, Italiese."

But according to the article, "...Italiese is destined to die within a generation or two, its need and usefulness evaporating," a victim of globalization and cultural homogenization. That's why the Frank Iacobucci Centre for Italian Canadian Studies at the University of Toronto has been compiling a record of Italiese before its inevitable passing. The Centre has even compiled an Italiese dictionary.

Dante Alighieri, in his epic poem La Divina Commedia, sets forth i sette peccati capitali (the seven deadly sins) as follows:

• luxuria (extravagance)
• gula (gluttony)
• avaritia (avarice/greed)
• acedia (acedia/discouragement)
• ira (wrath)
• invidia (envy)
• superbia (pride)

Romano Prodi, the former prime minister of Italy, will speak about the future of Europe and transatlantic institutions at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., on November 19. The event, titled "The Future of Europe and Transatlantic Relations," will also be available via a live Webcast. Prodi was also President of the European Commission and was a founding member of L'Ulivo, a former center-left coalition in the Italian government.

The Italian cult novel La Voce della Pietra will soon be in production for the big screen. According to Variety, director Hideo Nakata will begin filming next spring. The movie, to be titled "Voice From the Stone," "...centers on a female psychologist who takes on the case of a young boy who made a promise to his dying mother to remain silent until her spirit returns. The psychologist begins to realize that the boy's dead mother has manipulated her in order to take possession of her body so she can be reunited with her son."

Can you say incubo?

New York University's Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò presents a concert of Italian baroque repertoire with three of Italy's most important specialists in early music (with works by Corelli, Veracini, Vivaldi, Tartini). Concert is Monday, November 9, at 6 PM.

La Macchina dei Verbi Italiani (Italian Verb Machine) is a Flash application that allows users to practice Italian verb conjugations, either by tense or by person. The software can be used online or in a downloadable format.

One useful method for studying verbs is to take an excerpt of several paragraphs—print out an article from an Italian newsweekly—and highlight every verb. Then translate each verb and identify the tense. Parse it out—write out the infinitive, look up the word in a dictionary if you don't know it, and be sure to clarify the tense. You will improve your comprehension immeasurably since verbs are the key to the language.

The Maine Institute for Italian Studies (IIS), located in Portland, Maine, teaches courses in Italian language and culture, offers trips to Italy, and sponsors events and workshops in art, opera, and film.

...at least, if I were siciliano I might. The fried rice balls, coated with breadcrumbs and usually filled with prosciutto, mozzarella, and/or peas, resemble small oranges—hence the name arancini (little oranges). Arancini is masculine plural, the singular is arancino (or in Sicilian arancinu). In some parts of Sicily, the feminine plural, arancine, is common.

Recipes for the delicacies include Arancini di Riso, Arancini al Ragu, Arancini al Prosciutto, Arancini ai Gamberetti, and Arancini ai Funghi. Dining Chicago points out that: "...similar croquettes are called palline di riso in Naples. In Rome, rice balls filled with mozzarella are known as suppli al telefono, because when you bite into them, the cheese stretches out like telephone wires."