Anagrams, word puzzles, malapropisms, puns, double entendres. Enigmi, fabuloserie, anagrammi, cruciverba, polisenso. For every word in the Italian dictionary there is the potential for wordplay, whether it be a palindrome, spoonerism, pangram, or some other verbal twist.
Give the Devil His Due
Most people instinctively reach for a well-known dictionary, such as the Merriam–Webster, when looking for the definition of a word. The entry for patience, for example, reads: the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient. But what if you were a bit cynical, or in the mood for word–play or trying to complete an anagram or crossword?
If you turned to the The Devil's Dictionary you'd find this entry—patience: minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue. Other entries include: bore: a person who talks when you wish him to listen; egotist: a person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me; and peace: in international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.
The Devil's Dictionary, one of the greatest works of satire of the 19th century, was a compilation penned by Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914), an American writer and journalist. The collection of barbed aphorisms is a parody of Noah Websterís great work and of the social conventions of Bierceís time. Nothing and no one was safe from Bierceís glorious satire and caustic cynicism, not even saints: a dead sinner, revised and edited; or clergymen: a man who undertakes the management of our spiritual affairs as a method of bettering his temporal ones.
Gargoyle: An Olive-Flavored Mouthwash
The Washington Post recently published a contest for readers in which they were asked to supply alternate meanings for various words, similar to the Devil's Dictionary entries. The following are some of the winning entries:
Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
Circumvent (n.), the opening in the front of boxer shorts.
Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon.
Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
Frisbatarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
Negligent (adj.) , describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightie.
Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddish expressions.
Frasi Matte
The Italian language is ideal for humorous and satirical word play. Frasi matte (crazy phrases) are a great way to improve your vocabulary. The Alternative Italian Dictionary, a collection of malapropisms, double entendres, homonyms, and jokes, takes its cue from The Devil's Dictionary, with entries such as: leoncavallo ibrido ottenuto incrociando una tigre con un asino; and quorum liquore (rum) preferito dal secondo nipote di Paperino. From accapigliarsi to vulcano, there are plenty of alternate meanings for various Italian words. If your tongue doesn't get twisted, you'll have a devilish time with the Alternative Italian Dictionary and chances are your understanding of the Italian language will improve.
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