Italian Facts
Italian is written using the Roman alphabet, but the letters J, K, W, X and Y are not part of the standard Italian alphabet, appearing only in loan words
Italian has always had a different, distinctive dialect for each Italian city, though a well-known Italian turn of phrase describes it as "the Tuscan tongue in a Roman mouth"
Italian is the official language of Catholicism
Italian
Glossary
La Cappella Sistina
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Michelangelo ebbe il compito di affrescare la cappella Sistina da papa Clemente VII.
Egli non accettò subito di buon grado questo lavoro in quanto si considerava uno scultore e non un pittore; non considerava la pittura una vera e propria arte in quanto per lui la vera arte era la scultura, diceva che ogni lastra di marmo aveva già in sé nascosta un’anima ed a lui non restava che liberarla col suo scalpello; inoltre aveva imparato l’arte dell’affresco in una piccola bottega artigiana ma non l’aveva mai messa in pratica.
Il pontefice voleva che Michelangelo rappresentasse qualcosa del nuovo testamento, ma lui disobbedendo ai suoi ordini decise di rappresentare la creazione e si buttò in unopera immane nella quale doveva rappresentare moltissimi personaggi che avrebbero dovuto avere volti e sembianze diverse e ci riuscì.
Egli, per prima cosa, disegnò a carboncino i personaggi e le scene su dei fogli di carta in dimensioni reali ed in seguito con una tecnica da lui messa a punto ingrandì ogni personaggio ed ogni cosa, in modo tale che una volta affrescati sul soffitto della cappella potessero essere visti chiaramente da terra.
Bucò i contorni di ogni disegno ed appoggiò i fogli alle volte della cappella, inseguito passò la polvere del carboncino su questi fogli, in modo tale che questa potesse passare attraverso i fori che aveva fatto e rimanere sulle volte della cappella delineando i disegni. A questo punto non restava che affrescare i disegni e per questo scelse i colori in maniera minuziosa acquistandone anche alcuni di grandissimo valore. Il papa continuava a minacciare Michelangelo di dare il compito dell’affresco della cappella a Raffaello, in quanto Michelangelo non gli aveva ancora mostrato il suo lavoro. Alla fine quando l’opera era a metà, egli la mostrò al papa e quest’ultimo ne rimase affascinato. Michelangelo impiegò anni a concludere il suo affresco, lavorando notte e giorno e fermandosi unicamente quando la cappella era utilizzata per la celebrazione della Santa Messa. A Michelangelo il compimento di quest’opera d’arte costò la perdita della vista ma questo suo sacrificio ha donato al mondo un capolavoro artistico irripetibile ed unico.
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Italian Courses in Colchester
You and your group can be trained by our native speaker qualified Italian teachers, and can meet at your place of work or home at a time convenient to you. Tutorials can take place any day of the week, including weekends, and can be scheduled for the morning, afternoon or evening. If your home or office is not suitable for you, you can attend the course at the teacher's offices. You will be provided with all relevant course materials.
Book now / EnquiryItalian 1 to 1 Business
These Italian courses are intended for people who really need to learn Italian to help make that difference in their work. For beginners, it will be useful to learn greetings and basic business etiquette, at higher levels reading and then writing become more important. Typical students include those involved in import/export, international negotiations and acquisitions, jobseekers in multinational companies where an additional language is required, and those working with international colleagues, academia and government. Even on our most basic course for Beginners, students should expect to end the course with basic Telephone Italian and e-mail Italian skills for communications as well as Survival Italian required for short visits to a country.
Book now / EnquiryItalian 1 to 1 General
These courses in Italian are wider-ranging in their nature, and are driven towards students who have a variety of differing needs. All beginner students will expect to study enough survival Italian to get them through a short visit to the country, those staying on with the course can progress differently, depending on their individual requests and requirements. Whether you are buying property in a foreign country, married to a foreign national, planning a round-the-world trip, interested in Italian history and culture, or if you simply want to attain a particular level of Italian, this is the choice for you.
Book now / EnquiryItalian Group Lessons
2 or more people can benefit studying Italian together as these Italian courses are also offered to groups (Two-to-One Italian Course or Small Group In-Company Italian Course). Every student must have the same degree of knowledge of the language, the same business or language needs and the ability to study at the same time and place as everybody else. The booking has to be made for all students at the same time. Listen & Learn do not advocate group sessions of more than 6-8 people, though Taster Italian Courses can be experienced by up to 12 people.
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Colchester
With a population of over 100,000, many claim Colchester to be the oldest town in Britain, as it is the earliest recorded site of a Roman town. It was famous for its export of oysters as far back as Roman occupation, and is still a great exporter of oysters and other seafood on a regular basis. As such, it enjoys a great deal of culture and attracts many tourists due to its history and architecture, as well as its thriving shopping amenities. It has its own Natural History Museum, many theatres and galleries, and a host of sporting facilities.
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"This is just a quick note to say thank you for arranging our Italian classes. We really enjoyed them and we liked Maria very much. We are interested in having some more lessons, perhaps once a week now. We'd like them to focus on conversation so that we can practise what we've learned so far."
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