A few days ago we introduced you to fun Italian words that feature in an article in The Huffington Post about phrases that don’t have a match in English. Like Conosco i miei polli above.
The Huffington Post article says: “It should come as no surprise by now that yes, chickens, too, have their place in Italian expressions. Conosco i miei polli, or literally “I know my chickens,” actually means “I know who I’m dealing with” or “I know what I’m talking about.” No doubt uttered countless times over the years by Italians who had absolutely mastered the art of cooking poultry and resented those who questioned them, this expression has long since evolved to apply to topics both in and outside of the kitchen. So the next time someone asks you if you really know what “offside” means in football, if you’re really quoting Proust correctly or if you truly know the person you’re dealing with, gently (or not-so-gently) remind your inquisitor that you know your chickens.”
Well we certainly know our chickens (Conosciamo i nostri polli in the plural) when it comes to helping you to learn this beautiful language on our week-long Italian language course at the Watermill – and, of course, joinng with you in savouring la bella vita italiana.
There will not only be formal lessons under the vine verandah (some 20 hours in the week), but we’ll also be making trips and excursions to enjoy the natural beauty of Lunigiana, the area surrounding the mill, to explore its history and culture, to sample its traditional foods – and above all, to meet the people, speaking Italian, practising what we’ve learned.
Putting theory into practice: This year’s language group enjoy an Italian lunch.
We’ve teamed up again with the Florence language school, Langues Services, to design a week in which people can learn Italian in the most natural and enjoyable way ever. With our wonderful tutor Francesca La Sala, you’ll meet Italian people and interact with their daily lives.
Your immersion into the language and culture of real Italians will be customised for you, to suit your curiosity and your interests, helping you to treasure everything you learn and make it a seamless part of who you are. You will have the perfect opportunity to make new friends in the company of like-minded people learning and improving their Italian language skills… and enjoying unspoilt Italy and, of course, fantastic food and wine.
This year’s first-ever Italian language course at The Watermill was a great success. Some comments from our guests:
“A super language week. Well organised giving us a taste of ‘real Italy’. Francesca [our tutor] was amazing. Despite the disparity in ability she managed to help all of us towards a better understanding and production of the Italian language. The lessons were fun, interactive and helped me enormously. “The accommodation was great and the camaraderie which evolved was, I’m sure, due to your relaxed and welcoming approach to your guests.”
“We all had such Fun! I had a wonderful time on the language course and laughed so much! My confidence and knowledge has improved immensely over the week and Francesca has even sent us exercises to do at home to keep our learning going. She was tireless and gave us so much. The standard of accommodation, food, drink and your hospitality was, as ever, excellent.”
And talking of food: here’s another fun Italian word
Saturday 7 May to Saturday 14 May 2016
Francesca La Sala
Italian Language course
Please click here to learn more about out Italian Language course at the mill, including the itinerary for the week.
*** Don’t forget the Watermill’s great Early Bird discount offer: If you book before 31 December 2015 there’s a £75 per person discount on our inspiring 2016 Italian language course.
