WHY DO ITALIANS ALWAYS TALK WITH THEIR HANDS?

As a famous Anglo-Saxon saying goes, “How can you silence an Italian? Tie his hands!”. As caricatural as it may seem, an Italian speaks well with his hands.

This is an observation we make every day while living in Rome, especially at the wheel! But far from being a cliché, this way of expressing oneself has historical origins. Gesticulating was a way of making oneself understood, when Italy was until 1861 a set of states, speaking different languages or dialects: a kind of manual esperanto!

We therefore propose you to learn to speak with your hands: an initiation to this essential mode of expression in Italy. This activity will remain among the best memories of your weekend.

ACTIVITY : SPEAKING ITALIAN WITH YOUR HANDS AND ILLUSIONISM

The appointment will be in a café* in the Campo de Fiori district. The exact location will be indicated by email (depending on the season, the day of the week, the schedule, the number of participants). Our teacher will explain the historical and cultural context of the language you will master at the end of the course. The fundamentals of speaking in Italy will also be discussed and put into practice.

Be careful if you change regions, like any language, it has its dialects…

Gestures will be explored along the following lines:

Greetings – Eat & Live – How I Feel – Italian Superstition.

Surprise: the teacher is also a great illusionist and he will make the curious enjoy it. Don’t tell your friends or kids that illusionistic tricks will take place… 

Then you will go on an adventure in the neighbourhood, discovering small shops, the real life of the Romans and local customs.

* consumption at the expense of the customer.

Duration: about 2 hours.