I so enjoy reading your posts! I also want to thank you for the link to the article about losing your mother tongue.
My mother spoke Italian at home, my father, English. I often think I didn’t “hear” the difference between the languages, because I remember wondering why my friends couldn’t understand my mom. I always understood her but would only ever reply in English. It wasn’t a conscious decision, maybe because my dad did? The mind is a curious thing :)
Hi Silvia, how interesting! I wonder why your mom didn't encourage you to speak Italian. Do you speak it now, and if so, was it difficult given your understanding of the language from a young age? Thank you for reading!
It was a program from Univ of So Florida that is no longer in existence. Always loved Perugia, have close friends from Dallas that moved there 16 yrs ago and still love it.
Will possibly make a visit in late November as we did last year
Our family from Abruzzo and Molise and we visit there also
I’ve met/heard from so many people who studied at Stranieri. I’m glad Perugia made such a good impression on you, and I hope you do get back here soon. Let me know if so, and thank you for your support!
I always find your Substack to be beautifully written and wonderfully interesting! It is so difficult – I know, I know! – – to remember that there are readers out there who love and appreciate your work. This platform is so nice for the relatively immediate gratification and sense of connection it yields. One of these days, you’ll hear someone knocking on your door in Perugia – – and it may just be me, dropping by to give you a hug and say hello.
Wonderful post— it’s always remarkable to me the way that art, history, literature, poetry, etc intersect on a daily basis in hundreds of Italian towns— some much bigger than Perugia obviously, and many much, much smaller. I so agree with your observation that most Italians carry an enviable level of knowledge on these subjects, at least to the extent that it pertains to their town or regione. I couldn’t tell you anything about 80 percent of the monuments in NYC…
ah! I would be very interested in seeing the Orpheus mosaic sometime. As for the myth, I am very familiar with it and ... honestly, I do not view it as the romantic tale that others do. Many versions - the first of which I can find - only speak of Eurydice being bitten and not of her being chased by Aristaeus, which leads me to a different conclusion about Orpheus, talented as he was. But that's a discussion for another time! (or for whenever I finish the research paper that I started two years ago!) It is certainly one of the most enduring tales of all time!
I so enjoy reading your posts! I also want to thank you for the link to the article about losing your mother tongue.
My mother spoke Italian at home, my father, English. I often think I didn’t “hear” the difference between the languages, because I remember wondering why my friends couldn’t understand my mom. I always understood her but would only ever reply in English. It wasn’t a conscious decision, maybe because my dad did? The mind is a curious thing :)
Hi Silvia, how interesting! I wonder why your mom didn't encourage you to speak Italian. Do you speak it now, and if so, was it difficult given your understanding of the language from a young age? Thank you for reading!
Fascinating.... and good on you for leading such an active life. One thing - the link to the New York Times article "Can you lose your native tongue" - is not functioning. The link is: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/14/magazine/native-language-loss.html
Thanks, Vian. Intermittently active, but trying! And thank you for the link!
Really enjoyed your article this time. I always look forward to it!!!
Love anything about Perugia!!!
Thanks, Ginger! I take it you've been to Perugia?
Went to Universita per Stranieri.
It was a program from Univ of So Florida that is no longer in existence. Always loved Perugia, have close friends from Dallas that moved there 16 yrs ago and still love it.
Will possibly make a visit in late November as we did last year
Our family from Abruzzo and Molise and we visit there also
Enjoy your post very much, keep informing us!!!
I’ve met/heard from so many people who studied at Stranieri. I’m glad Perugia made such a good impression on you, and I hope you do get back here soon. Let me know if so, and thank you for your support!
I always find your Substack to be beautifully written and wonderfully interesting! It is so difficult – I know, I know! – – to remember that there are readers out there who love and appreciate your work. This platform is so nice for the relatively immediate gratification and sense of connection it yields. One of these days, you’ll hear someone knocking on your door in Perugia – – and it may just be me, dropping by to give you a hug and say hello.
Thank you so much, that’s lovely to hear. Please do plan a visit!
Wonderful post— it’s always remarkable to me the way that art, history, literature, poetry, etc intersect on a daily basis in hundreds of Italian towns— some much bigger than Perugia obviously, and many much, much smaller. I so agree with your observation that most Italians carry an enviable level of knowledge on these subjects, at least to the extent that it pertains to their town or regione. I couldn’t tell you anything about 80 percent of the monuments in NYC…
ah! I would be very interested in seeing the Orpheus mosaic sometime. As for the myth, I am very familiar with it and ... honestly, I do not view it as the romantic tale that others do. Many versions - the first of which I can find - only speak of Eurydice being bitten and not of her being chased by Aristaeus, which leads me to a different conclusion about Orpheus, talented as he was. But that's a discussion for another time! (or for whenever I finish the research paper that I started two years ago!) It is certainly one of the most enduring tales of all time!