ICP Outcomes
Interculture Quiz - Italy
Photo: Frances Brennan
Different styles: an overflowing car park in Italy
Students - trying answering the questions before looking at the suggested responses and commentary at the foot of the page.
For each situation, choose one or, where fitting, more options - or none and suggest your own.
Behaviour - Interpersonal
1 At the railway station you see two men meeting. They are wearing suits and carrying briefcases. They hug and kiss each other on both cheeks. You think:
a) they must be gay.
b) they are probably friends or relatives.
c) they are probably businessmen meeting for work.2 You see two men having a heated conversation at a table in a bar. At one point one of the men starts waving his index and middle fingers, making a “V” sign, with the back of his hand towards the other man. You think:
a) he’s telling the other man to go to hell.
b) he’s saying his team won the match.
c) he’s saying he had to pay two million lira in taxes.3 When the teacher of English you work with introduces you to two of her colleagues, which of the following would you do?
a) Shake hands with each of them.
b) Kiss each of them on both cheeks.
c) Shake hands if they are men, kiss them if they are women.4 You are invited out in the evening by Italian friends. What do you imagine the situation will be?
a) A mixed group.
b) Women only or men only.
c) A big group.
d) A small group.5 You are going out for the evening with Italian friends. What do you think you will do?
a) Go to a bar and have lots of alcoholic drinks.
b) Go to a bar and have one beer each.
c) Go to a bar and have ice creams, milk shakes, cokes.
d) Go for a pizza.
e) Go to a disco and get drunk there.6 You are going out for the evening with Italian friends. How do you think you will pay?
a) You will get each get your own bill.
b) You will get one bill for the whole meal, and then each of you will pay for what you have eaten or drunk.
c) You will get one bill for the whole meal, and then each of you will pay an equal share.7 You work in a school as a language assistant. The teacher of English you work with invites you and her other colleagues for dinner at her place. Rate each of the following according to this scale:
1 = must be done; 2 = can be done; 3 = inappropriate; 4 = definitely must not be done.
a) Take her some carnations.
b) Take her some chrysanthemums.
c) Take her some roses.
d) Take her a bottle of wine.
e) Take her a cake.
f) Take her a bottle of perfume.
g) Send her a thank you card afterwards.8 You work in a school as a language assistant. The teacher of English you work with invites you and her other colleagues for dinner at her place. Rate each of the following according to this scale:
1 = must be done; 2 = can be done; 3 = inappropriate; 4 = definitely must not be done.
a) Wear a short skirt and a tight top.
b) Wear a black dress.
c) Wear jeans and T-shirt.
d) Wear a suit and tie.
e) Wear a jacket but no tie.
f) Shake hands with your host and the people you are introduced to.
g) Say “ciao a tutti” when you arrive.9 You work in a school as a language assistant. The teacher of English you work with invites you and her other colleagues for dinner at her place. Classify each of the following actions as:
1 = perfectly acceptable; 2 = acceptable; 3 = not acceptable; 4 = offensive; 5 = very offensive.a) The maths teacher has come with her 3-month-old baby and starts breastfeeding her at the table half-way through dinner.
b) Guests talk across each other.
c) The P.E. teacher wears his napkin tucked in his shirt collar.
d) The science teacher is wearing a T-shirt.
e) The history teacher is eating a chicken leg with her fingers.
f) The geography teacher has left some food in her plate.
g) The Italian teacher burps loudly.
h) The German language assistant is getting a bit drunk.
i) The other English language assistant takes her shoes off.10 If an Italian friend said to you: “Vieni da me per un tè domani?”, what would you expect?
a) Just a cup of tea at any time of the day.
b) A cup of tea and some biscuits around 5 in the afternoon.
c) Some sandwiches or cakes around 5 in the afternoon.
d) A three-course meal around 7 in the evening.11 You have become acquainted with the family next door. The daughter is getting married next month. You receive a card with the following wording: "Maria Rossi e Giuseppe Bianchi sono lieti di annunciare il proprio matrimonio, che si svolgerà sabato 2 giugno alle 11.00 nella Chiesa di Sant’Anna". What do you think you are expected to do?
a) Turn up at the church and take a present to the reception.
b) Take a small present a few days before and only go to the service.
c) Just go to the service.
d) Send a card.
e) Send some flowers on the day.12 Indicate which of the following you would associate with an Italian and imagine what your reactions to them would be.
a) not being very polite
b) hardly ever saying grazie and prego
c) interrupting while somebody is talking
d) talking loudly all the time
e) asking too many personal questions
f) forcing a guest to overeat when invited for dinner
g) being very friendly and hospitable
h) being very reserved and difficult to approach
i) being very helpful
j) keeping away from foreigners
k) if male, always hunting for women
l) if female, always hunting for men
m) if female, never doing anything without their man
n) never respecting any rules, especially while drivingBehaviour - Public places
13 You buy a small packet of sweets from the tobacconist and leave your receipt on the counter. Which of the following is likely to happen?a) Nothing.
b) The tobacconist picks it up and throws it away since you don’t want it.
c) The tobacconist insists that you take it out of the shop as both you and he could be fined if you were found without it during a random check by the finance police outside the shop.14 You are paying in a shop. Would you:
a) put the money on the counter.
b) put the money in the assistant’s hand.
c) hand your hand out to receive your change.
d) pick the change up from the counter.15 You have been queuing at the post office for the best part of an hour and you are about to be attended to, when a pregnant woman overtakes the whole queue, stands in front of you and starts dealing with the clerk.
a) You tell her to go to the end of the queue because it is your turn.
b) You say nothing because you are British, but the big Italian woman behind you starts shouting and complaining.
c) Nobody seems surprised.16 You go into a bar to buy a drink. What would you normally do?
a) Pay the cashier, take the receipt to the counter and order.
b) Order at the counter, then pay the cashier and take the receipt back to the counter.
c) Order and pay at the counter.
d) Order and drink at the counter, then pay the cashier.17 You go into a bar and see on the price list behind the counter that a coffee costs 2,000 lira. You sit down at a table and order one. When the bill comes it is 3,500 lira. What is your reaction?
a) You call the waiter and say that surely there must be a mistake.
b) You keep quiet, but think you have been done.
c) You ...18 You go to a restaurant with a friend and really enjoy your meal. The bill is 70,000 lire, service included. You:
a) leave no tip.
b) leave 10-15% cent tip.
c) leave 3-4,000 lira.19 You are going to the cinema one evening. Which of the following would you think is possible and/or acceptable in Italy?
a) to arrive well in advance and queue outsideb) to arrive any time, even after the start of the film, and go straight in
c) to go in half-way through the film
d) to wait to be taken to your seat
e) to eat and drink during the film
f) to talk during the film
g) to answer calls on your mobile phone during the film
h) to kiss during the film20 You are crossing the street on the zebra crossing. What do you expect?
a) cars will stop and let you cross, in all parts of Italy
b) cars will stop and let you cross only in the North
c) cars will stop and let you cross only in the South
d) cars will not stop, in all parts of Italy21 You are sightseeing and suddenly you are desperate for a toilet. Which of the following would you do?
a) look for the nearest public toilet
b) try to find some change to pay the toilet attendant
c) go into the nearest bar, buy something to drink and ask where the toilet is
d) go into the nearest bar and head straight for the toilet
e) go into the nearest supermarket or department store
f) head for the railway station
g) head for the park
h) take a bus home22 If you needed some information about a course you are interested in, in the Italian university you are going to attend, what do you think would be the best way to obtain it?
a) read the university booklet
b) look it up on their WWW site
c) ask the secretary
d) go and see the lecturer in charge without appointment
e) make an appointment to see the lecturer in charge
f) phone the lecturer at work
g) write a note to the lecturer
h) ask fellow studentsLanguage - Register/tone
23 The teacher of English you work with introduces you to two of her colleagues. Which of the following would you say?
a) "Piacere".
b) Your full name: first name and surname.
c) Your full name: surname and first name.
d) "Ciao".24 The teacher of English you work with introduces you to two of her colleagues. Which of the following would you choose?
a) The "tu" form.
b) The "lei" form.
c) The "voi" form.25 You are chatting to a senior teacher you have just been introduced to. Which of the following questions would you consider appropriate?
a) Lei è sposato/a?
b) Quanti anni ha?
c) Guadagna molto un professore?
d) Abita in città?
e) È mai stato/a in Gran Bretagna?
f) Lavora qui da molti anni?
g) Va d’accordo con i suoi colleghi?
h) Che tipo è la signora X?26 You are chatting to a university student you have just been introduced to. Which of the following would you consider appropriate?
a) Ce l’hai il ragazzo/la ragazza?
b) Quanti anni hai?
c) Ti piace questa materia?
d) Sei di qui?
e) Sei mai stato/a in Gran Bretagna?
f) Che fa tuo padre?
g) Usciamo stasera?
h) Mi presti il tuo libro?27 In the morning you bump into one of the teachers at the school where you work. Which of the following would you consider appropriate?
a) Buongiorno!
b) Come sta?
c) Com’è elegante oggi!
d) Scusi, devo scappare in bagno...
e) Ciao!
f) Bella giornata oggi!28 In the morning you bump into an Italian student you know. Which of the following would you consider appropriate?
a) Buongiorno!
b) Come stai?
c) Che bella maglia, dove l’hai comprata?
d) Scusa, devo scappare in bagno...
e) Ciao!
f) Bella giornata oggi!29 In front of the duomo in Milan you hear two people talk in what sounds like a dialect. What do you think?
a) They must be locals.
b) They must be southerners.
c) They must be friends.
d) They must be relatives.
e) They must be peasants/workers.
f) They must be uneducated people.30 A smart Italian woman is bargaining with a vu cumprà (black person selling a variety of things in the street). What do you think she will be saying?
a) La prego di farmi uno sconto.
b) Mi fa uno sconto per favore?
c) 10.000 va bene?
d) Su, fammi uno sconto.(Created by Michela Masci of Lancaster University for The Interculture Project)
SUGGESTED RESPONSES AND COMMENTARY
Although some aspects of Italian culture and behaviour are widely known and acknowledged, generalisation is always dangerous. In the case of Italy it is worth stressing once again the variation in behaviour and perceptions between North and South, larger and smaller centres, different social groups, people of different education or age. Some of the responses below would be very much a matter of individual perception and personal experience for Italian people.
Behaviour - Interpersonal
1. At the railway station you see two men meeting. They are wearing suits and carrying briefcases. They hug and kiss each other on both cheeks. You think:
a) they must be gay.
b) they are probably friends or relatives.
c) they are probably businessmen meeting for work.
- Appropriate response: b) is very likely; it is a fact that Italians hug and kiss much more than other Europeans.
- Other options: a) is only a possibility, certainly not the only one! c) is less likely, as generally businessmen would have a more formal relationship, they would just shake hands.
- Comments: not all Italians kiss friends and relatives every single time they meet! Some families and groups are more affectionate than others, so in order to conform to the behaviour of a particular group, the best rule is always to observe and imitate.
2. You see two men having a heated conversation at a table in a bar. At one point one of the men starts waving his index and middle fingers, making a “V” sign, with the back of his hand towards the other man. You think:
a) he’s telling the other man to go to hell.
b) he’s saying his team won the match.
c) he’s saying he had to pay two million lira in taxes.
- Appropriate response: c) is the most likely, as this is the way Italians refer to the number 2.
- Other options: a) is now also a possibility, as the Italians have been learning the "V" sign and the middle finger sign from other Europeans; b) this is unlikely, as the "V" sign meaning victory would be made with the palm of the hand towards the other person.
- Comments: Italians are well known for gesticulating a lot, and having heated conversations. Sometimes the fact that they are waving their arms and talking with a loud voice, can be misunderstood as a sign of anger by foreigners. However Italians just tend to behave like this when they are particularly involved in what they are saying.
3. When the teacher of English you work with introduces you to two of her colleagues, which of the following would you do?
a) Shake hands with each of them.
b) Kiss each of them on both cheeks.
c) Shake hands if they are men, kiss them if they are women.
- Appropriate response: a) is certainly the thing to do.
- Other options: b) and c) are inappropriate in a first meeting in what is a formal relationship, at least initially.
- Comments: unless the relationship develops into a very informal one outside work, it is unlikely that colleagues will ever kiss. In day to day relationships at work a greeting will be sufficient, while a regular handshake would be over the top.
4. You are invited out in the evening by Italian friends. What do you imagine the situation will be?
a) A mixed group.
b) Women only or men only.
c) A big group.
d) A small group.
- Appropriate response: a) and c) would be the most likely scenario.
- Other options: b) a group of men is certainly a possibility if the person invited is a man. d) is also a possibility.
- Comments: large mixed groups of young people hang around in city centre squares, go for a pizza or to a disco. However this does not mean that people do not go out in smaller groups, especially if they are a bit older. It is also possible to see a few couples out together. Particularly at night, it is still not all that common to see groups of only women, whether large or small. Finally, a woman going out on her own at night can still be seen as being easily approachable.
5. You are going out for the evening with Italian friends. What do you think you will do?
a) Go to a bar and have lots of alcoholic drinks.
b) Go to a bar and have one beer each.
c) Go to a bar and have ice creams, milk shakes, cokes.
d) Go for a pizza.
e) Go to a disco and get drunk there.
- Appropriate response: c) and d) are very likely.
- Other options: a) is very unlikely. b) is possible. e) is possible, but without necessarily getting drunk.
- Comments: Italians can have fun without drinking any alcohol at all, although in recent years it has become more common for young people to get drunk occasionally. Drunkenness is generally disapproved of, whether in private or public occasions, and a drunk woman is particularly frowned upon. Bars, even those called English pubs, normally sell soft drinks and snacks, not just alcohol.
6. You are going out for the evening with Italian friends. How do you think you will pay?
a) You will get each get your own bill.
b) You will get one bill for the whole meal, and then each of you will pay for what you have eaten or drunk.
c) You will get one bill for the whole meal, and then each of you will pay an equal share.
- Appropriate response: c) is the norm when going out with a group: going Dutch, which in Italian is fare alla romana.
- Other options: a) is just not done. b) would be possible only in special circumstances, perhaps when somebody has clearly eaten or drunk much more or much less than the others
- Comments: trying to pay precisely for what one has eaten or drunk would be seen as mean.
7. You work in a school as a language assistant. The teacher of English you work with invites you and her other colleagues for dinner at her place. Rate each of the following according to this scale:
1 = must be done; 2 = can be done; 3 = inappropriate; 4 = definitely must not be done.a) Take her some carnations.
b) Take her some chrysanthemums.
c) Take her some roses.
d) Take her a bottle of wine.
e) Take her a cake.
f) Take her a bottle of perfume.
g) Send her a thank you card afterwards.
- Appropriate response: a) 4; b) 4; c) 1; d) 2-3; e) 2-3; f) 4; g) 3.
- Comments: a), b) and c) taking flowers to the hostess, not necessarily roses, is the best option when being invited for dinner; carnations and chrysanthemums are not appropriate because they are cemetery flowers in Italy. If it is a host, perhaps a plant would be more appropriate. d) and e) taking wine or a cake without asking first would be inappropriate and might be considered offensive, as the host/hostess will have prepared their own wine and dessert to fit the menu. However, especially in less formal occasions, it is possible to ask whether it would be appropriate to contribute to the meal. The offer will probably be declined at first, but it might subsequently be accepted, at which point the most suitable choice of item can be agreed. f) personal presents, such as a bottle of perfume would be inappropriate, but a box of chocolates, sweets or nice biscuits can be acceptable. g) a card would seem odd, as Italians only send cards for Christmas, birthdays, and occasionally Easter, to people who live far away, whom they can not see or phone.
8. You work in a school as a language assistant. The teacher of English you work with invites you and her other colleagues for dinner at her place. Rate each of the following according to this scale:
1 = must be done; 2 = can be done; 3 = inappropriate; 4 = definitely must not be done.a) Wear a short skirt and a tight top.
b) Wear a black dress.
c) Wear jeans and T-shirt.
d) Wear a suit and tie.
e) Wear a jacket but no tie.
f) Shake hands with your host and the people you are introduced to.
g) Say “ciao a tutti” when you arrive.
- Appropriate response: a) 4; b) 2; c) 3; d) 2; e) 2; f) 1; g) 2.
- Comments: b), d), e) and f) are appropriate behaviour, assuming a fairly formal relationship with the teacher. Generally Italians like to be smart all the time, and even jeans and T-shirts tend to be by fashionable designers! c) and g) would be possible in a more informal context, where the guest already knows everybody.
9. You work in a school as a language assistant. The teacher of English you work with invites you and her other colleagues for dinner at her place. Classify each of the following actions as:
1 = perfectly acceptable; 2 = acceptable; 3 = not acceptable; 4 = offensive; 5 = very offensive.a) The maths teacher has come with her 3-month-old baby and starts breastfeeding her at the table half-way through dinner.
b) Guests talk across each other.
c) The P.E. teacher wears his napkin tucked in his shirt collar.
d) The science teacher is wearing a T-shirt.
e) The history teacher is eating a chicken leg with her fingers.
f) The geography teacher has left some food in her plate.
g) The Italian teacher burps loudly.
h) The German language assistant is getting a bit drunk.
i) The other English language assistant takes her shoes off.
- Appropriate response: a) 2; b) 1; c) 2-3; d) 3; e) 3; f) 2; g) 5; h) 5; i) 5.
- Comments: a), b) and f) are appropriate behaviour, even assuming a fairly formal relationship with the teacher. Leaving some food on the plate can be taken by some hosts as offensive; however, especially in the South, people traditionally leave a small amount of food on their plates (perhaps to show that they are well satisfied, or not too greedy?). In a more informal context c), d) and e) might also be acceptable. a) breastfeeding in public is not a taboo, although Italians are becoming more shy about it than in the past. b) talking across each other in a social gathering is normal and accepted; Italians do not mind being interrupted in conversation. g), h) and i) burping and getting drunk are considered bad taste, and taking your shoes off in public is very bad manners (unless it’s at the beach!).
10. If an Italian friend said to you: “Vieni da me per un tè domani?”, what would you expect?
a) Just a cup of tea at any time of the day.
b) A cup of tea and some biscuits around 5 in the afternoon.
c) Some sandwiches or cakes around 5 in the afternoon.
d) A three-course meal around 7 in the evening.
- Appropriate response: b), definitely.
- Other options: a), c) and d) are all not possible. Tea is not a regular drink in Italy. Some people have it for breakfast, otherwise it is drunk when you are ill (considered especially good for upset stomach, with lemon), or traditionally offered to visitors in the afternoon, generally with a selection of dry biscuits (this often happens at five, which Italians believe to be l’ora del tè inglese, English teatime).
- Comments: at home and out, Italians will generally drink coffee and offer it to other people, although it is not uncommon to offer a liqueur or an aperitif.
11 You have become acquainted with the family next door. The daughter is getting married next month. You receive a card with the following wording: "Maria Rossi e Giuseppe Bianchi sono lieti di annunciare il proprio matrimonio, che si svolgerà sabato 2 giugno alle 11.00 nella Chiesa di Sant’Anna". What do you think you are expected to do?
a) Turn up at the church and take a present to the reception.
b) Take a small present a few days before and only go to the service.
c) Just go to the service.
d) Send a card.
e) Send some flowers on the day.
- Appropriate response: c) and/or e).
- Other options: definitely not a). d) is possible if you are not going, but a telegram on the day would be more normal in this case.
- Comments: Italians send announcements for weddings, which just tell you about the event. You can then choose to go to church if you wish, and to send or take a present, but not on the day. The people invited to a reception or a meal will receive an additional card, with details of the venue. If they accept the invitation, they are expected to send or take a present prior to the big day. It is still considered the most appropriate thing to buy a present of a value which would repay the hosts of the amount spent on the people invited. This must take into account also the bomboniere (an object, often expensive, plus five sugared almonds) given by the couple to the guests. People not attending the reception or meal will be given a cheaper bomboniera.
12 Indicate which of the following you would associate with an Italian and imagine what your reactions to them would be.
a) not being very polite
13 You buy a small packet of sweets from the tobacconist and leave your receipt on the counter. Which of the following is likely to happen?
b) hardly ever saying grazie and prego
c) interrupting while somebody is talking
d) talking loudly all the time
e) asking too many personal questions
f) forcing a guest to overeat when invited for dinner
g) being very friendly and hospitable
h) being very reserved and difficult to approach
i) being very helpful
j) keeping away from foreigners
k) if male, always hunting for women
l) if female, always hunting for men
m) if female, never doing anything without their man
n) never respecting any rules, especially while driving
- Appropriate response: the response to this question is obviously very personal.
- Comments: it is true that Italians can come across as not being very polite, as they do not make use of as many politeness formulas as the British do. Interrupting and talking loudly is not necessarily considered bad mannered in Italy, neither is asking some personal questions. Especially in the house, hostesses will insist on giving more and more food to their guests, and say that they will be offended if it is not eaten up. This is a sign of their hospitality, and normally they will not be really offended if you politely refuse or leave any food. Italians are generally approachable and friendly, and helpful towards foreigners. Many men are certainly hunting for women most of the time, or at least show their appreciation with loud comments and whistles, but if not encouraged they are fairly harmless... Lots of women, even young ones, still depend very heavily on what their partners want them to do, and would not go out at night without them, for example. Italians have a flexible approach to law, and find a way to get round rules, without necessarily infringing them. Driving, especially in the South, is certainly... dynamic!
Behaviour - Public places
a) Nothing.
b) The tobacconist picks it up and throws it away since you don’t want it.
c) The tobacconist insists that you take it out of the shop as both you and he could be fined if you were found without it during a random check by the finance police outside the shop.
- Appropriate response: c).
- Other options: a) might happen if the shopkeeper is not paying attention. b) is very unlikely.
- Comments: there is a law in Italy, established to prevent tax fraud, which states that both supplier and customer are responsible for the receipt (scontrino or ricevuta fiscale), which is a legal document, no matter how small the sum involved is, and both can be heavily fined if it has not been issued. You are well advised to make sure that you obtain one, and keep it at least until you get home, when going to a shop, a hairdresser, a professional, such as a doctor, a restaurant, a bar, etc. Some people might offer you a discount, if you accept not to have the receipt: this would be an illegal transaction for both parties involved!
14 You are paying in a shop. Would you:
a) put the money on the counter.
b) put the money in the assistant’s hand.
c) hand your hand out to receive your change.
d) pick the change up from the counter.
- Appropriate response: a) and d) are the norm.
- Other options: b) and c) are not done, generally, and you risk being left with your hand in mid air.
- Comments: in shops, bars, etc., payment and change are given by putting money on the counter, often in special little dishes.
15 You have been queuing at the post office for the best part of an hour and you are about to be attended to, when a pregnant woman overtakes the whole queue, stands in front of you and starts dealing with the clerk.
a) You tell her to go to the end of the queue because it is your turn.
b) You say nothing because you are British, but the big Italian woman behind you starts shouting and complaining.
c) Nobody seems surprised.
- Appropriate response: c), hopefully, but b) will happen too.
- Other options: a) would be justified, since you are a foreigner, but in Italy there is a law giving right to pregnant women to be served first. You will understand why, when you see the queues in the post office: they would end up in giving birth there!
- Comments: generally speaking, Italians prefer to group and elbow each other in front of counters, rather than queuing, and many do not respect the order of arrival. In some shops you can get a number when you get in, but often, especially in crowded bars is the one with the longest arms and the loudest voice who gets served first!
16 You go into a bar to buy a drink. What would you normally do?
a) Pay the cashier, take the receipt to the counter and order.
b) Order at the counter, then pay the cashier and take the receipt back to the counter.
c) Order and pay at the counter.
d) Order and drink at the counter, then pay the cashier.
Appropriate response: a), generally Other options: all others might be possible, depending on the set up of the bar. Comments: the norm in bars is to go to the cashier, generally near the entrance, declare what you want and pay for it, then take the receipt to the counter, in order to be served. If you are not quite sure what to have and want to look at the cakes, then you can choose and then go back, or sometimes order first and pay afterwards. 17 You go into a bar and see on the price list behind the counter that a coffee costs 2,000 lira. You sit down at a table and order one. When the bill comes it is 3,500 lira. What is your reaction?
a) You call the waiter and say that surely there must be a mistake.
b) You keep quiet, but think you have been done.
c) You ...
- Appropriate response: any of these is possible, from your point of view, but...
- Comments: ... the reality is that prices are very different, depending on whether you stand at the counter or sit at a table. Ordering at the counter and then taking your drink to the table is not possible.
18 You go to a restaurant with a friend and really enjoy your meal. The bill is 70,000 lire, service included. You:
a) leave no tip.
b) leave 10-15% cent tip.
c) leave 3-4,000 lira.
- Appropriate response: c).
- Other options: a) would be acceptable if you were really dissatisfied. b) would be fine, but probably slightly excessive.
- Comments: a fixed cover charge and a service charge based on a percentage of the bill are included (please note that the percentage can vary from restaurant to restaurant). Waiters are generally paid reasonably well, but it is customary to leave something extra for them if you enjoyed the meal and the service was good. If you pay cash, is often whatever change you are given, or you can leave some 5-10% of the total bill.
19 You are going to the cinema one evening. Which of the following would you think is possible and/or acceptable in Italy?
a) to arrive well in advance and queue outsideb) to arrive any time, even after the start of the film, and go straight in
c) to go in half-way through the film
d) to wait to be taken to your seat
e) to eat and drink during the film
f) to talk during the film
g) to answer calls on your mobile phone during the film
h) to kiss during the film
- Appropriate response: b), c), e), f), g), h) are all possible. e), f) and g) are not recommended, but they do happen without causing much complaint.
- Other options: a) is unlikely, unless it is a very popular film or time (e.g. Christmas holidays. d) used to be true, but nowadays it only happens if the room is already dark, when the attendant (maschera) shows you in with a torch.
20 You are crossing the street on the zebra crossing. What do you expect?
a) cars will stop and let you cross, in all parts of Italy
b) cars will stop and let you cross only in the North
c) cars will stop and let you cross only in the South
d) cars will not stop, in all parts of Italy
- Appropriate response: b), I’m afraid...
- Other options: a) well, that’s the idea, and some people will do, of course, also in the South, but very infrequently.
- Comments: if you are in an area where people are not likely to stop at zebra crossings, you must be very careful if someone, perhaps a foreigner (!), does: the other drivers behind them might not be expecting this, therefore might not be ready to break, or might just overtake the car that stopped while you are crossing!
21 You are sightseeing and suddenly you are desperate for a toilet. Which of the following would you do?
a) look for the nearest public toilet
b) try to find some change to pay the toilet attendant
c) go into the nearest bar, buy something to drink and ask where the toilet is
d) go into the nearest bar and head straight for the toilet
e) go into the nearest supermarket or department store
f) head for the railway station
g) head for the park
h) take a bus home
- Appropriate response: c), f) and h) are the most likely ones.
- Other options: a) is unfortunately rather unlikely, as there is a distinct lack of public toilets in Italy. b) might be the case, especially in tourist places. d) if you tried this one you might get stopped by the barkeeper, asking you to buy something first. e) it is unusual for stores to have toilets. g) well, there might be toilets in the park, but in what state are they going to be? (beware of stray needles...).
- Comments: oh dear, is it really so bad? Well, not if you are a man, as it is common to use a tree in a park, and some even use dark corners and entrances of blocks of flats (not recommended). In some places, such as Rome, the old vespasiani still exist (old stand up, see head and feet operations). Monuments in tourist places tend to have public toilets, generally with an attendant who will accept a small tip of some 500 lira, if there is not fixed charge. Of course restaurants, cinemas and theatres will have toilets, but there are no purpose-built toilets in the midst of towns and cities. Good luck!
22 If you needed some information about a course you are interested in, in the Italian university you are going to attend, what do you think would be the best way to obtain it?
a) read the university booklet
b) look it up on their WWW site
c) ask the secretary
d) go and see the lecturer in charge without appointment
e) make an appointment to see the lecturer in charge
f) phone the lecturer at work
g) write a note to the lecturer
h) ask fellow students
- Appropriate response: a), b) and h).
- Other options: c) is possible, but it is not always easy to get to talk to busy secretaries and to extract the right information. d) is not possible, as lecturers are not available without appointment. e) is possible, but might not be received very well, as lecturers are very busy during their office hours, generally seeing students about their dissertations. f) and g) are very unlikely to be successful and get a response.
- Comments: nowadays Italian universities have their Web sites, although they are not always immediately user-friendly; most also print informative booklets, although quite often it is difficult to get up-to-date information on courses before the start of the academic year, as they tend to change every year. Lecturers are generally much more formal and not as approachable as in Britain, but might answer a few question at the end of a lecture, if they are not in a hurry. Socrates students can approach the person and the office responsible for the EU exchanges. Fellow students are always a very good source of useful information.
Language - Register/tone
23 The teacher of English you work with introduces you to two of her colleagues. Which of the following would you say?
a) "Piacere".
b) Your full name: first name and surname.
c) Your full name: surname and first name.
d) "Ciao".
- Appropriate response: a) and/or b).
- Other options: c) might be done by some Italians, but is not what should be done. d) is informal, and can be used for introductions in a group of young people, but not in formal situations.
24 The teacher of English you work with introduces you to two of her colleagues. Which of the following would you choose?
a) The "tu" form.
b) The "lei" form.
c) The "voi" form.
- Appropriate response: b).
- Other options: a) is informal and c) is used nowadays only by some old or not very well educated people.
- Comments: it is possible to go from "lei" to "tu", of course. Generally it is the senior person who takes the initiative and suggests "Diamoci del tu." Between peer colleagues, it could be either to say "Ci diamo del tu?". In any uncertainty it is safer to use the lei form, although Italians are gradually becoming more informal.
25 You are chatting to a senior teacher you have just been introduced to. Which of the following questions would you consider appropriate?
a) Lei è sposato/a?
b) Quanti anni ha?
c) Guadagna molto un professore?
d) Abita in città?
e) È mai stato/a in Gran Bretagna?
f) Lavora qui da molti anni?
g) Va d’accordo con i suoi colleghi?
h) Che tipo è la signora X?
- Appropriate response: d), e) and f).
- Other options: a) and b) are a bit too personal at this stage, perhaps later, if something in the conversation leads to them... . c) is possible. g) and h) should be avoided, as they are too direct and might embarrass the other person.
- Comments: it is true that Italians like talking about themselves and do not mind personal questions too much, but there is a time and a place for them!
26 You are chatting to a university student you have just been introduced to. Which of the following would you consider appropriate?
a) Ce l’hai il ragazzo/la ragazza?
b) Quanti anni hai?
c) Ti piace questa materia?
d) Sei di qui?
e) Sei mai stato/a in Gran Bretagna?
f) Che fa tuo padre?
g) Usciamo stasera?
h) Mi presti il tuo libro?
- Appropriate response: b), c), d) and e) are all good for a first chat.
- Other options: a) is a bit direct, especially between a man and a woman, unless you really fancy them, of course! f) is possible, perhaps a bit later on. g) is possible, depending on the circumstances. h) is also possible, but do not be offended if you get a refusal: books are expensive!
- Comments: young people do not need to be formal, and use the "tu" form straight away.
27 In the morning you bump into one of the teachers at the school where you work. Which of the following would you consider appropriate?
a) Buongiorno!
b) Come sta?
c) Com’è elegante oggi!
d) Scusi, devo scappare in bagno...
e) Ciao!
f) Bella giornata oggi!
- Appropriate response: a).
- Other options: b) is possible, but is not used like the English equivalent How are you?, which often does not require a real response. c) is possible if the relationship is not too formal - after all, Italians like compliments, especially on their clothes. d) not really... . e) is not appropriate if you are on formal terms; f) is possible, although perhaps a bit British... .
28 In the morning you bump into an Italian student you know. Which of the following would you consider appropriate?
a) Buongiorno!
b) Come stai?
c) Che bella maglia, dove l’hai comprata?
d) Scusa, devo scappare in bagno...
e) Ciao!
f) Bella giornata oggi!
- Appropriate response: e).
- Other options: a) is ok, although less usual. b) as above. c) is possible and not considered intrusive. d) is possible. f) is possible, probably as ironic or meant to be funny.
29 In front of the duomo in Milan you hear two people talk in what sounds like a dialect. What do you think?
a) They must be locals.
b) They must be southerners.
c) They must be friends.
d) They must be relatives.
e) They must be peasants/workers.
f) They must be uneducated people.
- Appropriate response: all possible.
- Comments: dialects used to be spoken much more before the era of compulsory schooling and media. However, they are still used throughout Italy, especially in informal situations with family and friends, but also in more formal context, especially in the South. They are not necessarily the language of poor or uneducated people, although it is still true that some of these, especially older individuals, will have difficulties in speaking standard Italian.
30 A smart Italian woman is bargaining with a vu cumprà (black person selling a variety of things in the street). What do you think she will be saying?
a) La prego di farmi uno sconto.
b) Mi fa uno sconto per favore?
c) 10.000 va bene?
d) Su, fammi uno sconto.
- Appropriate response: c) or d).
- Other options: a) is very formal; it is unlikely that you would ask anybody for a discount in such a formal way. b) is formal and likely to be used in a shop or a market.
- Comments: it is not unusual to hear Italians use tu and be very informal, if not a bit patronising, with black street sellers. Immigrants, not just black people, are still seen by many as intruders, not without some explicit racism in some cases.
(Created by Michela Masci of Lancaster University for The Interculture Project)
We welcome any comments - get in touch with us at icp@lists.lancs.ac.uk