1 registered members (1 invisible),
406
guests, and 32
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums21
Topics43,337
Posts1,086,012
Members10,381
|
Most Online1,245 6 hours ago
|
|
|
Michael speaking Italian
#18381
10/12/04 09:27 PM
10/12/04 09:27 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,185 Detroit, MI
Cancerkitty
OP
Underboss
|
OP
Underboss
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,185
Detroit, MI
|
In The Godfather, when Michael is talking with Solotzo (sp) and the police captain, Solotzo starts speaking Italian to Michael, and Michael seems to ignore him, then answers in English. Later in the movie, he lets his bodyguard do all the talking while hiding out in Sicaly. My question is, was he able to speak Italian, or did he ignore Solotzo because he couldn't understand him?
|
|
|
Re: Michael speaking Italian
#18383
10/12/04 10:57 PM
10/12/04 10:57 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,249 Desolation Row
Don Sonny Corleone
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,249
Desolation Row
|
Mike understood Italian fine, he wasnt ignoring Sollozzo, he was listening to him. The line right before Michael starts speaking English in that scene (ask Angie to spell it for you) Mike says- "How do you say...." He knew the language, but he could better express himself in English, the exact opposite of Sollozzo. Thats why Fabrizzio translates in Italy, for something as important as that, Mike didnt trust himself to properly express his motives in Italian.
If winners never lose, well, then a loser sure can sing the blues.
|
|
|
Re: Michael speaking Italian
#18384
10/13/04 12:16 AM
10/13/04 12:16 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,206 Los Angeles
Letizia B.
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,206
Los Angeles
|
Yeah, he begins his response to Sollozzo in Italian, and then when he stumbles over words, ("Come si dice...") he just gives up and goes to English ("What I want...").
If you have immigrant parents, you can understand that he'd stumble a bit over his second language. He knows Italian, and understands it well, but remember, his parents spoke mostly English to him in the house... that has a lot to do with it, I bet.
|
|
|
Re: Michael speaking Italian
#18385
10/13/04 01:45 AM
10/13/04 01:45 AM
|
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 839 Elmwood Park, Illinois
YoTonyB
Neighborhood Guy
|
Neighborhood Guy
Underboss
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 839
Elmwood Park, Illinois
|
My dad is remarkably fluent in italian despite learning the language as a child only at home from his parents, and only speaking it periodically today at the neighborhood italian social clubs. None-the-less, he'll still say words, phrases, and occasionally whole sentences in english then immediately shift back to italian because his vocabulary, grammar, and knowledge of idiomatic expressions isn't at the same level as a native speaker. Rather than risk a poor literal translation, he'll say it in english.
"Come si dice" is used a lot in his conversations...
Under the stress of what was about to take place, and his conversational, but not fluent, command of italian, it's not surprising that Michael would revert back to english to make a point as important too him as "a guarantee that there will be no more attempts on my father's life."
tony b.
"Kid, these are my f**kin' work clothes." "You look good in them golf shoes. You should buy 'em"
|
|
|
Re: Michael speaking Italian
#18386
10/13/04 11:12 AM
10/13/04 11:12 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,694 AZ
Turnbull
|

Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,694
AZ
|
The main reason Michael asked Fabrizio to translate for him when he met Sr. Vitelli for the first time was to impress him with the fact that he (Michael) was a pezzanovante, not just an ordinary contadino , and the boss of the two bodyguards. Look at Michael's facial and body language--he's showing power to Sr. Vitelli. But he understands everything that Vitelli says, because every time Vitelli answers, Michael doesn't wait for Fabrizio to translate for him: he replies immediately. Later, when he's courting Apollonia, he doesn't use a translator.
Ntra la porta tua lu sangu � sparsu, E nun me mporta si ce muoru accisu... E s'iddu muoru e vaju mparadisu Si nun ce truovo a ttia, mancu ce trasu.
|
|
|
Re: Michael speaking Italian
#18389
10/22/04 05:54 PM
10/22/04 05:54 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 173 Malmoe, Scania / Perugia, Ital...
Don Larzono
Made Member
|
Made Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 173
Malmoe, Scania / Perugia, Ital...
|
There are some of errors in that transcript, in the scene with Sollozzo and Mike. The scene, as I would translate it: (probably still a few errors) SOLLOZZO Me dispiace... [I'm sorry...] MICHAEL Io saccio ["I know"] (Sicilian dialect) / Could be "Lassa-i" [forget it] SOLLOZZO You know that what happened between your father and me was business. I have alot of respect for your father. But your father, thinks in an old fashion way. I'm a man of honor. MICHAEL You don't have to say that. I know (that). SOLLOZZO You know? (confirmingly) SOLLOZZO (after the waiter brings McCluskey's veal, then exits) You know that I have been a big help to the Tattaglia family. I think we can agree. I want peace. Let's forget everything that has happened. MICHAEL What I want... How do you say? [English] Then after Mike comes back from the bathroom: SOLLOZZO You feel better? You understand me, right? You're Italian, like your father. You can make alot of money. Let's set things right (Can't figure out a better translation), and the madness will end. [End of dialog]
Pro Scania et Libertum
|
|
|
|