Did you know that:
- the word denim comes from a kind of fabric made in Nimes, France called toile de Nimes?
- the Spanish do not drink sangria, but tinto de verano, which is made of wine, seltz water and ice?
- the custom of draping oneself in a black shawl when singing Portuguese fado was originated by Maria Severa in 1830 ?
- there are 12 protected regional languages in Italy?
- Alençon lace comes from its namesake in Normandie, France and it's an off shoot of Venetian lace?
- the Portuguese gave the Japanese the word for thank you as arigatou is a corruption of obrigado?
- that mayonaise was brought to France from Mahon in Minorca and still called over there salsa mahonesa?
And now for the final wedge and including almost all southern Europe...
Did you know that the opera I Vespri Siciliani by Verdi was based on a French libretto by Scribner and Duveyirer about the duque of Alba and the Spanish occupation of Flanders?
Did you know that the opera I Vespri Siciliani by Verdi was based on a French libretto by Scribner and Duveyirer about the duque of Alba and the Spanish occupation of Flanders?
photo by Leo Reynolds
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2 comments:
Love this post...good bit of trivia for us here in the U.S.A.
Hope all is going well for you and yours there in Norway. The sun is shining here, the trees and flowers are blooming, there is still some snow on our mountains, the hillsides are green and the fresh mountain air smells wonderful...how much better can it get !!!
Very interesting. I didn't know about the Italian languages. I learn something new everyday from you
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