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Folk Sayings on Family
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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on the Family -- by Region -- Molise
     
      Casacalenda, Molise
      o in Italian (Dialect): Ndice niente nnanze a carte chianche.
      o in English: (Literally) Don't say anything in front of the white paper [kids]. (Equivalent) Don't let on.
     
      Contributed by Antonio (Tony) Fantillo
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #8281112

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on the Family -- by Region -- Molise
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) Femmena peccenella, figlie a tumulella.
      o in English: (Literally) A little woman, mother to crowds. (Equivalent) Short women are fertile; they'll bear many children.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery

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Molise
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Children -- by Region -- Molise
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Ai figl mup i capisc la mamma sorda.
      o in English (Literally) The mute son is understood by the deaf mother. (Meaning) Those who are close understand each other.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1256433

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on the Family -- by Region -- Molise
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) La fatia de la femmena 'zappene.
      o in English: (Literally) What women do, can be hung up. (Equivalent) Women's work doesn't amount to much.
     
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #3c00776

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Family -- by Region -- Molise
     
      Casacalenda, Molise
      o in Italian (dialect): C'e un pazzo in ogni casa e un sinaco in ogni paese.
      o in English: There is a fool in every household, a mayor in every town.
     
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #1186r

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverb or Folk Saying on Family -- by Region -- Molise*
     
      o in Italian: Non parlare male di un membro della vostra famiglia o il vostro corna andra dai piedi alla testa.
     
      o in English translation: (Literally) Don't say bad things about a member of your family otherwise your horns will go from your feet to your head. (Meaning) Don't say bad things about a member of your family, otherwise all the bad things that were hidden from view will come out in the open and you'll look really bad. (Equivalent) Don't air your dirty laundry in public.
     
      *Contributed by Mrs. Rosina Melfi -- hometown: Casacalenda.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1624073

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Family -- Relatives -- by Region -- Molise
     
      Casacalenda, Molise*
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Nell' uorte di periente ze cogliene i melune.
      - in English: (Literally) In your relatives' gardens you pick melons. (Meaning) Without sarcasm -- One can help oneself to one's relatives' food (One doesn't have to be asked). With sarcasm -- One takes advantage of one's relatives' generosity.
     
      o in Italian (dialect): Rispettu v vicin' che arriva prima du parent'.
      - in English: Be nice to your neighbor, as he might come to your aid before your relatives.
     
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) Chi te vo bene ve n'a case, chi te vo' male te manna chiama.
      - in English: (Literally) Who loves you comes and visits you at home, who wishes you harm calls you up.
     
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Chi me batezze m'e cumpare.
      - in English: (Literally) He who baptizes me is my godfather. (Meaning) Those who are nice to me, I'll be nice to them.
     
      * Contributed by Antonio (Tony) Fantillo
     
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #0119r

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Mothers-in-Laws -- by Region --Molise
     
      Casacalenda, Molise*
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Sta scritte e lettere d'ore ca "nesciuna socere fa ca nore."
      - in English: (Literally) It's written in gold that no daughter-in-like gets along with her mother-in-law. (Meaning) It's a golden rule: mothers-in-law don't get along with their daughters-in-law.
     
      Contributed by Antonio (Tony) Fantillo*
     
     
      o in Italian: Due sorci nella stessa cavita.*
      o in English: (Literally) Two rats in the same hole. (Meaning) A mother-in-law and daughter-in-law can never get along -- they'll behave no better than rats in the same hole.*
     
      *Contributed by Mr. Giuseppe Melfi.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1190312

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Friendship -- by Region -- Molise
     
      Casacalenda, Molise *
      o in Italian (Dialect): U buon indenditore mezze perole i bashte.
      - in English: (Literally) A good listener only needs to hear half a word and that's enough. (Meaning) A good listener understands without a lot being said.
     
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Chi me batezze m'e cumpare.
      - in English: (Literally) He who baptizes me is my godfather. (Meaning) Those who are nice to me, I'll be nice to them.
     
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Chi me batezze m'e cumpare.
      - in English: (Literally) He who baptizes me is my godfather. (Meaning) Those who are nice to me, I'll be nice to them.
     
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) Chi te vo bene ve n'a case, chi te vo' male te manna chiama.
      - in English: (Literally) Who loves you comes and visits you at home, who wishes you harm calls you up.
     
      *Contributed by Tony Fantillo
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) Pe canosce nu cresc-teine te c'eda magnie 'ziembra nu tumbere de seale.
      o in English: (Literally) To know a person you have to eat together 50 kilos of salt. (Meaning) It takes a lifetime to consume 50 kilos of salt, so too it takes a lifetime to get to know someone really well.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of the Library of Congress #3g13511r

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Molise, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Easter and Christmas holidays -- by Region -- Molise
     
      o in Italian: Natale con i tuoi e Pasqua con chi vuoi!
      o in English: (Literally) Christmas with your own, and Easter with whom you want. (Meaning) Christmas has to be celebrated with your immediate family members, but Easter can be celebrated with whomever you want.
Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1587236

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