what's in a name?
Italian boasts the most surnames, thanks to the Romans. As stated at Behind the Name,
Here are the Top Ten Italian Surnames:1. Rossi 2. Russo 3. Ferrari 4. Esposito 5. Bianchi 6. Romano 7. Colombo 8. Ricci 9. Marino 10. Greco
Some funny translations here: Celebrity names in Italian
And now, to business. Let's expose your Italian students to some authentic names and have them practice some formal discourse, let's combat the epidemic of extreme casualness!!
Start here:
During the early Roman Republic men had a praenomen (first name) and a nomen (clan name). By 100 BC a cognomen (family name) was also required on official documents, and when applying for citizenship. Some Romans also had an agnomen (nickname).
The full Roman name could also include a filiation (patronyms), which was the father and grandfather's names, and a tribal name.
Here are the Top Ten Italian Surnames:1. Rossi 2. Russo 3. Ferrari 4. Esposito 5. Bianchi 6. Romano 7. Colombo 8. Ricci 9. Marino 10. Greco
And now, to business. Let's expose your Italian students to some authentic names and have them practice some formal discourse, let's combat the epidemic of extreme casualness!!
Start here:
