In an only-in-Italy competition, each summer men and women come to the pretty village of Soragna, near Parma, to vie for what some might consider a dubious distinction: the titles of il re (the king) and la regina (the queen) of “Nasonia” (Big Nose Land). Once crowned, the well-endowed nasoni parade through the town amid cries of “Belli! Bellissimi!” In Italy il naso, whether flat (piatto) or hooked (adunco), has long been considered a thing of beauty. Ancient statues pay tribute to the noble noses of Roman warriors. Dante Alighieri, the father of Italian literature, had a nose as distinctive as his poetry. The “magnificence” of Lorenzo de’ Medici of Florence--the consummate Renaissance leader—extended to his oversized nose. Even today Italians often use the expression “un naso importante when referring to someone with a large nose. Courtesy of Dianne Hales, author of LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 12:43:05 +0000
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