Mixed Messages

In last Friday’s post, I mentioned that we played a game at our group class called Mixed Messages. Students had to translate Italian music terms and then write the definitions to complete English sentences. All the students were split into two teams and whichever team finished all their sentences first won a Free Travel Pass. One of my older students who has attended lots of group classes and played lots of games remarked that this was one of her favorite games! Here’s a list of the Mixed Messages we used (with an obvious Italian travel theme):

1. The Mediterranean Sea is so bella and pacifico this time of year.
2. If you ritardando in the streets of Naples you might get run over!
3. The street performers in Rome are allegro and full of giocoso.
4. Gelato is a dolce way to fine a meal.
5. If that luggage is troppo pesante, just fermata and we will have someone else carry it for you.
6. We are dolente that our trip will presto be over.
7. I would like a poco piu cheese on my pizza.
8. Please accelerando so that we get to da capo of the bus line in time to catch a ride.
9. The sound of the train is crescendo.
10. The people of Italy are assai friendly.
11. It’s sempre exciting to travel to new places.
12. See if you can find loco to stay for meno than €100 a night.
13. Let’s sit by the fuoco and sip a mezzo cup of coffee largo.
14. The dancers in the ballet moved around so leggiero and grazioso.

And for your convenience, here’s a handy list of the same messages with the Italian terms translated into English. Of course, these are not necessarily the Italian words you would actually use in that context; I just tried to stick with ones that my students would be somewhat familiar with from their music studies.

1. The Mediterranean Sea is so beautiful and peaceful this time of year.
2. If you gradually get slower in the streets of Naples you might get run over!
3. The street performers in Rome are fast and lively and full of humor.
4. Gelato is a sweet way to end a meal.
5. If that luggage is too heavy, just stop and we will have someone else carry it for you.
6. We are sorrowful that our trip will quickly be over.
7. I would like a little morecheese on my pizza.
8. Please gradually get faster so that we get to the beginning of the bus line in time to catch a ride.
9. The sound of the train is gradually getting louder.
10. The people of Italy are very friendly.
11. It’s always exciting to travel to new places.
12. See if you can find a place to stay for less than €100 a night.
13. Let’s sit by the fireand sip a medium cup of coffee slowly.
14. The dancers in the ballet moved around so lightlyand gracefully.