In transcribing a recent video, there was one particular word that gave us trouble. When a native speaker finally figured it out, it opened up an entire world of connections. And it brought up the subject of pamphlets, leaflets, brochures, paperbacks, and bookbinding. This lesson will look at the words Italians use to refer to these kinds of publications. We'll also get a closer look at some related words that emerged from our research, as well as a diminutive suffix that hasn't come up before.

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Here is the passage that gave us trouble. It's from a video about publishing comic books. The speaker had apparently turned brossura into the adjective/past participle brossulato, likely an informal term employed within the world of commercial publishing. 

Rimettendo insieme questi albetti albo d'oro, tre, quattro per volta, si veniva a creare un, eh... una, un, un volume in qualche modo brossulato [sic: rilegato in brossura], dello spessore degli attuali Tex.

Putting these golden albums back together, three, four at a time, it would become a, uh... a, a kind of paperback bound volume, of the same thickness as the current Tex.

Captions 77-80, Fumettology TEX - Part 8

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Once the mystery was solved, there was a second mystery: Why a particular kind of binding (on a book) was called brossura.

Wikipedia provided some information: In traditional bookbinding, especially for hardbound books, sewing is involved, as well as folded paper that then needs separating. But for paperbacks, especially cheap ones, another method is used whereby the edges of the pages are glued to a piece of tape. How many times have you had pages fall out of a paperback if you opened it too wide? So the term brossura has to do with la rilegatura (bookbinding) and is basically used to indicate a paperback book. Wikipedia provided the clue that brossura is from the French "brocher," to pin, to sew. Of course! Brochure! This originally French word is used in both English and Italian. 

Guardi, questa è la brochure del nostro atelier.

Look, this is the brochure from our studio.

Caption 41, Sposami EP 2 - Part 5

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The French word brochette also sprang to mind, which is "skewer," the utensil or the result: kebab, or in Italian, lo spiedino. But not only that! We also have "brooch" (sometimes "broach") in English, which is a large pin you wear on a jacket. Una spilla in Italian.

Another word for brochure is depliant or dépliant: Of course, it, too, is a French word adopted into Italian usage. The Italian translation is pieghevole, also used to mean "brochure."

Sì, sta nel dépliant del museo, sta di là.

Yes, it's in the museum brochure, it's over there.

Caption 20, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 3

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Yet another word is opuscolo. We have no examples from Yabla videos, but it's quite common. It comes from "opus" (work) and is a diminutive. Where have we heard this diminutive before? Il brutto anatroccolo(the ugly duckling). The diminutive -olo is used with masculine nouns and denotes small size or petty nature. 

We also have volantino (flyer). The word comes from the verb volare (to fly). It can fly, in the sense of distribution. A flyer can also be a sheet inserted into a magazine between the pages (not bound). You can take it out. 

Controlla bene le offerte elencate nel volantino che trovi all'ingresso del supermercato o quello che ti hanno messo nella cassetta della posta.

Carefully check the offers listed in the flyer that you find at the entrance to the supermarket or the one they have put in your mailbox.

Captions 8-10, Vocaboliamo Supermercato - Part 3

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The job of distributing these flyers is volantinaggio.

Then there's la locandina. This is usually one sheet describing a show or movie. It can also mean "poster." But where does locandina come from? Clearly, it's a diminutive of locanda. A locanda is a place that rents rooms. 

Era una locanda.

It was a small inn.

Caption 59, Anna e Marika Trattoria Al Biondo Tevere - Part 1

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But what's the connection with locandina? It so happens there is a little-used verb locare (to let, to lease, to rent out). The verb comes in turn from Latin, where "est locanda" means è da affittare (it's for rent). The locandina was the announcement posted on a bulletin board or wall for renting out a space. It morphed into the small-sized poster for a movie or show. Although the verb locare is not one you will hear very often, if you ever rent an apartment in Italy, it will say Contratto di locazione (rental contract). 

We've given you a potpourri of connected terms. But now when you see these words, hopefully, you'll know what they mean and where they come from. 

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