In English, double letters matter in spelling, but in pronunciation, not so much. In Italian, however, double consonants are pronounced differently from single consonants. We're usually talking about the letters M, N, P, S, T, D, G, L, V, C, among others. And the meaning of a word can change drastically from double letter to single letter within a word.
In this lesson, let's focus on the letter L. Consider these two words: molare and mollare.
Il molare is a noun meaning "the molar," when talking about teeth. In fact, the verb molare has to do with grinding (grinding is what molars do), and a grinder is called una mola in Italian.
But if we turn that L into a double LL, it's a different story.
Una molla is a spring, like a slinky, like the spring you have in a ballpoint pen.
La sola idea di, di, di fargli passare una vecchiaia da solo, in un posto così triste come un canile, forse è stata la molla che è scattata in me.
Just the idea of, of, of having him spend his old age by himself, in a place as sad as a dog pound, was maybe what triggered my decision.
Captions 50-52, Andromeda La storia di Ulisse
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In the previous example, Andromeda is talking about adopting or rescuing a dog from a kennel. She uses the noun la molla, with the verb scattare. When you pull the trigger on a gun you are releasing an internal spring. So using molla and scattare together are a way of saying "to trigger."
We use this expression, for example, when things come to a head and something sparks a decision. There is perhaps one crucial catalyst.
The verb mollare is used in a variety of circumstances, from physically letting go of something, such as a bone. Here, mollare is used physically, but in a metaphoric way. In English, we often say, "He's like a dog with a bone."
Ma quelli non mollano l'osso manco morti!
But those guys never let go of the bone, not even dead.
Caption 35, La Ladra EP. 2 - Viva le spose - Part 10
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Mollare can mean "to give up." In this case, there is no object; in other words, when it means "to give up," "to give in," or "to back down," mollare is intransitive.
Appunto per questo, non devi mollare.
Exactly because of this, you shouldn't give up.
Caption 39, Il Commissario Manara S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne - Part 1
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Non mollare. -Vai.
Don't give up. -Go.
Caption 4, L'oro di Scampia film - Part 11
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Mollare is one of those verbs where the command form often uses the infinitive, as in non mollare! (don't let go, don't give up).
When mollare is transitive, having a direct object, it means "to drop," "to leave," "to quit." It's often used for quitting a job or leaving a partner.
Non ha più voluto insegnare. Poi, prima di mollare tutto, ha voluto parlare con me.
She no longer wanted to teach. Then, before dropping everything, she wanted to talk to me.
Captions 63-65, La compagnia del cigno S1 EP4 - Part 5
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Ancora devono smaltire il fatto che ho mollato l'università.
They still have to get over the fact that I dropped out of college.
Caption 29, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 12
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Gemma m'ha mollato.
Gemma dumped me.
Caption 4, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 6
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Thanks for reading. We hope to have clarified the difference between molare and mollare and to have helped you understand the various nuances of the verb mollare.
In a recent episode of La Ladra, three great, informal adverbs stand out in three consecutive lines.
Ma quelli non mollano l'osso manco morti!
But those guys never let go of the bone, not even dead.
Magari l'osso di Cicci sono io.
Maybe I am Cicci's bone.
Ma mica solamente l'osso.
But not only the bone, of course.
Captions 35-37, La Ladra - Ep. 2 - Viva le spose - Part 10
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We have already discussed magari (maybe, if ever) and mica (at all), and here is a new adverb. We’ve seen it, here and there, in videos, but now it’s time to do a bit of explaining.
Manco: Originally, it meant meno (less), and was used in expressions such as niente di meno (nothing less) in the variants niente di manco, niente manco, non di manco, non manco(nothing less) and is rarely used today. Its second, more recent meaning, and somewhat related to the first, is used quite a bit. It’s equivalent to neanche (not even) as an abbreviated form of nemmanco (not even).
Manco, meaning neanche, has generally been considered to be bad writing form* and continues, even today, to be used exclusively in informal speech, and in writing that reproduces speech. It’s used more in the south than in the north, and is equivalent to nemmeno, neanche, and neppure (not even).
It’s important to remember that manco is an abbreviation for a word with ne (not, nor) as a sort of prefix, and therefore like mica has a negative meaning, even though it doesn’t exhibit the typical characteristics of a negation.
In the previous episode of La Ladra, the first word is manco!
Manco di Augusto mi posso più fidare.
I can't even trust Augusto anymore.
Caption 2, La Ladra - Ep. 2 - Viva le spose - Part 9
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See how easily it slips into conversation. It’s certainly quicker than saying neanche.
E lo sai che manco a farlo apposta, proprio qui vicino, c'è un negozio, aperto da poco, che vende mozzarella di bufala.
And you know, not even to do it on purpose [by sheer coincidence], right near here, there's a shop, recently opened, that sells buffalo mozzarella.
Captions 46-47, Anna e Marika - La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli - Part 1
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Have fun with manco. It’s a word you’ll likely hear more than say, since neanche andnemmeno are more straightforward. Like mica, it’s a strong word, and is used emphatically. When someone uses manco, they mean it. Just imagine someone’s eyebrows going up and their eyes opening wide, as they say, manco morto! as if to say, “you gotta be kidding me!”
*See the Accademia della Crusca, a centuries-old linguistic institution in Italy, now also an online service for questions about the Italian language (articles are in Italian).
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