Italian Translation Practice #26: Anatomical expressions

Hi everyone. Today’s translation exercise is constructed around the many common Italian expressions that include some reference to the human body. All of the expressions that you need to complete the translation can be found here or on the following list:

Farla sotto il naso di qualcuno - To do something under someone’s nose
Sbattere la porta sul naso a qualcuno - To slam the door in someone’s face
Fare il naso a - To get accustomed to something
Faccia a faccia - Face to face
Salvare la faccia - To save face
Alla faccia! - Good for you!
Avere la faccia tosta di fare qualcosa – To have the nerve or cheek to do something
Uomo dal cuore di coniglio – A chicken hearted man / a coward
Avere la morte nel cuore – To be heart sick
Spezzare il cuore a qualcuno - To break someone’s heart
Il cuore non sbaglia – The heart is wiser than the head
Lontan dagli occhi, lontan dal cuore – Out of sight out of mind
Caricare la mano – To exaggerate
Tendere la mano – To beg
Far venire il latte alle ginocchia – To bore to tears (or to death)
Voltare la schiena a qualcuno – To turn your back on someone
Spaccare il capello in quattro - To split hairs
Non essere uno stinco di santo – To be far from being a saint
Avere la pelle dura – To be thick skinned
Mentire per la gola – To lie through one’s teeth
Essere sulla bocca di tutti – To be the talk of the town
Darsi la zappa sui piedi – To cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face

As usual, to make the exercise more interesting I’ve created an imaginary dialogue between our ever-warring couple David and Laura. Things really do seem to be going downhill between them!

Have fun with the translation, and let me see what you come up with!

Laura: OK, you wanted a tête à tête and here I am. Just say what you want to say and then leave.

David: You don’t need to bite my head off – I’m just trying to hold out an olive branch…

Laura: What did you expect? That I’d welcome you back with open arms?

David: No, but you don’t have to slam the door in my face either. I just thought it would help us to meet face to face.

Laura: So that you can lie through your teeth again? Don’t bother! I've discovered what a despicable coward you are! Do you realise what people are saying behind our backs? We’re the talk of the town…

David: Don’t exaggerate!

Laura: I’m not! I hardly dare poke my nose out of doors because of all the gossips! I hate everyone poking their nose into my business! And it’s your fault!

David: Won’t you at least listen to what I have to say?

Laura: Sure, I’m all ears…

David: Look, I’m begging you! Can’t you give me a second chance? I haven’t slept a wink since you left, and I’m so miserable and heartsick. I know you’re hurt and upset, but don’t turn your back on me just to save face. You’re breaking my heart!

Laura: You make me sick! During all our years together I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times you said you loved me, and now you’re saying you’re heartbroken because I’ve left you! You have some nerve!

David: Look, I know I’m no saint, but you’re not perfect either! I’ve tried to say I’m sorry for what I did, but everything I say to you seems to go in one ear and out the other. You pretend that you don’t care about me, and act as though I’m out of sight out of mind, but I know you’re just trying to hurt me. I know you still love me and you’re just cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Laura: David, shut up! Your whining is boring me to death. You had an affair under my nose, and you lost me as a result. Get used to it…