# Positions in bed



## Silvia

Out of curiosity, I would like to know from native English speakers whether there are expressions/words to describe positions in bed, since we have them in Italian. Apart from the easy ones like "on my side" (di lato), we have several others, a cucchiaio, a gomitolo... hey I know this is a funny subject but the contest is over, and we won't have another one until next year, so I'm safe!


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## danalto

silviap said:
			
		

> Out of curiosity, I would like to know from native English speakers whether there are expressions/words to describe positions in bed, since we have them in Italian. Apart from the easy ones like "on my side" (di lato), we have several others, a cucchiaio, a gomitolo... hey I know this is a funny subject but the contest is over, and we won't have another one until next year, so I'm safe!


 Hey, Silvia, I jumped on my chair when I read the title of your thread... 
 And my chair has wheels...


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## DesertCat

Yes, the title certainly caught my attention. 

US English doesn't have specialized words though I wouldn't be surprised if medical doctors who specialize in sleep disorders have specific terminology to describe various positions.  We would just use the descriptionis such as "on my back," "on my stomach" and so forth.


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## Silvia

How strange! Really? You don't have names for that?


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## leenico

> Out of curiosity, I would like to know from native English speakers whether there are expressions/words to describe positions in bed, since we have them in Italian. Apart from the easy ones like "on my side" (di lato), we have several others, a cucchiaio, a gomitolo... hey I know this is a funny subject but the contest is over, and we won't have another one until next year, so I'm safe!


 I just have to jump in on this conversation. The last count that I knew of there were over 69 different positions. which ones in particular were you reffering to?


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## Alfry

now it's becoming very catchy


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## Silvia

No, Lee, don't misunderstand my question. I'm not asking about "love positions"... just positions in bed when you sleep. I'm a good girl  (see profile )


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## Merlino

a cucchiaio -> to spoon, spooning (i.e. lying behind your partner while both of you have your legs pulled up)


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## mimitabby

besides spooning and side by side, what else is there without going into the other 69 positions? I want to know too.
how about in the middle?
how about the person that keeps rolling up the blanket leaving
the partner with no covering at all?


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## mimitabby

silviap said:
			
		

> Out of curiosity, I would like to know from native English speakers whether there are expressions/words to describe positions in bed, since we have them in Italian. Apart from the easy ones like "on my side" (di lato), we have several others, a cucchiaio, a gomitolo... hey I know this is a funny subject but the contest is over, and we won't have another one until next year, so I'm safe!




what's a gomitolo? isn't that like side by side?


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## Silvia

nooo, a gomitolo means to curl oneself up like a ball of wool, also called f(o)etal position.


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## Merlino

simply "on the stomach" (il gomito = the stomach)


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## Silvia

I don't think so. On the stomach just means prone. Am I wrong?


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## Merlino

hmm I hope my italian isn't better than yours  I must be mistaken...


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## mimitabby

silviap said:
			
		

> I don't think so. On the stomach just means prone. Am I wrong?


on the stomach does mean prone, but you will never hear anyone describe
being in bed in the prone position unless it's a murder investigation
you're doing just great.


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## mimitabby

Merlino said:
			
		

> simply "on the stomach" (il gomito = the stomach)


i thought GOMITO meant ELBOW!!!


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## Merlino

yes you're quite right, I had my thinking cap on backwards 

lo stomaco... *slaps himself*


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## Silvia

Yeah, I didn't notice the mistake, gomitolo not gomito


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## Gianni

Hi,

One might start out with the knees pulled up to the chin, as in the fetal position. But that probably would change due tossing and turning. Of course, one could sleep in the supine position, facing up .If the arms and legs are spread to the side it's called 'spread eagle' In the prone position, the chest is on the bed, face turned to the side. Buona notte.

Silviap, Sorry I didn't see your previous posts. You had said just about what I did.'All balled up' sounds like the fetal position.  Gianni


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## mimitabby

Gianni said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> One might start out with the knees pulled up to the chin, as in the fetal position. But that probably would change due tossing and turning. Of course, one could sleep in the supine position, facing up .If the arms and legs are spread to the side it's called 'spread eagle' In the prone position, the chest is on the bed, face turned to the side. Buona notte.
> 
> Silviap, Sorry I didn't see your previous posts. You had said just about what I did.'All balled up' sounds like the fetal position.  Gianni



spread eagle! oh good one, interesting, how hard it is to bring these categories to mind!


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## Silvia

Thank you all.


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## Sybil

Silvia, 

See the link. You'll find there a few more imaginative words than just "on my stomach" or "on my back" for sleep positions :

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/kids/2004/03/sleepstudy.html


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## danalto

Sybil, hai superato te stessa!


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## Sybil

)) tante grazie, danalto


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## Silvia

Thank you Sybil!


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## lsp

Just to clarify, since we're all learning foremost about the English and Italian languages. They are all good descriptions, but none of those, except fetus, is commonly used in conversations about sleep positions. The average (english=speaking) joe wouldn't know what these meant without explanation.


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## mimitabby

lsp said:
			
		

> Just to clarify, since we're all learning foremost about the English and Italian languages. They are all good descriptions, but none of those, except fetus, is commonly used in conversations about sleep positions. The average (english=speaking) joe wouldn't know what these meant without explanation.


and around here if you said "fetus" position instead of "fetal" position,
you would get the blank looks too.
(the great pacific northwest)


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## mimitabby

and btw,
Are we going to see the full list of italian ones besides gomitolo and...?


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## Artrella

7 POSITIONS IN BED 



Art


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## Artrella

This is from BBC 



Bye, Art


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## mimitabby

Artrella said:
			
		

> This is from BBC
> 
> 
> 
> Bye, Art


yes, we've seen these, but this isn't common knowledge in the USA!


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## Artrella

What do you think of these??? They have been extracted from American articles about sleeping positions for babies and pregnant women.

- on one's back

- face down or prone 

- on one's left/right side



Hope this helps!

Art


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## lsp

Artrella said:
			
		

> - on one's back
> 
> - face down or prone
> 
> - on one's left/right side


That's what we'd be more likely to say in conversation


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## lsp

and spooning and fetal position, like we said before.


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## LG1789

Nothing like the unexpected for the naughtily curious...!


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## Silvia

I almost forgot this thread!
Per vostra curiosità ecco un piccolo campionario italiano:
a pancia sotto/a pancia in giù/prono
supino
a gomitolo/in posizione fetale/rannicchiato
tipo mummia
di fianco/di lato
sbracato (anche se esula dal significato comune presente nei dizionari)
di sbieco/di traverso/trasversale
bocconi
a bordo letto
penzoloni...

Posizioni in coppia
a cucchiaio
di schiena
abbracciati
non ci dilunghiamo qui!

Alcune descrizioni poi sono relative all'abbigliamento, e non tanto alla posizione, tipo "scafandrato" o "imbacuccato"...


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## la reine victoria

I always sleep in the Recovery Position.




LRV


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