# Sardo: Babbasunedda



## Milylee

I'm having trouble translating the word "Babbasunedda."  

From the context, it appears to be a term of endearment.  I recognize the -edda as a Sicilian diminutive, but I can't seem to identify the root word.  Babbasunu? Babbasuno? Neither of these is getting a hit in any of my five or so Italian and Sicilian dictionaries.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  For clarity, the original context is:

"No, tu devi restare qui, delinquente, tu devi imparare, babbasunedda mia."


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## rubuk

Hi Milylee, this could be the answer: babbasone, from a Sardinian-Logudorese dialect, so not sicilian, maybe it was imported.

St.


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## Azazel81

rubuk said:


> Hi Milylee, this could be the answer: babbasone, from a Sardinian-Logudorese dialect, so not sicilian, maybe it was imported.
> 
> St.


 
Probably. My dad comes from Puglia and he says there's a word in his dialect which is similar to this one: "babbasciuna" (or "bambasciuna"... something like that... ).


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## Angel.Aura

Dear friends,

As this does not appear to be a standard Italian term, I suggest Milylee to address his/her question in the Solo Italiano. We have to start with the right _definition_ before we venture into a possible _translation_.
In the meantime, we have many resources to check here			#*6* (or here).


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## Cucuzza

I know I’m 10 years late, but the root word means “stupid”. It’s also not borrowed from Sardinia. Rather, Sardinia borrowed it from the mainland. I’ve seen some dialects end it in “e,” and some dialects give it a distinct gender. Can thank the lack of literacy & schwas for that!

I’m sure it can still be a term of endearment. Napolitans call their kids “faccia bruta” and “faccia gul (faccia di culo)”


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## You little ripper!

Cucuzza said:


> I know I’m 10 years late, but the root word means “stupid”. It’s also not borrowed from Sardinia. Rather, Sardinia borrowed it from the mainland. I’ve seen some dialects end it in “e,” and some dialects give it a distinct gender. Can thank the lack of literacy & schwas for that!
> 
> I’m sure it can still be a term of endearment. Napolitans call their kids “faccia bruta” and “faccia gul (faccia di culo)”




My first language language was Sicilian (my parents were Sicilian),  but I’ve never heard that word. Both my mum and Dad would say to us kids, “Babbu/a che sini!” when we said or did something silly. The endearment ‘babbitu’ was also often heard, but I can’t ever remember them saying ‘babbasunedda’.

‘Cucuzza’ is one of my favourite vegetables!


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## Cucuzza

You little ripper! said:


> My first language language was Sicilian (my parents were Sicilian),  but I’ve never heard that word. Both my mum and Dad would say to us kids, “Babbu/a che sini!” when we said or did something silly. The endearment ‘babbitu’ was also often heard, but I can’t ever remember them saying ‘babbasunedda’.
> 
> ‘Cucuzza’ is one of my favourite vegetables!



My family never used the diminutive form & always used it insultingly. I’d hear “pezzi babbasuni” soon followed by “pezzi sciuminitu” and “pezzi curnutu”.


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## You little ripper!

Cucuzza said:


> My family never used the diminutive form & always used it insultingly. I’d hear “pezzi babbasuni” soon followed by “pezzi sciuminitu” and “pezzi curnutu”.


Maybe it’s regional. What part of Sicily are you from, Pumpkin? (that’s an endearment in English, just in case you weren’t aware of that ) Mine were from the province of Messina.


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## Cucuzza

You little ripper! said:


> Maybe it’s regional. What part of Sicily are you from, Pumpkin? (that’s an endearment in English, just in case you weren’t aware of that ) Mine were from the province of Messina.



Just outside of Palermo is where my grandparents are from. They raised me in the US without ever having learned English, so Scn was my 1st language but only up until I started school, so I’m fluent in English 

As far as my family’s terms of endearments go, the only ones I heard were “sammu miu” and “muffilatiedda” (<— I was not fond of this one)


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## Sardokan1.0

rubuk said:


> Hi Milylee, this could be the answer: babbasone, from a Sardinian-Logudorese dialect, so not sicilian, maybe it was imported.
> 
> St.



It's not Sardinian at all, it's probably Sicilian. I've never heard it in any form in Sardinia. (I speak Logudorese Sardinian). The usual Sardinian word for "stupid, mad, dumb, fool" is "maccu"; from Latin "maccus" (mad, dumb, fool).


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