# fighetta



## gigibuffon

Hey , could anyone tell me what  " _fighetta_ " means ?

Thanks !


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## Siberia

Hi Gigi,
Try looking at the links  here, they may help you or add some context.
http://www.wordreference.com/iten/figa


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## gigibuffon

Okie doke , thanks ! :]


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## dan9184

Hi,
It means : 'cool girl' and it's not vulgar , though it's not formal.
It is a term of endearment for  figa , which is also vulgar.


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## gigibuffon

thank you very much ;]


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## Millefoglie

I'm in Northern England at the moment and they translate _fighetta_ with _rah_. I use it as well but honestly I don't know if it is only a regionalism. Has anyone of you ever heard it?


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## Kraus

It is used to indicate a male without aggressiveness (in sports, for example) as well, but not a gay. It's not simple to translate it into English.


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## kittykate

Check here (Wiki):

*Rah* is a derogatory British English slang term for an annoying, young upper/upper-middle-class person. The term is pejorative and is associated with a number of traditional and contemporary class stereotypes. A rah is identified particularly by his or her wealthy, privately educated background, snobbish personal conduct, and expensive dress.

caterina


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## Kraus

I think rah could be the right (or very near) translation for the definition I've just posted.


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## romuloVG

It is also a Renaissance lute and vihuela (baroque lute, baroque guitar) playing technique that alternates thumb and index finger





gigibuffon said:


> Hey , could anyone tell me what  " _fighetta_ " means ?
> 
> Thanks !


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## L'Enrico

This is a rather old post, but this northerner's perspective differs form the answer given by Dan9184 five years ago .
While "figo/a" does refer to physical appearance or to being very good at something or just being cool, "fighetto/a" is a slightly derogatory term for a specific social type. So a "locale figo" would be a nice place to go to whereas a "locale fighetto" is a place best avoided (in my view).

E.


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## giginho

I agree with Enrico. Fighetta is, indeed, derogatory and has nothing to do with figo (except for the etymology, of course).

As said, fighetta could be used to address a man with no masculine behaviour such as in the phrase: "_XYZ gioca a calcio come una fighetta_" meaning that XYZ wouldn't tackle anyone during a match, takes too much care of his hair instead of playing, will avoid any kind of physical contact for fear of injuries ecc ecc ecc.

How can we traslate fighetta in that context?

XZY plays football like a *wuss*?

Wuss, as far as I can understand from our dictionary, means pappamolla that is not exactly what fighetta means. We can say: "Oggi Ribery gioca come una fighetta: ha paura di infortunarsi in vista dei mondiali!". Of course Mr Ribery is not a fighetta, he's always in the fight, but in this particular match he has fear to get injured because of the World Championship on the horizon so he played like a fighetta.

Could someone help me?

Thank you, folks!


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## Teerex51

giginho said:


> XZY plays football like a *wuss*?
> 
> Could someone help me?
> 
> Thank you, folks!



Ciao Gigi, I just knew you'd find this thread irresistible (must be the etymology) 

_Wuss _is good (and so are _wimp _and _sissy_). The latter clearly denotes _effeminacy_ and goes well with your example above.

What is going to prove more elusive is the translation of the noun _fighetta/fighetto_ in the sense Enrico hinted at. 

I'm thinking _prep/preppy_ (or _Sloane ranger _in the UK) with a sprinkling of _metrosexual poser_ on top. Too extreme?


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## giginho

(inizi a conoscermi troppo bene Ste! )

Anyway, what about swanky? Does this satisfy Enrico and Sloane as well?


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## Teerex51

_Swanky_ would work for a pretentious restaurant frequented by _posers_ and _hipsters_, IMHO, but not so well for people.


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## Einstein

This is quite difficult, I'm racking my brains. Just to stimulate, I can give another example: the fighetta/o will frequent a bar that serves indifferent beer at a higher price (or a restaurant serving indifferent food) just because the décor is more elegant... and because other fighetti go there too!


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## Teerex51

Einstein said:


> the fighetta/o will frequent a bar that serves indifferent beer at a higher price (or a restaurant serving indifferent food) just because the décor is more elegant... and because other fighetti go there too!


Well, this shows you know the Milan scene very well...


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## Einstein

Teerex51 said:


> Well, this shows you know the Milan scene very well...


Not only Milan, but maybe it's an extreme case!


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## giginho

Allora, ho fatto una ricerca etimologica (per spiegarla scriverò una parola in spagnolo, spero che i MOD non me ne vogliano, è funzionale alla spiegazione).

In spagnolo, fighetto si dice "fresa". cercando questo termine ho trovato una (in realtà tre: due e tre , i mod spagnoli sono meno bravi dei nostri!!  ) discussione analoga a questa di cui vi lascio il link. Li si dice che il termine usato dai giovani inglesi è preppy, anche se tale termine (forse già riportato da MrTee ??) non è usato fuori dai confini del Vecchio Continente.

Tanto vi dovevo per stimolare la discussione!


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## Teerex51

I actually thought _prep/preppy_ was more AmE than BE.  At least that's where I heard it and used it to mean _fighetto_. 

I'm sure the BE contingent will come to our assistance here.


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## Odysseus54

'Preppy', the way I heard it used here, is less derogatory, though.  ( besides being an adjective, which would require a noun - maybe "preppy boy" )

If I take a sentence like :  " XX gioca a calcio come un(a) fighetta "  (I learnt the term in Milan, and there it is masculine, when referring to a man)

and I try to say it in English , I think I would say :  " Look at him - XX plays like a girl - what a faggot ! ".

Where the second part of the sentence would be needed to add the derogatory tone that the Italian term has, and that is not fully conveyed by "plays like a girl".

Note : At least for my kids' generation, 'faggot' is no longer primarily used as a homophobic slur. It is now used mostly with the generic meaning of 'loser', 'weak' etc.  On the other hand, 'gay' has also turned from politically correct gender identifier to generic slur, which can mean anything, from 'boring' to 'poorly designed' , to 'unfortunate'.

" I went to see the Nutcracker "  " Aw, that's gay ! "

" A Jetta ? it's gay "

" I have to wear this cast for a whole month "  " That's so gay ! "


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## Teerex51

Odysseus54 said:


> ' On the other hand, 'gay' has also turned from politically correct gender identifier to generic slur, which can mean anything, from 'boring' to 'poorly designed' , to 'unfortunate'.


Yep. It's also gotten a new spelling: _ghey _


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## L'Enrico

Odysseus54 said:


> " XX gioca a calcio come un(a) fighetta "



Interesting. Although the etymology is clearly the same, I would keep *un fighetta* and *una fighetta* separated. *Un fighetta* [said of a man] is an old term which existed also in the dialect. My uncle used to be a soccer player, he would say "player XX is un fighetta" meaning, as already indicated, that he wouldn't tackle, he wouldn't like to get dirty; that he wasn't suited for a real men's game. I could also say "XX gioca come una _femminuccia_", but I don't think I would say "gioca come _una fighetta_". Well, I could, but the meaning would be different. In my mind _una fighetta_ goes with _un fighetto_ and _i fighetti_–a more recent social phenomenon that originated in the "Milano da bere", I think, and that has recently culminated in the mushrooming of _locali fighetti_ which I avoid like the scourge. But it's difficult to describe a social type on paper while remaining politically correct.

E.


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## giginho

Well, I'm sorry but I have to disagree on the masculine use of "fighetta" in Italian.

In my neighborhood (Torino and surroundings) fighetta, meaning a man without masculine behaviour, is used in the femminine form, so I used to say: "Cristiano Ronaldo gioca come *una *fighetta". If I hear someone saying "CR7 gioca come *un *fighetta" I'd laugh! (sorry 'bout that!).

In the plural form, I can say:

 I giocatori del Paris Saint Germain sono dell*e* fighett*e* (they are not enough macho for a rough game like footbal)

I giocatori del Paris Saint Germain sono de*i* fighett*i* (they, outside the field, wear very expensive and fashion clothes, have questionable hairstyle, cruise fahion bars, restaurant, clubs .... but they can, indeed, play rough sports like football!)

P.S. all the name of the players and the club are used for sake of clarity: absit iniuria verbis!


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## mr cat

I think the term 'ponce' might work here (in BE) as in ''Where are you going dressed like a ponce, to one of your poncey bars?''.


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## Einstein

mr cat said:


> I think the term 'ponce' might work here (in BE) as in ''Where are you going dressed like a ponce, to one of your poncey bars?''.


Hmm... it doesn't have the same ring about it. I understand "ponce" as meaning two things: 1) gay, 2) pimp. The Corriere dictionary confirms.

I had another word on the tip of my tongue/keyboard, but by the time I sat down in front of my computer I'd forgotten it...


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## mr cat

Einstein said:


> Hmm... it doesn't have the same ring about it. I understand "ponce" as meaning two things: 1) gay, 2) pimp. The Corriere dictionary confirms.
> 
> I had another word on the tip of my tongue/keyboard, but by the time I sat down in front of my computer I'd forgotten it...



I think once upon a time it had that connotation but now think it just means flashy or pretentious, maybe it's more a northern expression. For example searching for 'poncey bars' you come across this type of entry:

"I suppose it could have been described as unpretentous and bohemian - there were certainly no poncey bars where hedge-fund managers called Sebastian might want to be seen drinking $20 Mojitos."  http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/blog-239892.html


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## Odysseus54

Teerex51 said:


> I'm thinking _prep/preppy_ (or _Sloane ranger _in the UK) with a sprinkling of _metrosexual poser_ on top. Too extreme?




How about 'yuppie poser' ?    'Yuppie wuss' ?  

Or even just 'yuppie' - that could work too.


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## Einstein

mr cat said:


> I think once upon a time it had that connotation but now think it just means flashy or pretentious, maybe it's more a northern expression. For example searching for 'poncey bars' you come across this type of entry:
> 
> "I suppose it could have been described as unpretentous and bohemian - there were certainly no poncey bars where hedge-fund managers called Sebastian might want to be seen drinking $20 Mojitos."  http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/blog-239892.html


Well, yes, you're probably right after all. I don't think it's exclusively northern, I've just been away from GB too long!
*"...where hedge-fund managers called Sebastian might want to be seen drinking $20 Mojitos."* Yes, that fits. I also think there's something "delicate" about a fighetto; does that fit with "ponce"?


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## mr cat

Einstein said:


> Well, yes, you're probably right after all. I don't think it's exclusively northern, I've just been away from GB too long!
> *"...where hedge-fund managers called Sebastian might want to be seen drinking $20 Mojitos."* Yes, that fits. I also think there's something "delicate" about a fighetto; does that fit with "ponce"?


It certainly can do, a phrase like 'get stuck in you ponce' will still be heard round many a football ground. I would say it refers to being a bit soft and perhaps effeminate rather than actually gay. It's not really politically correct term I suppose but I know gay men who aren't at all poncey.


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