# metterci la faccia



## StaceyLee

Vorrei sapere il significato dell'espressione "bisogna mettersi la faccia." E un idioma?
~Grazie


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## paperpin

I've never heard "bisogna mettersi la faccia" before, but it can be an idiomatic expression unknown to me 
Can you say something about the context where you found this line?


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## Paulfromitaly

Are you sure it's not "bisogna metter*ci* la faccia." ?


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## Alxmrphi

What does it mean if it is "ci" instead of "si" ?


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## Paulfromitaly

Alex_Murphy said:


> What does it mean if it is "ci" instead of "si" ?



This is a hard one...
If someone "ci mette la faccia", it means they get involved in first person, they are not ashamed to come into action personally, although it's an awkward or difficult situation.

Una persona seria non si vergogna di *metterci la faccia *per una giusta causa.


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## rocamadour

La frase di StaceyLee non potrebbe essere *rimetterci la faccia* (= _to loose face_), che è molto più frequente e diffusa come espressione?


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## StaceyLee

Yes- it was metterci la faccia. Sorry for the typo. Actually I heard this expression from a Mario Venuti song of the same title. When I played it for a friend of mine, she told me that in French, it's an idomatic expression that means "to get drunk". Here are the lyrics to the chorus, if it helps:

Bisogna metterci la faccia
che tu non voglia, o che ti piaccia
bisogna metterci la faccia
qualunque cosa tu dica, o tu faccia

Sorry I can't post the link to the lyrics as I am new to this forum.

Thanks!


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## rocamadour

Beh, ora con il testo è tutto più chiaro... 
(Ed evidentemente non era *rimetterci* ...)


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## StaceyLee

Va bene- lo significa in questo contesto "to get drunk?" o solo parlare a voce?


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## Paulfromitaly

StaceyLee said:


> Va bene- lo significa in questo contesto "to get drunk?" o solo parlare a voce?



Nope..read my post


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## beauxyeux

StaceyLee said:


> Va bene- lo significa in questo contesto "to get drunk?" o solo parlare a voce?


Non so perché sia venuto fuori "to get drunk"; metterci la faccia significa prendersi le responsabilità in prima persona delle proprie azioni. Proprio come spiegato prima da Paul


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## StaceyLee

Okay- I see it. It was a hard expression to understand (no easy English translation), but I guess you mean it has more to do with action than words... like to deal with a difficult situation together? 

I still think it is strange that my friend from Lyon, France says that there it means to get drunk. In the Italian context it is very serious but in the French it is very lighthearted.

Thanks Paul!


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## rocamadour

StaceyLee said:


> Va bene- lo significa in questo contesto "to get drunk?" o solo parlare a voce?


   

I'm not native (so forgive my mistakes), anyway I would translate the song (very aproximatively):

You have to commit yourself (= literally to put/show your face)
if you don't want or the same if you like it,
You have to commit yourself
everything you say or everything you do.


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## lostinmilan

Ciao. Che significa:  ci ho messo la faccia?   

Il contesto e':  il rigore decisivo sbagliato proprio da lui, gli i*nsulti  *da tutto lo stadio compresi Moratti e Mancini, i compagni a testa *bassa che pensano* "è colpa sua", la disperazione e il silenzio negli spogliatoi (dressing rooms), l´antidoping che lo aspetta per due ore, l´uscita dallo stadio quasi alle otto di sera, l´orgoglio («*Ma io ci ho messo la faccia, non rimpiango (regret) nulla*»)
 
Grazie!


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## Necsus

It is 'metter*ci* la faccia', it means to expose oneself, to appear personally, not to hide oneself doing something.


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## shamblesuk

I've got nothing to hide.
I've got nothing to be ashamed of.

Queste sono colore che mi vengono in mente.

Lee


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## evenso

A use of this idiom in a political context maybe makes its translation into English clearer.

Sinistra Ecologia Liberta' use it on their website extensively in the following forms :
Ci metto la faccia
Mettici la faccia
IN 780 CI HANNO GIA' MESSO LA FACCIA, E TU?

In this context doesn't it mean, 'to stand up to be counted' ?

Mettici la faccia - Stand up to be counted!

This fits in well with Paul of Italy's 'Una persona seria non si vergogna di *metterci la faccia *per una  giusta causa.     '

Though it doesn't have the same meaning  as Obama's 'Yes  we can', it fits very nicely with it as an exhortation to action rather than mere passive acceptance of a difficult situation. Isn't that its intent?

What do others think? (of the linguistic point rather than the political slogan) Or is there an alternative(better) way to translate,   'to stand up to be counted' ?


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## GavinW

evenso said:


> Or is there an alternative(better) way to translate, 'to stand up to be counted' ?


 
Yes, that's a nice effort to translate this somewhat slippery idiom. Slippery because the exact "nuance" tends to shift depending on the exact context. So it's likely we need more than one translation to hand to render the idiomatic expression.
I often translate this as "to put oneself on the line". It's a fairly safe general translation, which I also think works pretty well in the contexts mentioned so far in this thread.
HTH


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## Blackman

shamblesuk said:


> I've got nothing to hide.
> I've got nothing to be ashamed of.
> 
> Queste sono colore che mi vengono in mente.
> 
> Lee



I am sorry, this is not the meaning, at least in any context I can think of. To commit/expose oneself is the only one.


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## evenso

Blackman said:


> I am sorry, this is not the meaning, at least in any context I can think of. To commit/expose oneself is the only one.



Clearly context is all important here as GavinW has justly pointed out above. 
In the context I mention above 'to stand up to be counted' sit's more easily with me than 'to commit oneself' even if ultimately has the same meaning.

Eg, Mettici la faccia - Commit yourself ! or Stand up to be counted! Which is most convincing?


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## Blackman

Commit yourself, definitely.


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## evenso

Blackman said:


> Commit yourself, definitely.


OK.
I am looking for the translation of  the  simple exhortation, 'Stand up to be counted!' into Italian (Context - political). I thought I had got it with 'Mettici la faccia' but it seems not.

How would you translate it into Italian?
Thanks


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## Blackman

Stand up to be counted, to me, sounds more like "fatti riconoscere ( facci vedere la tua faccia )"


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## evenso

Blackman said:


> Stand up to be counted, to me, sounds more like "fatti riconoscere ( facci vedere la tua faccia )"



Thanks Blackman. 

It certainly does have the connotation you put upon it but it is also  an exhortation to 'commit yourself' . A combination of the two in fact. Does 'fatti riconoscere!' embrace these two meanings?


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## Blackman

Allow me to fully understand your question. Do you need a translation of a specific sentence or slogan from English to Italian or vice-versa? or maybe you are just trying to understand the meaning of a particular idiom in Italian?


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## evenso

Blackman said:


> Allow me to fully understand your question. Do you need a translation of a specific sentence or slogan from English to Italian or vice-versa? or maybe you are just trying to understand the meaning of a particular idiom in Italian?



Both.
It started with an attempt to translate something from Italian - 'Mettici la faccia'  into  colloquial English which I thought I had done with '"Stand up to counted'  but you suggested an alternative which, in my opinion,  doesn't really work very well in colloquial English even if  it is formally correct.  Given the poverty of my Italian , though, I didn't want to challenge your very helpful suggestions so I thought a reverse translation  by  somebody whose mother tongue was Italian might clarify things for me.


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## Blackman

Well, _mettici_ _la faccia_ fits various contexts. It's imperative and literally means put you face in it. Its figurative meaning can vary from to expose oneself to commit oneself to something. But It's quite difficult to explain what exactly conveys standing alone, without a full sentence and a wide context.


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## evenso

Thanks for your continued help Blackman, it's much appreciated.

Vis-a vis context,  I first came upon the phrase on Nichi Vendola's website.

http://www.sinistraeliberta.eu/ci-metto-la-faccia


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## Blackman

It's a play on word on both literal and figurative meanings.

_Ci hanno messo_ la faccia means both _they put their face on the website_ and _they committed to this project._


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## Dalsha

Buongiorno a tutti!

Sto cercando di tradurre la seguente frase: I nostri storici fornitori gastronomici ci mettono la faccia!

E' per una pubblicita' per una sala di ricevimento molto rinomata.....la parte che mi sta creando problemi e' la frase idiomatica "ci mettono la faccia". Ho gia' letto il thread che riguarda quest'espressione  ma le traduzioni non sembrano adatte a questo contesto. Avevo pensato di una frase cosi:

Our long-standing/faithful/loyal (non mi piace 'storici' in questo contesto) gastronomical (or quality produce) suppliers  give their nod of approval/lend their name/stake their reputation.

Che ne dite?

Grazie in anticipo!

Skye


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## Paulfromitaly

Dalsha said:


> Buongiorno a tutti!
> 
> Sto cercando di tradurre la seguente frase: I nostri storici fornitori gastronomici ci mettono la faccia!
> 
> E' per una pubblicita' per una sala di ricevimento molto rinomata.....la parte che mi sta creando problemi e' la frase idiomatica "ci mettono la faccia". Ho gia' letto il thread che riguarda quest'espressione  ma le traduzioni non sembrano adatte a questo contesto. Avevo pensato di una frase cosi:
> 
> Our long-standing/faithful/loyal (non mi piace 'storici' in questo contesto) gastronomical (or quality produce) suppliers  give their nod of approval/lend their name/stake their reputation.
> 
> Che ne dite?
> 
> Grazie in anticipo!
> 
> Skye


It means what it usually means, NOT give approval.


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## Dalsha

Hello Paul,

I understand what you mean, but I am finding it extremely difficult to come up with an English equivalent that sounds good. Does anyone have any suggestions? "Put their face on it" just doesn't sound right.

Cheers

Skye (aka Dalsha)


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## Paulfromitaly

GavinW said:


> I often translate this as "*to put oneself on the line*". It's a fairly safe general translation, which I also think works pretty well in the contexts mentioned so far in this thread.
> HTH



This is roughly the idea you should render.


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## theprez

I would not use "commit"... metterci la faccia is more about the consequences of the action you are discussing about. I bet on this action/decision and it will be me first to pay the consequences, for my reputation for example.
Spend yourself/themselve?


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## joanvillafane

These may not work in every context, but the definitions you've given remind me of these English expressions:
to stick one's neck out 
to go out on a limb

They both have the connotation of having the courage to take a risk.


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## StaceyLee

Now that I am looking back at it (8 years later), I think "face up to it" is the best translation.


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## johngiovanni

In many of the contexts where I have read "metterci la faccia" the English expressions which spring to mind are "to put oneself on the line", "to stand up and be counted", and "to stick one's neck out".
Two other expressions which are sometimes used are "put/raise/stick your head above the parapet" and "step up to the plate".  Both have the idea of the idea of taking personal responsibility, not being afraid to expose oneself to the public gaze, taking a bit of a risk. (You may or may not like the thought of fine-food suppliers/ producers "stepping up to the plate"!)


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