# ring-in-a-ding-dinging, ring-a-ding



## linodor

"_… and this month is ring-in-a-ding-dinging with activities befitting a legend_"
Ho trovato questa frase in un articolo, che purtoppo non trovo più, per cui non riesco a dare più contesto.
Cosa significa?


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## beccamutt

ring-in-a-ding-dinging = ringing (the sound a bell makes)

Without any context or even the full sentence it's hard to say exactly what the author means.  Perhaps _...this month is full of activities befitting a legend_.


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## CPA

Webster's defines "ring-a-ding" as "wildly exciting".


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## Necsus

CPA said:


> Webster's defines "ring-a-ding" as "wildly exciting".


Buondì, WRF! Stante la definizione del Webster riportata da CPA, mi sapreste suggerire un equivalente italiano per "ring-a-ding" che ne rispecchi in qualche misura anche il registro, oltre che il significato? Visto come Bree lo riprende subito dopo...
Da 'Desperate Housewives':



BREE
And your success rate at this sort of thing is?
TRIP
Impressive. I once defended a woman who ran a brothel. At the pre-trial I got the whole thing reduced to operating a business without a fire door.
BREE
That's terrible!
TRIP
What? What, me being a great lawyer?
BREE
No, defending a prostitute. Call me old-fashioned, but I find that line of work rather distasteful.
TRIP
<chuckles> So, uh, so if she ran a cigarette company, or, or manufactured handguns, she's a-okay, but, but selling men a little *ring-a-ding* makes her a pariah?
BREE
Okay, first of all, "*ring-a-ding*"?
TRIP
Mm-hmm.
BREE
Second, sex isn't a commodity. It's sacred.
TRIP
Yeah, I'll say. And for this woman, sacred cost four hundred bucks a pop.



Grazie!


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## Lorena1970

Da Urban Dictionary:

2. ring a ding
  Reng/uh/deng/deng. adj. 1. a Frank Sinatra-ism for *a woman's vagina*.  2. Floozy available for throw away sex. 3. an exclamation to be uttered  in the presence of women of easy virtue.


 TRIP:  but, but selling men a little *ring-a-ding* makes her a  pariah?
Ma, ma vendere agli uomini quella *cosina* (la patatina/la farfallina etc. ma userei proprio "cosina") fa di lei una paria?
BREE: Okay, first of all, "*ring-a-ding*"?
E tu la chiami "*cosina*"?
TRIP: Mm-hmm.

*edit*: Mi viene in mente che potrebbe anche essere tradotto con "un piccolo *diversivo*": 
"vendere agli uomini un piccolo "diversivo" fa di lei una paria?"  
"E tu lo chiami "diversivo"? 
Però mi piace meno, ma magari invece funziona meglio...?


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## BristolGirl

Hi Necsus and Lorena,
Always good to extend the meaning of a word or expression as you did !! Frank Sinatra was a 'creative' individual and probably used all sorts of words with innuendo to describe all kinds of 'activities'. When people don't want to be specific they can use innocent substitute words or expressions, which underscore the other less innocent meaning.
But in this case Linidor's original phrase spoke of activities happening in a month, which sounds more like an events calendar to me, just like Beccamut and CPA said. The onomatopeia refers to the sound of bells which, over the centuries, always heralded events and activities. 
PS On the subject of innuendo, what meaning would you give to 'Ding dong bell pussy's in the well' ?? I promise you it is a simple nursery rhyme, yet with today's language and innuendo, out of context, it could be quite vulgar !!


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## rrose17

just to add that I think the use here of ring-a-ding is completely different from the original poster's text which was just playing with the expression ringing in a new month. I've never heard the expression to refer to sex and it's probably *very* old fashioned. Like in Lorena's "a Frank-Sintra-ism"  Thus the retort from Bree which is like "Okay what's with ring-a-ding?? How old are you anyway??"


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## Lorena1970

BristolGirl said:


> But in this case Linidor's original phrase spoke of activities happening in a month, which sounds more like an events calendar to me, just like Beccamut and CPA said



My answer was related to *Necsus new question*, where subjects are brothels and prostitutes.



rrose17 said:


> How old are you anyway??"


I am not sure to understand your comment... How can "ring-a-ding" refer to age when the frist sentence is:
*"...but selling men a little ring-a-ding makes her a pariah?*"


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## BristolGirl

Hi RRose - I realize Necsus and Lorena were specifically looking for another definition - my point was that 'ring a ding' is just innuendo, a substitute expression for anything at all, neither old-fashioned nor the opposite - in this case 'sex for sale'. 'Cosina' as suggested by Lorena works in Italian - perhaps even 'la merce' or 'quella cosa lì'. I've heard Italians using 'L'innominabile' when jokingly referring to someone who's name they don't want to mention, but I can't think what they'd use in place of an action ??? - I think we have to stick with Lorena's suggestion.


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## Lorena1970

BristolGirl said:


> my point was that 'ring a ding' is just innuendo, a substitute expression for anything at all



Yes that's clear. I suggested "_quella cosina_" because it's more ironical, delicate and a bit diminishing than "quella cosa lì", which sounds rude (TRIP says "a *little* ring-a-ding") But in this context "_piccolo diversivo_" may work as well, and all depends on the broader context and general register which only Necsus knows.


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## rrose17

Lorena1970 said:


> I am not sure to understand your comment... How can "ring-a-ding" refer to age


I meant that Bree is saying that expression is so-o-o-o old! What, are you like 60?


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## Lorena1970

Ah..Understood. Well, I have the feeling it refers to the same thing TRIP was referring to in the previous sentence, expressing astonishment on how TRIP considers it "just a little thing" or an "innocent amusement". It's my interpretation, of course!


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## Necsus

Grazie! Quindi mi sembra di capire che, al di là del significato e della traduzione, la sottolineatura di Bree si riferisce al fatto che è un'espressione datata oppure fuori contesto, giusto?


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## BristolGirl

Ciao Necus,
No assolutamente - sempre d'accordo con quello che ha detto Lorena (#12) - l'espressione è solo una sostituzione - anzì è l'espressione che rende un poì frivolo e non importante il 'mestiere'.

PS Comunque è Bree a sottolineare all'altra - scusa se per capirci la riscrivo quasi per esteso -  'Call me old-fashioned' (sarò retrograda) - 'Ring-a-ding??' (ah - lo chiami così alla leggera?) - 'Sex isn't a commodity. It's sacred.' (Il sesso non è un bene di consumo. E' una cosa sacra.') e Trip molto pratica risponde 'Yeah. I'll say. For this woman 'sacred' cost 40 bucks a pop' (Ma vedi un po'. Per questa donna 'la cosa sacra' rendeva 40 dollari al colpo). Per Trip tanto sacra non era - e male non faceva - e 'ring a ding' è solo onomatopeia leggera.


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## Lorena1970

BristolGirl said:


> Ciao Necus,
> No assolutamente - sempre d'accordo con quello che ha detto Lorena (#12) - l'espressione è solo una sostituzione - anzì è l'espressione che rende un poì frivolo e non importante il 'mestiere'.



A questo punto sono confusa... Bristol Girl, come tradurresti le tre battute che io ho tradotto nel post#5?

TRIP:  but, but selling men a little *ring-a-ding* makes  her a  pariah?

BREE: Okay, first of all, "*ring-a-ding*"?

TRIP: Mm-hmm.


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## BristolGirl

Ciao Lorena,
Ecco la mia versione :
Trip : si ma adesso si deve emarginare una donna perchè vende agli uomini un po' di _quella cosa lì_ ??
Bree : OK, ma _prima_ di tutto  perchè '_quella cosa lì_' ? (cioè, prima di tutto perchè la definisci così? perchè la riduci a un'espressione così frivola)
Trip : Eh già.
Bree : E _secondo_, il sesso non è un bene di consumo, è una cosa sacra.
Trip : Si !!! Sacra. Per quella donna 'la cosa sacra' rendeva 400 dollari a colpo.
Ciao !


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## Necsus

Ciao, Bristol.
Hmm... anch'io francamente avevo pensato a qualcosa di meno materiale per la traduzione, quindi forse più _un po' di piacere _o _divertimento_ (se non addirittura il _diversivo _di Lorena), che _cosina _alludendo alla vagina...


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## BristolGirl

Ciao Necsus
Per 'cosa' intendevo 'sesso'.


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## Lorena1970

BristolGirl said:


> Ciao Lorena,
> Ecco la mia versione :



Ah, adesso è chiaro. Dici più o meno lo stesso di quello che avevo detto nel post#5 (ecco perché non capivo: avevo scritto post#12!)
E' vero però che "diversivo"  è meno materiale. A Nec la scelta a questo punto!


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## rrose17

Necsus said:


> Grazie! Quindi mi sembra di capire che, al di là del significato e della traduzione, la sottolineatura di Bree si riferisce al fatto che è un'espressione datata oppure fuori contesto, giusto?


 I'm really not sure how BGirl can be so absolutely sure that it's not, but Bree does say _*first of all* what's with ring-a-ding? _(I think it's fairly obvious that she's referring to the silly word, it really is a silly euphemism that anyone using it in this day and age would get some sort of guffaw plus it's a little funny in the context)and then says_* Secondly *sex is sacred._


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## london calling

rrose17 said:


> I'm really not sure how BGirl can be so absolutely sure that it's not, but Bree does say _*first of all* what's with ring-a-ding? _(I think it's fairly obvious that she's referring to the silly word, it really is a silly euphemism that anyone using it in this day and age would get some sort of guffaw plus it's a little funny in the context)and then says_* Secondly *sex is sacred._


I agree. I think in Italian it should be translated with an equally funny word, or at least a word which wouldn't normally be associated with prostitution (_la cosina_ as Lo suggests, or maybe even _la farfallina_).


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## BristolGirl

Good morning !
Just writing because I think I've found a suitable translation !! 
Just to clarify my point of view. Agreed it's a silly euphemism - that's not the main point, which is whether Bree was objecting to the expression because it is dated or not (a bit like Chuck Berry and 'My Ding a Ling'!! which got a laugh for precisely the same reason). This is what I disagree about - I believe Bree is objecting  to the fact that tough lawyer Trip is treating prostitution so lightly, which this expression underlines perfectly. 
My Italian friends think we should quote Renzo Arbore and say _'ma per un po' di fi-lu-fi-lu-fi-la'_ !! I think this would be a perfect translation for 'ring a ding' in this context!


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## Matrap

Hi BristolGirl

Can you really picture a character from 'Desperate housewives' quoting Renzo Arbore's "fi-lu-fi-lu-fi-là". That would be hilarious...


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## BristolGirl

I find your comment hilarious actually !!!!!!  
I'm trying to convey the nuances of meaning and what they might be in Italian, not put on a soap opera !!!
Isn't this what this Forum is about ??


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## rrose17

But this forum stresses context above all and this context *is* a soap opera, albeit an ironic one, Desperate Housewives.


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## BristolGirl

Yes indeed and I think I found something ironic in answer to Necsus' request which was :

Buondì, WRF! Stante la definizione del Webster riportata da CPA, mi sapreste suggerire *un equivalente italiano *per "ring-a-ding" che *ne rispecchi in qualche misura anche il registro, oltre che il significato*? Visto come Bree lo riprende subito dopo...


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## CPA

Mah, per me "ring-a-ding" significa emozioni, non cosine o farfalline.


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## BristolGirl

Hi CPA - you could be right - that's sex too after all.


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## Lorena1970

Matrap said:


> "fi-lu-fi-lu-fi-là".



Se si vuole lasciare non detto, sintetizzo in "firulì-firulà"


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## Matrap

E perché non il "fiky fiky" di Gianni Drudi (primi anni '90). Ve la ricordate? ...Resa famosa dalla Gialappa's


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## Lorena1970

Mah.. perché "firulì-firulà" è più corta (c'è il labiale) e mi pare un' espressione più generica usata quando non si vuole nominare qualcosa.
Ma magari è una mia idea. Comunque anche "fiky fiky" non è male!


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