# Peek-a-boo!



## Nunty

What is the Italian equivalent, please? If it matters, it's for the subject line of an e-mail.

Thanks!


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## Saoul

Bu-bu-settete.

This is what I used to be told, a few years ago.


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## Nunty

Molte grazie!


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## Necsus

Or maybe also "cucù".


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## Saoul

Yes also Necsus' version is quite right. I know that there are a few different versions around Italy.


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## You little ripper!

"Cucù!" is the version my parents from Sicily have always used although I don't think they have ever accented the 'u'. It was more like "cucu!"


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## Saoul

This explains a lot of things, Charles.
I have always heard the accented version... even if "bu-bu settete" was my family habit with children.
It goes _bu-bu_ while your hidden (stretching the second _bu_ as long as your lungs can stand lack of oxygen), and then _settete_ when you jump out.
I'm quite curious to know what do pedagogists think about this common childish thing...


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## raffaella

In my family we say "Bau-cetti": Bau...(hiding your face) cetti! 
I suspect it to be typical of Milan though.


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## Saoul

Con un solo "Bau"?

(Ragazzi ma che domande!)


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## Kleine Hexe

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> "Cucù!" is the version my parents from Sicily have always used although I don't think they have ever accented the 'u'. It was more like "cucu!"


 

I confirm, we use Cucù in Sicily... but with the accented "u" at the end. 
At least in Palermo...


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## stanfal

Saoul said:
			
		

> Con un solo "Bau"?
> 
> (Ragazzi ma che domande!)


 
Si, bau-cetti è con un solo bau! Bau è 1, bu bu son 2... 
Anche io uso questo!!

S.


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## You little ripper!

Kleine Hexe said:
			
		

> I confirm, we use Cucù in Sicily... but with the accented "u" at the end.
> At least in Palermo...


My parents are from Messina so that could be the reason for the difference. Or it could be that my memories of childhood are fading very quickly.


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## raffaella

Saoul said:
			
		

> Con un solo "Bau"?
> 
> (Ragazzi ma che domande!)


 
Scusami Saoul, sto ancora ridendo e non ho capito la domanda!!!

"Bau" ti copri il viso con le mani, "Cetti!" togli le mani. Non conosco l'origine, ma è molto comune qui. Forse ti riferivi alla possibilità di "babau" come riferimento all'uomo nero?

Raffaella


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## You little ripper!

raffaella said:
			
		

> Forse ti riferivi alla possibilità di "babau" come riferimento all'uomo nero?
> 
> Raffaella


My parents used babau (Sicilian) to mean someone who is silly, a fool, naive. How strange!


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## raffaella

Really? I don't use it with my children, but around here you can say "Fai il bravo se no viene il babau e...(insert threat here)!"


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## Kleine Hexe

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> My parents are from Messina so that could be the reason for the difference. Or it could be that my memories of childhood are fading very quickly.


 

I'm going near Messina this weekend, I can check and let you know! 
I'm curious


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## uinni

Ciao.


			
				Charles Costante said:
			
		

> My parents used babau (Sicilian) to mean someone who is silly, a fool, naive. How strange!


 
Actually, in Italian:

(Garzanti)
*babau*:_s.m._ bugbear, bogey, bugaboo

Uinni


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## You little ripper!

raffaella said:
			
		

> Really? I don't use it with my children, but around here you can say "Fai il bravo se no viene il babau e...(insert threat here)!"


I also remember it being used in reference to insects or creepy crawlies.

P.S. Actually I've just remembered that this is the Sicilian (Messina) meaning of the word and not _a fool/naive_. That word is _babalocco. _I don't know how my brain made that transition. I must be going senile!


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## You little ripper!

Kleine Hexe said:
			
		

> I'm going near Messina this weekend, I can check and let you know!
> I'm curious


Thanks Sabina. I'd be interested to know.


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## uinni

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> I also remember it being used in reference to insects or creepy crawlies.
> 
> P.S. Actually
> I've just remembered that this is the intended meaning of the word and not _a fool/naive_. That word is _babalocco. _I don't know how my brain made that transition. I must be going senile!


 
In Italian the corresponding term is "mammalucco"  (wonder if babalocco is somwhat a mangling of it)

In some Italian dialects babau is indeed used to address a "tignola" (moth/bug/mite).

Uinni


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## You little ripper!

uinni said:
			
		

> In Italian the corresponding term is "mammalucco"  (wonder if babalocco is somwhat a mangling of it)
> 
> In some Italian dialects babau is indeed used to address a "tignola" (moth/bug/mite).
> 
> Uinni


Thanks Uinni. I think it might actually be spelled with 2 'b's, _babbalocco._


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## uinni

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> Thanks Uinni. I think it might actually be spelled with 2 'b's, _babbalocco._


 
babbalocco = babbeo + mammalucco ?
 

Uinni


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## Kleine Hexe

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> I also remember it being used in reference to insects or creepy crawlies.
> 
> P.S. Actually I've just remembered that this is the Sicilian (Messina) meaning of the word and not _a fool/naive_. That word is _babalocco. _I don't know how my brain made that transition. I must be going senile!


 

We say : " babbasuni", meaning fool or naive


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## You little ripper!

Kleine Hexe said:
			
		

> We say : " babbasuni", meaning fool or naive


Do you? I must check that out with some Palermitani friends.


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## Saoul

Which I think stands for our "bambascione".


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## uinni

Saoul said:
			
		

> Which I think stands for our *(milanese!)* "bambascione".


 
(because for me it would be "dordel"/"marzocul"  )

Uinni


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## Saoul

uinni said:
			
		

> (because for me it would be "dordel"/"marzocul"  )
> 
> Uinni



You are absolutely right. It would also be "bamba" or "babbo".


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## Kleine Hexe

Charles Costante said:
			
		

> Do you? I must check that out with some Palermitani friends.


 
Yes, it is pronuonced "babbasùni" = babbeo in Italian. 
Maybe it is also used in Calabria. 
.


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## emma1968

In my neck of the woods we  also say "babbaleo" ma è più usato "mammalucco"

Mi ricordo che quando ero piccola mio padre mi chiamava sempre scherzosamente  "mammalucca" ed io ridevo perché mi piaceva sentire quel suono.


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## iamabadgirl

Buongiorno a tutti 
mi è capitato di leggere non ricordo con esattezza questa frase "pic a boo" e non ho mai capito cosa significasse. Oggi in un'altro forum mi sono imbattuta in un utente che aveva questa frase come nickname.
Ma cosa significa esattamente?
Grazie mille

I am a bad girl


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## stella_maris_74

Ciao e benvenuta 
Conosco quest'espressione con la grafia peek-a-boo (o peekaboo), che è l'equivalente del nostro "cucù!" (il gioco che si fa con i bimbi coprendosi e scoprendosi il viso, o nascondendosi e saltando fuori all'improvviso per sorprendere qualcuno).
Non so però se questa grafia "alternativa" che proponi abbia un altro significato.

Vedrai che prima o poi interverrà qualcuno a dircelo 

ciao,

dani


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## iamabadgirl

Ciao!
Grazie mille me lo sono sempre chiesta. Anche a me pare di averlo visto scritto anche in quell'altro modo ma il nickname dell'utente a cui mi riferivo prima è proprio scritto così, ho controllato. Forse non sapeva che andava scritto diversamente! 
Ti ringrazio ancora per l'aiuto, buona serata
I am a...


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## petereid

Peek a boo,   Peek= look quickly at something.    ex: take a peek at the baby

Peek a Boo is a game played with babies.   Mum covers her face with her hands, then uncovers her face quickly and says "Peek a boo" allowing the child to see her again.


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## iamabadgirl

petereid said:


> Peek a boo, Peek= look quickly at something. ex: take a peek at the baby
> 
> Peek a Boo is a game played with babies. Mum covers her face with her hands, then uncovers her face quickly and says "Peek a boo" allowing the child to see her again.


 
Thank you


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## Doug Bremner

Cucu sette is what we said to our kids, although I don't know the spelling of sette. My wife is from Milazzo and Messina, Sicily.


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