Discussioni Wikipedia:Ambasciata/Archivio 1/Lamborghini Countach

Buongiorno!

Unfortunately, that's about the only word of Italian I know.

In any case, the article on the English Wikipedia about the Lamborghini Countach claims that the name, Countach, is a rude word in the Piedmontese dialect meaning something like (and I apologise for the swearing) "holy fucking cow!" ; some other websites[1] claim it is an expression to describe a beautiful woman. Can somebody who knows this dialect tell me what "Countach" actually means? Grazie! --en:User:Robert Merkel

Robert, I just left a note in Discussione:Lamborghini Countach. I'm not Piedmontese, therefore I cannot answer about the specific of your question. Nevertheless, several slang Italian words have such double face - although they remain very colloquial words (sometimes even insults), certainly not suitable for a polite speech or a formal occasion. --Paginazero - Ø 09:24, 9 feb 2006 (CET)

countach

I am from Turin. In XVII century ( 1628 i think) in Turin ( as in other side of Europe) there was a plague epidemy. People understood the plague was trasmitted by contact. "Countach" is like "contatto", " contagio" (= "contact" and "contagion"). High-class people built villas on the hills near turin and went there. People lived in Turin when saw a plague-stricken man cried "countach" in Turin slang to advise everyone. It's a credible etymology. Bye Hello! the word countach, in piedmontese dialect, is referred to someone who is particularly extravagant

Hello,i am a italian piedontese guy. The word "Countach" has not a correct translation in english even in italian too. It's an exclamation of surprise in a piemontese dialect.

Hello, I am piedmontese too, the word "countach" may be translated in Italian as "accidenti", "caspita"! in English I found something as "gee whiz". It is to be stressed that it is not vulgar at all, nor a swear word (in fact my gran-mother used to say it quite often). It express slight concern or distress, but in a light way.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   HOLY MOLEY!

The correct translation from Countach to English would be "Wow, that's a beauty!" or something similar. While "Caspita" would be fine to translate it in Italian. Countach is actually a piedmontese expression without a precise translation. It's use is applied anyway to someone or something particularly noticeable and remarkable.