Italian Definitions

From Myth on Italian Streghria

Fiabia
A story of a fabulous nature, such as wondertales, fables, or fairytales. These stories often contain supernatual or magical beings, such as dragons, fatas, stregas, giants, griffins, talking animals, etc, as well as mortal heros and heroines. See storia folcloristica.

Famiglia
Famiglia Iiterally means "family" in Italian. It carries the concept of a tight bond among those who are related, not only by blood or marriage, but also by commitments of friendship.

Fantasma
A fantasma is the Italian word for "ghost" or "apparition." It orginated from the Latin word, phantasma, meaning "vision" or "image."

Fata Buona
Literally, in Italian, a fata buona is a "good faery," who may randomly decide to assist someone. Fata buonas are common in Italian fiabias or folktales. The fata buona often appears as an older woman. Such a figure of folklore is sometimes called a fata buona della fiabe. See fiabia.

Gnocca or Bella Gnocca
beatifull girl, sexy girl (Gnocchi is a food.)

Gnomi
The gnomi are little people.

Lampadine
Lampadine are supposidly surernatual lights seen dancing or fittling over the fields at night. The lampadine may be related to the idea of the lampedes, who were Greek cthonic nymphs. The lampades serve in the entorage of the Goddess Hecate. These infernal nymphs are her lamp-bearers.

In English, these lights are known as "faery lights," "friar's lantern," "spook lights," "will o' the wisp," or a dozen other names indicating their otherworldly nature.

Mago Alchemist
A mago alchemist is a magician who practices alchemy (alchimia), the mysterious occult art or science that was the forerunner of modern chemistry. Alchemy focuses on the concept of the transmutation of matter.

Paese
Literally paese means "village" in Italian. In particular, it has been used by Italian-Americans to refer to the concept of the "home village" to which an indivdual has ties.

Paese Incantato
A paese incantato is an enchanted place, supernatual landscape, or faeryland, which is often an enchantingly beautiful place.

Paese della Fate
A paese della fate is a realm inhabited by faeries.

Spettro
Spettro is Italian for "specter," a visible, but incorporial spirit that is often the soul of a dead person.

Spiritetello
A spiritetello is literally a "little male spirit." He is a mischevious spirit with a faery-perverse nature.

Spiritetello Malevolo
An evil male spirit of faerie is a spiritetello malevolo, like the English "Red Cap" that dips his cap in the blood of murdered victims to keep it red.

Storia Folcloristica
The storia folcloristica is an Italian term for a tradtional story orginally spread orally in numerious versions among a people, generally the common folk, i.e. a folktale. The term literally means in Italian "folkloristic stories."

Stregone Divinatorio
A stregone divinatorio is a socerer who specializes in practicing the art of divination.