i giorni della merla

English translation: Dead of winter

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:i giorni della merla
English translation:Dead of winter
Entered by: John Walsh

16:19 Jan 25, 2005
Italian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Italian term or phrase: i giorni della merla
any suggestions?
John Walsh
Italy
Local time: 11:24
Dead of winter
Explanation:
Hi John,
Idiomatically we say the 'dead of winter'... the only other thing that comes to mind is involving Jack Frost somehow.

You'd think there *must* be an opposite of the "dog days of summer". Hmm...
Amy
Selected response from:

Amy Taylor
United States
Local time: 03:24
Grading comment
So no similar idiom in the UK or US. But "dead of winter" does imply the coldest days of winter, doesn't it. Let's just translate it as "The days of the Blackbird". (just a joke)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4the three coldest days in winter
Sigrid Pichler
4the last three days in January
Anthony Tamburro (X)
4Dead of winter
Amy Taylor
2vs
fgb


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
vs


Explanation:
groundhog day - except they occur at a different time during the year

fgb
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 4
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
the three coldest days in winter


Explanation:
"Secondo la tradizione popolare gli ultimi tre giorni di gennaio coincidono con i tre giorni più freddi dell’inverno. Tanto che perfino la Merla, che un tempo aveva il piumaggio bianco, per riscaldarsi andò a ripararsi in un camino.
Il suo manto divenne grigio per la fuliggine e da allora rimase di tale colore."



    Reference: http://www.astrogeo.va.it/statisti/merla.htm
Sigrid Pichler
Italy
Local time: 11:24
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  lanzarotti
56 mins

agree  Monica Pupeschi
58 mins

agree  sonja29 (X)
9 hrs

agree  Cecilia Di Vita
13 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the last three days in January


Explanation:
I giorni della merla is traditionally the last three days in January.

Anthony Tamburro (X)
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian, Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Dead of winter


Explanation:
Hi John,
Idiomatically we say the 'dead of winter'... the only other thing that comes to mind is involving Jack Frost somehow.

You'd think there *must* be an opposite of the "dog days of summer". Hmm...
Amy

Amy Taylor
United States
Local time: 03:24
Grading comment
So no similar idiom in the UK or US. But "dead of winter" does imply the coldest days of winter, doesn't it. Let's just translate it as "The days of the Blackbird". (just a joke)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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