Associate: one who works with mobsters, but hasn't been asked to take the vow of Omert; an almost confirmed, or made guy. Madone - This popular Italian American term in the Sopranos is a unique way of saying: Madonna (The Mother of Mary). I grew up speaking English and Italian dialects from my familys region of Puglia, says Gardaphe. %PDF-1.2 "Wearing it" usually involves an Italian suit, a pinky ring, a hankie in the breast pocket, gold cufflinks, and other ornamentation. The Sopranos the drama about families of mobsters in suburban Jersey premiered on HBO 20 years ago this week. ): to throw a trash can at someone.tutto sale e pepe exp. ): to tattle. Certainly, the most known and loved Italian slang phrase worldwide is Mamma mia! First, let's look at some common Italian slang terms, how to pronounce them and how to use them like a native speaker. "Italian Slang Dictionary." ): to add straw to the fire.mettersi insieme exp. Have no idea how to spell it but Mulignan? The article lists a number of words such as "goomah" and "goomba" and their definitions. The Italian American community largely migrated from the south and this Italian slang word came with them. Moe Green Special: Getting killed with a shot in the eye, like the character, Moe Green, in The Godfather. But Italian has undergone huge standardization changes in the past few decades, and itll be hard for modern Italian speakers to understand them, even harder than if somebody showed up in New York today speaking in 1920s New Yorker Thoity-Thoid Street slang and accent. ): an enormous mouth. Capo: the Family member who leads a crew; short for capodecina. He is a tutor of Italian language and culture. A "goomah" is a comare, a godmother at your baptism or confirmation, two sacraments in the Roman Catholic religion. Mozzarella becomes something like mutzadell. Ricotta becomes ree-goat. Prosciutto becomes pruh-zhoot. There is a mangling of the language in an instantly identifiable way: Final syllables are deleted, certain consonants are swapped with others, certain vowels are mutated in certain places. Amore a prima vista 5. See. The article cited above is only the tiniest tip of that iceberg. Finally, you will already know the term for "hi" and "bye" in Italian, ciao. Dr. Melfi's surname is a derivative of the name La Malfa which comes from the Arabic word for "port" ( al . The Sopranos mention Goomar in the series. Some of the most common expressions include: cazzo (fuck), puttana (whore), stronzo (asshole), and merda (shit). Gabagool is an Italian-American slang word originating in Southern Italy. When learning a foreign language, you will not always find a direct comparison for the idioms in your own language. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. to drink; (lit. Che palle! Italian Slang Dictionary: Adult 'F' Words, To Know in Italian: How to Conjugate the Verb Sapere, How to Use the Italian Verbs Sapere and Conoscere, How to Conjugate the Verb "Sentire" in Italian, How to Conjugate the Verb "Entrare" in Italian, How to Use the Preposition "Con" in Italian, 75 Vocabulary Words for Playing and Talking About Sports in Italian, M.A., Italian Studies, Middlebury College. endobj 13. This refers to a mistress in the show, but it actually means: a godmother or an old friend.. to daydream; (lit. Italian-American Slang Dictionary . It is based on the Italian language, but it contains a mixture of Sicilian- and Neapolitan-inspired dialect words and phrases as well as . Youll really want to learn these terms if you want to fit in with the locals! Ever wondered what "gabagool" is or when it's appropriate to shout "Madone"? Is an expression of annoyance and means a pain in the behind!. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. The best way to learn it is to get away (for a while) from books, phones and computers, and talk to real people. He decides who gets made and who gets whacked. I'll buy the shirt for you.". We hope that knowing some slang words will help you understand Italian conversation, whether in-person or while you watch Italian movies. You can get rid of it. % For more entertaining TV shows in the Italian language, check out Lingopie, the streaming service that is designed to teach you a new language. Something you will hear Italians say all the time is va bene. The term could be translated to "Slice of Ham" and may also be used to roughly refer to either a sandwich that includes capicola or any type of sandwich containing ham, for that matter. The boss also gets points from all Family business; also see don, chairman. Its citizens didnt speak the same language, didnt identify as countrymen, sometimes were even at war with each other. 9xC`&2F'Jmk|G0:]:Tl>{XahtJ]|Yz^7pR%"()J=G}np jKH _OlzD lMln=A etis(zcx omx exoD^8lwo^:^\wo@9_o"{kWD.IAcA.IAc.IPWOtrQ@)'tM IHPhO(I))s 26RHKJ^9)I)LeO_ [Qokx5w'I$I$_I$I$_I$I$_I$I$_I$I$_I$I$_`Yum5]h2o:}9T/St>/w89?85 /L_[A0K0+1MMwsG>K6o 5f5}&UZ.v;M You may be speaking Soprano and not even know it. Yet Italian-Americans do. Avere la testa tra le nuvole 2. These sayings will be primarily used by Italian speakers using their own dialect within their community. (Sicilian put up more of a fight than most. The Italian dialects are like that. Culinarily similarities also abound: less meat-heavy, more like Provence or Greece in the use of seafood, vegetables, and even, rare for western Europe, spice. tabula rasa exp. Spring cleaning: cleaning up, hiding or getting rid of evidence. For manicotti, which are large ridged pasta tubes that are stuffed, usually with ricotta. Theyre clustered in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and in and around Philadelphia. Plan on a nice "pisolino" before getting ready for dinner. Italian is a very fluid, musical language, and Italian speakers will try to eliminate the awkwardness of going consonant-to-consonant. As this exclamation originates from blasphemy, it carries quite a significant weight among the Catholic community in Italy. Often, this is to express strong emotions, such as dismay or shock. Made guy: an indoctrinated member of the Family. Predicates: an offense which the Justice Department can choose to "fold into" a RICO statute. muzzadell for "mozzarella" and proshoot for "proscuitto"). Real people use real language, and real language is full of slang! ): all salt and pepper. For capocollo, also known as coppa. All thats left for you to do now is to go out and practice where slang belongs, in real life! And its a weird one. It could have predicates.". nocciolo della questione exp. It is used in exactly the same way as the English phrase, "break a leg". Tax: to take a percentage of someone's earnings. Look at the words in the table below, they are Italianized English words. Goomar - The Sopranos mention Goomar in the series. (That's cool!) Mozzarella. As a general rule, in order to master Italian pronunciation, remember to pronounce vowels strongly and clearly. Click here for our special offers. "A friend of mine" is just another jamook on the street. ): big peeled head.tirare un bidone a qualcuno exp. It has now become a trope in many shows and movies featuring Italian mafia characters. This week, an article appeared in northjersey.com, part of the USA Today Network, that begins You may be speaking Sopranoand not even know it. The article talks about HBOs show The Sopranosand how it used Italian-American food slang words that only New Yorkers know. Its just a vowel, who needs it? 17 Italian Slang Words to Be More Likeable. Press J to jump to the feed. Che palle is a great expression of dismay. The colloquialism comes from the word comare, which means "godmother" in Italian. Reddit community dedicated to the HBO hit TV series, The Sopranos, and movie, The Many Saints of Newark. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB Part of this ridiculous act involves him ordering "gabagool" at a restaurant. the life of Riley.leccapiedi exp. ): to carry the years badly.puzzare da fare schifo exp. They are not made-up words invented by Italian Americans or American TV, and they were spoken across the country, not only in the New York area. The article lists a number of words such as goomah and goomba and their definitions. No one knows exactly how it started, but every Italian American knows which side they're on. to be at stake.essere nelle nuvole exp. In other words, someone who takes care of you. And with it, came new entries into the American lexicon. Agita: anxiety, edginess, an upset stomach. I vecchi | Parents. Real language is fluid and varied, and it usually contains a lot of familiar terms, idiomatic expressions and slang. The c sounds, which are really k sounds, become voiced, so they turn into g. Do the same with the p, since thats a voiceless consonant, and we want voiced ones, so change that to a b. The second-to-last vowel, an o sound, gets raised, so change that to an ooh. And toss out the last syllable. And third: A lot of what we call the voiceless consonants, like a k sound, will be pronounced as a voiced consonant, says Olivo-Shaw. Ships from Palermo went to New Orleans and the ships from Genoa and Naples went to New York, he says. You would use this when describing something that falls into place at the right moment and time. So, you won't be surprised to learn there are lots of ways to ask someone how they are doing. This makes Italian slang terms incredibly varied and rich. to be fixated on something; (lit. The dog is from there, too.) ): feet-licker.levataccia very early rising; fare una levataccia: to get up very early [or at an ungodly hour].libro giallo exp. quattro gatti exp. In this post, we will break down some common and useful Italian colloquialisms and explore how watching TV and movies can be a great way to develop your natural language skills. Theres something both a little silly and a little wonderful about someone who doesnt even speak the language putting on an antiquated accent for a dead sub-language to order some cheese. This is another exclamation that you will hear frequently in The Sopranos and in context, it means "damn it!" elbow grease.ora di punta exp. This expression means "all right" or "okay". Have fun practicing your newly learned Italian slang! Also, there were ancient peoples in Southern Italy before the Romans, and they had their own languages. This is a US term for the Italian word: Capocollo. Below, we will list some handy and fun Italian slang words that you will come across regularly in The Sopranos as well as in other Italian TV and movies. Again, this one only made my list because Mr. Gagliano wrote this sentence as he phonetically hears it without realizing that it's comprised of two very simple Italian words. The way we speak is who we are. From Wiktionary. Damn it. The Sopranos debuted on HBO in early 1999 and concluded its six-season run in summer 2007. A voiced consonant will cause a vibration, and voiceless will not. Usually two points or 2%. This article will look at the main ones used (or at least understood) in the whole peninsula. Her book, Authentic Italian: The Real Story of Italys Food and Its People, was published in March 2018. as matters now stand.olio di gomito exp. This is a fun and engaging way to pick up the natural use of Italian slang phrases and use this language authentically in the appropriate context. Filippo, Michael San. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I spoke to a few linguists and experts on Italian-American culture to figure out why a kid from Paterson, New Jersey, who doesnt speak Italian, would earnestly ask for a taste of mutzadell. The answer takes us way back through history and deep into the completely chaotic world of Italian linguistics. Knowing it will help you feel more comfortable in every kind of situation that involves the Italian language. Fun Italian Slang Words and Phrases A lot of informal language in Italian is used in The Sopranos. 13 0 obj We've created a list of popular slang words and phrases so you can start sounding like, and connect with Italian locals. ): stinking breath. Theyll just make you laugh. ): to raise an elbow.amore a prima vista exp. The word chooch is another bastardization of a word in Italian, ciuccio. To even qualify, your mother has to be Italian. (vulgar) to fart.scemo/a n. a stupid person, a jerk; (from the verb scemare, meaning "to shrink or diminish").sfatto f. (trivial) worn out after a night of debauchery.sgualdrina f. (pejorative) trollop, strumpet, harlot, tart.spettegolare v. to gossip; (lit. /Filter /LZWDecode /Filter /DCTDecode Before 1861, these different kingdomsSardinia, Rome, Tuscany, Venice, Sicily (they were called different things at the time, but roughly correspond to those regions now)those were, basically, different countries. This reflects the phrase in English: Thank goodness!. Cadere a fagiolo ", Action: a bet that a bookie "writes" and for which you pay him his "vig.". Stevie B.. Italian Slang Word of the Day. Here are a few things they were saying, and what they really mean: Goomah Mistress or girlfriend. So, we are left with Marone! This expression literally means "out like a balcony", but it is used to call someone crazy. See also: What Is the Best Way To Learn Italian on Your Own? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/italian-slang-dictionary-2011657. meaning "my goodness!" ): swimming in gold.nuovo di zecca exp. Code of silence: not ratting on your colleagues once you've been pinchedno longer a strong virtue in organized crime families. A lot of informal language in Italian is used in The Sopranos. You can call someone a sfacime in an insulting or endearing way, just as you can call your friends "asshole" as a friendly joke. However, these words are mostly understood everywhere in Italy. a !1AQa"q2B#$Rb34rC%Scs5&DTdEt6UeuF'Vfv7GWgw(8HXhx )9IYiy Goomba Compatriot or fellow comrade. (Jersey Italians are not, linguistically, distinct from New York or Rhode Island or Philadelphia Italians when speaking Italian.) ), you might have seen the episode in which Michael thinks an insurance man is an Italian Mafioso and tries to scare him by playing up to the Italian mob stereotype as you see in movies and series like The Sopranos. parolaccia f. dirty word.piazzaiolo m. (pejorative) vulgar, mob-.pigrone/a n. & a. a lazy bum (from the masculine noun pigro, meaning "someone who is idle"); (lit. As you'll see in The Sopranos, society in Italy is very social and family-oriented. It literally means "what balls!" It was an Italianized expression from my regional dialect. Why not sign up to a 7-day free trial for all languages and test your Italian today? These can vary a lot according to the region youre in. The rest of the country and the world may have heard them in mobster movies, but they weren't broadcast into their homes every Sunday night for six seasons. You can follow Italian influencers on Instagram and watch their stories, read Italian personal blogs and posts, watch homemade Italian YouTube videos about interesting topics. lively, cheerful; (lit. You can learn more about this slang by studying Italian TV shows like The Sopranos. With Lingopie, you can use dual English and Italian subtitles, make flashcards of new vocabulary, and do quizzes on new words. Family: an organized crime clan, like the Genoveses, the Gottis, or the Sopranos. This means: how cool.. " Eew, I've got agida." ( swallows) "Give some soda now, YUCK !" by Esmee June 23, 2005 Flag Get the agida mug. stream A friend of ours: mob shorthand for introducing one made guy to another made guy. See Tom Hagen in The Godfather. to be out of one's mind; (lit. This is similar to someone exclaiming "Christ!" It simply features the odd fun Italian slang word or phrase that you can pick up and start to use in context. Passed in 1970 to aid the government in clamping down on organized crime activities, its scope has since been broadened to prosecute insider traders and anti-abortion protesters. /BitsPerComponent 8 A great show for picking up Italian American slang words and culture is The Sopranos. Its easiest, in terms of muscle movement, to transition from a vowel to a consonant and vice versa. Shy: the interest charged on loans by loansharks. Paying homage to the people, we have come to be known as the upbeat and spicy Italian-Americans, natives of the United States of America, but from Italian descent. It was love at first sight! This is an addition to the previous definition, which is half right. Learn Italian with Mneskin: What is Mneskin Singing About? Now that you know about the most common Italian slang words, discoverthe best Italian proverbs with English translation! Its fun. Vig: the interest paid to a loanshark for the loan. amore a prima vista exp. mu'c;7}a}u\Wc'c.G6F]7WRkZ F]_jHcx+ u-s-#xc~kd@"[lqO (PHFZ # By this point, you have learned some witty, practical, and commonly used Italian slang expressions. We now unite Italian Americans across states nationwide to celebrate our culture and preserve the traditions our ancestors brought with them from Italy. Fallo ancora. ): an owl. Omert: the much-vaunted Mafia vow of silence. Gabagool. A few of the biggest Italian dialects include: Veneto(spoken in Venice and throughout the Veneto region) Romanesco(spoken around Rome) Napoletano (spoken around Naples) and Siciliano(spoken in Sicily) If you visit Italy, you'll find that it isn't just your nonnawho speaks dialetto. The Sopranos the drama about families of mobsters in suburban Jersey is back in the news with the premiere, Oct. 1, of its prequel, "Many Saints of Newark." If you want to learn to speak Italian like a native, while using slang words and phrases naturally, then you should watch Italian movies and TV shows that feature Italian native speakers. :JYUq1-{ h>s{c}W4y |uOM8h",^c~ q3u'[weuV[N&n=c.:N8y{-om35p]}6\H=\+m 7VP=KInk@D^I+KInk~~)%gOo|.UuceoMc]}88S|{-glpHew}3Lm kpq\E.S@vS'4^OWoZCkCf2D}4\?V.WbQKC]c^2GrY2i6;wWHWzWH RKN$?I3tN2.Xiu`hiCJ|,nfEo`i>VTk[aa} IdLx:MV{k[aa} IdH:h(S{,~0]Cut/zf5wQ`\8|Gx^we}o!,f9-0. In this article, well learn the meaning and pronunciation of some of the most common Italian slang terms so that you can really sound like a local. Regardless, when they talk about food, even food thats widely known by the non-Italian population, they often use a specific accent. Support our journalism and become a subscriber today. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. They recognized that I was speaking as if I was a 70-year-old man, when I was only 26 years old. Italian-American Italian is not at all like Standard Italian. Talking 'The Sopranos' movie in Tony's booth at Holsten's. Underboss: the second in command to the boss. In the wind: after you leave the Witness protection program you are "in the wind," meaning you're on your own somewhere out there. Lorena is a Modern Languages graduate, an English teacher and Literature enthusiast. Note that this phrase is not widely used, and it is more common to say avere lalitosi. When I was younger, I found out that a word I was using all the time was not actually Italian. . last word, bottom line. fannullone m. a lazy bum; (lit. ): an accident. Abbreviation of vigorish; also see juice. Here we transcribed the Italian pronunciation phonetically so that an English speaker can easily understand how to say the words correctly and practice their Italian aloud. Mettere il carro davanti ai buoi 7. If you were to go to southern Italy, you wouldnt find people saying gabagool. But some of the old quirks of the old languages survived into the accents of Standard Italian used there. ): fat bomb.colpo di fulmine exp. Languages are alive, they change and evolve constantly, and slang does too. Its a take oncompaesano. A fagiolo. (Dalmatian, it turns out, refers to Croatia. Do it again. An excellent streaming platform for Italian shows and movies is Lingopie. This story was updated with new images and minor edits on October 25, 2018. Mutzadell or just mutz. to dump someone; (lit. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. To ensure you can have some fair conversation and get along with Italian communities, we look at the most, If you want to tell someone to come on in Italian, you can use the expression, When you find something impressive, you can use the Italian term. Che palle! in English. Pasta y fagioli. I'm from Connecticut so I'm familiar with a lot of the "Italian" words used in the Sopranos due to the large Italian-American community here. ): to have a nail fixed in the head. brownnoser; (lit. Transgression is punishable by death. For Madonna (the religious one, not the musical one). You would be surprised to learn just how many Italian slang words there are! What began as research into the history of our foodways opened my eyes to the ways in which Italian-American culture has been misinterpreted or deliberately co-opted by a whole range of entities, the media not the least among that number. And fluency will come to you, even more, when you can speak more conversationally when you know some Italian slang. Bear in mind also that ch is pronounced like "k", while the sounds ci and ce are said like "chi" and "che" respectively. Learning some Italian slang words and phrases will certainly help you if youre planning to go to Italy, and itll help you sound more authentic to your Italian friends. The standard Italian equivalent is "Stai zitto". love at first sight: stato amore a prima vista! It's a Southern Italian American style of pronouncing certain words that has a specific reason. The southern Italian migrants to the U.S took this term and over time it became chooch. Just this, Tony Soprano's mom, Livia, may have been inspired by another famous Livia, Bada-bing, bada-boom: Authentic 'Sopranos' artifacts hit the auction block, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. For capocollo, also known as coppa. Forte - Strong, loud. | Don't worry about it! Shy: the interest charged on loans by loansharks. And when I went to Italy, very few people could understand me, even the people in my parents region. Popularized by Bing Crosby's kitschy pop classic, the phrase doesn't delight everyone. But they also give you an insight into Italian culture and mindset. Saluti! Tony Soprano's boat is The Stugots. Yes, I would like to be contacted about special events, newsletters and program information. The dawn of their arrival saw the Italian language being modernized. Throughout the nationwidelockdowns, many people have found themselves revisitingtheir favorite TV shows as a way to pass the time. ): to let go of someone, to release someone.morire di/dalla noia exp. If you want to tell someone to come on in Italian, you can use the expression dai! ): to raise an elbow. Fanook, or Finook: derived from "finocchio" or fennel, a derogatory term for homsexual or gay, i.e., people that wiseguys feel nervous around. ): yellow book.limonare (familiar, regional) to make out.locale m. club or night club. "No need to give my scarf back right away, don't worry about it!". Soldier: the bottom-level member of an organized crime Family, as in "foot soldiers." Lets now see some expressions you can use to talk with or about your friends. 2023 Atlas Obscura. ): to be a little bit out. Somebody, even in their 70s or 80s, who was born in Italy and lived in the United States can still be understood in Italy. But there are many more out there, so keep that in mind. Language is so much a part of how we identify, says Olivo-Shaw. This article will look at the main ones used (or at least understood) in the whole peninsula. But its not always easy (or even possible at all) to do it, right? Pasta and bean soup. A fresh, cows milk cheese. Depending on the TV show or movie you watch, you will be exposed to slang words and dialects connected with the local area. The "d" sound in the Neapolitan dialect is often changed to an "r", and the ends of words are frequently dropped (eg. The Main Saints of Newark is expected to hit theaters in 2021. Calabrian, for example, is heavily influenced by Greek, thanks to a long Greek occupation and interchange. but is better translated as "how annoying! The film will be directed by Alan Taylor and starRay Liotta, Leslie Odom Jr., Joey Diaz, Vera Farmiga, and Michael Gandolfini, the son of The Sopranos' late star JamesGandolfini. Natural language The Best Sopranos Moments to Watch Before Seeing The Many Saints of Newark, Sopranos Prequel Film The Many Saints of Newark Gets Director, HBOs #StayHomeBoxOffice Campaign Is Offering Hundreds of Hours of Programming for Free, The Best Shows to Watch on HBO Max (February 2023). Another fun example of mirroring idioms is avere le mani in pasta, which literally means to have a hand in the pasta, but figuratively it is the same as the English notion of having a finger in every pie or being involved in everything. Correction: An earlier version of the story had the wrong age for Fred Gardaphe. So theyll just add in a generic vowel soundah or uhbetween consonants, to make it flow better. So, try to have contact with real people, even if over the internet. ): as red as a pepper. Also, compromise- grilled cheese off the radiator, LCN, La Cosa Nosta literally means 'The Our Thing.'. It comes from the Italian word melanzane- eggplant. Pasta fazool. Its nothing but fat and nitrates. The pronunciation of gabagool, a mutation of the word capicola, might surprise a casual viewer, although it and words like it should be familiar to viewers of other New Jerseybased shows like Jersey Shore and The Real Housewives of New Jersey, where food often drives conversation. It is a commonly used term. It can also be used in other contexts to describe someone's strengths (activities they are good at). Its a spicy, dry-cured salami. essere in gioco exp. Like our foodways, our social customs, and our belief systems, the languages and dialects of Southern Italy were brought to the United States by our grandparents and great-grandparents, and they were handed down through the generations. And fuggedaboudid. (Forget about it!). The Program: The Witness Protection Program. Col tempo la foglia di gelso diventa seta: old Italian saying meaning, "Time and patience change the mulberry leaf to satin.". to start a serious relationship, to tie the knot.mollare qualcuno exp. This iconic series features standard Italian slang phrases as well as some slang words specific to the Italian community on the east coast of America. Just this, Mom: Tony Soprano's mom, Livia, may have been inspired by another famous Livia, Artifacts: Bada-bing, bada-boom: Authentic 'Sopranos' artifacts hit the auction block. Non fai scumbari. Goomba Compatriot or fellow comrade.. Be sure to use this phrase in the correct context or some senior Italians may not be too impressed! detective or mystery story; (lit. -ge) (vulgar) fart.scoreggiare v.i. Waste management business: euphemism for organized crime. /Width 454 Take bocca al lupo, "into the wolf's mouth", for instance. Why There's an 'Italian' Village in Wales, Hawaiis Native-Language Newspaper Archive. crux of the matter.nuotare nell'oro exp. Did you know that there are many slang terms and idioms in Italian that are commonly used in everyday language? ): an annoying person.ultima parola exp. Plus you'll sound more like a local yourself! Keeping Italian Heritage Strong With the Language We Cherish. Express a huge sigh of relief when you use meno male. The finished dish is also called manicotti. Pandora's box; (lit. You'd probably prefer to sound more like Vito Spatafor than Michael Scott! Madonn': Madonna, common expression meaning holy smoke, holy cow, holy shit. This is a tricky one to explain, but basically the difference between a voiced and a voiceless consonant can be felt if you place your fingers over your Adams apple and say as short of a sound with that consonant as you can. Contents 1. Manigot. 11. After its launch, I had friends as far away as Texas and California speaking like Tony. ), During unification, the northern Italian powers decided that having a country that speaks about a dozen different languages would pose a bit of a challenge to their efforts, so they picked one and called it Standard Italian and made everyone learn it.
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