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A panini

(14 Posts)
GrannyHaddock Sat 06-Jul-19 19:20:54

Am I wrong to die a little when I hear someone ask for a panini? One panino, two or more panini. I am afraid the toothpaste is out of the tube now and we'll never get it back in again. What do Italian speakers think of this?

Nononononono33 Sat 06-Jul-19 19:22:42

Yes! You’re totally right @grannyhaddock. I’ve been saying this for years and everyone ignores me (I’m not Italian, it’s just logical).

EdWinchester Sat 06-Jul-19 19:26:10

My local posh deli had 'panini's' on a blackboard.

It was so doubly wrong, I had to tell them. My children hate me, but really!

stillmoving Sat 06-Jul-19 19:31:21

I don't know any different. I also feel a bit shit at the idea you 'die a little bit' when you hear people call it a panini. Cafes/coffee shops all over the UK market them as that so that's what I know it as.

Mendingfences Sat 06-Jul-19 19:35:17

It happens from English too, 'brownies ' is used as the singular form where i live (non English speaking)

ReganSomerset Sat 06-Jul-19 19:36:40

Depends. Do you order two cappuccinos, or two cappuccini? Do you say these spaghetti or this spaghetti? In the original Italian, you're correct of course, but we're not speaking Italian.

CmdrCressidaDuck Sat 06-Jul-19 19:36:54

I mean, as a pedant I feel you, but this isn't an Italian-speaking country, we don't do our singular and plural endings that way, and functionally "panini" is the singular form in English, so insisting is frankly just a bit arseholeish. Let it go.

Jamhandprints Sat 06-Jul-19 19:38:00

I know your right and I silently say it to myself, but I've never in real life heard anyone say panino.

starzig Sat 06-Jul-19 19:42:46

Panini is English for Panino.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners Sat 06-Jul-19 19:45:15

I opened this thread thinking it was about football stickers. blush

Myfoolishboatisleaning Sat 06-Jul-19 19:51:17

Panini doesn’t really bother me, because as starzig says panini has become the English word for panino. I cannot stand the American pronunciation of bruschetta though, which is now becoming prevalent in the UK as well. (Brew-shetta)

GrannyHaddock Sat 06-Jul-19 22:07:05

I almost think that I would rather people used panino and paninos (like your cappucinos, Regan).

Fifthtimelucky Sun 07-Jul-19 10:06:51

I think once words become incorporated into the English language then they go by English rules, so I have no problem with 'a panini'. I wouldn't say 2 paninis though. I'd use panini for both singular and plural (in the same way that 'sheep' can be singular and plural).

Similarly, I'm very happy when choirs refer to eg sopranos and altos (sometimes do hear soprani and alti, but rarely and usually with a mock Italian accent).

I'm equally happy with referendums and octopuses.

GrannyHaddock Tue 09-Jul-19 23:21:16

There's no problem with sopranos etc, because the word begins as a singular noun and has an English plural ending added. For me, it just doesn't work in reverse.

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