| Silvia: | The expression we will learn today revolves around the letter "acca", or "H" in English. |
| Connor: | Huh? |
| Silvia: | Sì, la lettera acca. |
| Connor: | È molto importante the letter H? |
| Silvia: | È molto speciale in the alfabeto italiano. |
| Connor: | I had never thought a letter could be so importante. |
| Silvia: | Well, la lettera H è the only one that doesn't have a sound, è una lettera muta. |
| Connor: | What do you mean by that? |
| Silvia: | I mean that if it is placed at the beginning of a word, you don't pronounce it. |
| Connor: | A silent lettera? |
| Silvia: | Yes, "H" is a voiceless lettera in italiano. |
| Connor: | How do you say hostess? |
| Silvia: | Well, we borrow that same word from the English language, but we say "ostess", as if the H were not there. |
| Connor: | You could say that "H" is like a ghost letter! |
| Silvia: | Esattamente. Not only is the letter H silent when placed at the beginning of a word, but it often plays an ancillary role for the sake of phonetics. |
| Connor: | Oh, I feel sorry for the letter "H"! |
| Silvia: | Sì, I agree … speaking of which, in Italian, we have a very special expression. |
| Connor: | Really? What is it? |
| Silvia: | Non capisci un'acca! |
| Connor: | Not understand the letter H? Oh Silvia... |
| Silvia: | Tu non capisci un'acca. |
| Connor: | This is a mind game! |
| Silvia: | Well, it is a little game... a game with words and una lettera. |
| Connor: | All right, I’m in, let's play! |
| Silvia: | Tu non capisci un'acca di italiano. |
| Connor: | If you meant to say that I don't understand the use of the letter H in Italian, you are absolutely right! |
| Silvia: | I just said that you don't understand a thing in Italian! |
| Connor: | Ohhhh... you’re kidding me, right? |
| Silvia: | Sì, certo, Connor! |
| Connor: | Tu non capisci un'acca di Connor! |
| Silvia: | You are a fast learner! |
| Connor: | I told you, tu non capisci un'acca di Connor! |
| Silvia: | Bene! You got it! |
| Connor: | So, when I’m having a hard time understanding something… can I say that? |
| Silvia: | Certo. |
| Connor: | Io non capisco un'acca of German. |
| Silvia: | Tu non capisci un’acca about cars. |
| Connor: | Well, I know a thing or two about cars... |
| Silvia: | No, no, I'm just giving you an example Connor! OK, one more... |
| Connor: | Loro sono bravi but non capiscono un'acca! |
| Silvia: | We also have a similar expression using the word pipe, tubo, in italiano. |
| Connor: | Italians are very creative... pipes, ghost letters... |
| Silvia: | A country of artists! |
| Connor: | Sì! So what is it? I’m intrigued. |
| Silvia: | Non capire un tubo. |
| Connor: | Un tubo? A pipe? Why a pipe? |
| Silvia: | Because a pipe is empty, so it has little value, like the letter H. |
| Connor: | I would never have guessed that! |
| Silvia: | Both expressions are used a lot in italiano. |
| Connor: | Quando non capisco un'acca, what can I do? |
| Silvia: | Studiare. |
| Connor: | I will go over everything before our next lezione, Silvia! |
| Silvia: | Eccellente! Arrivederci, Connor! |
| Connor: | Arrivederci, Silvia! |
