SC - Ciao, Cella!

[Laura C. Minnick]

On Sat, 29 Jul 2000, Kerri Canepa wrote:

> Buon giorno (or buena sera depending on which part of the world you inhabit)
> Marcello,
> 
> >Just as a side note, though, ending a word in Italian
> >with an "a" feminizes it and ciao is a farewell. 
> 
> Picking nits here but "ciao" is also used to say "hello." Seems Italians use
> multiple "ciao's" to say goodbye but only one to say hello. Also, "ciao" as
> "hello" is a very informal greeting, one made between close friends. Mind you,
> this is modern Tuscan Italian usage. Your mileage may vary.
 
According to my French instructors, they use it in France as well.
Apparently it is 'cosmopolitan' to do so. Whatever rings your bell, I
guess... Anyway, I understand that 'ciao' is used much like 'aloha' is in
Hawaii (and I used to live there so I know!) as it can be 
hello/goodbye/heyyou!/whazzzup/ etc.- and one of the official meanings is
I love you, I would guess when uttered in the appropriate setting. Just
that of all of the different meanings of the simple words 'my lord' that
one can hear at an event, ranging from a simple greeting to the outraged
to the amourous...

'Lainie
who has been following a thread on Ansax-L about words with variable
meanings...