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    What is the Italian equivalent of the English phrase "Once in a blue moon"?

    Question #56473. Asked by gmackematix. (Apr 05 05 6:32 PM)


    gtho4

    		once in a blue moon = ad ogni morte di Papa (literally: at every death of Pope)

    http://www.seekitaly.com/english_italian.html



    Apr 05 05, 6:50 PM
    gmackematix

    		Yay Gtho!

    Apr 05 05, 7:10 PM
    lanfranco

    		"A ogni morte di papa." That is, when the Pope dies. Why a Pope's death became the standard for a rare event is rather puzzling, since most popes have not lived very long. I asked an Italian historian friend to explain this, and he just laughed.

    Apr 05 05, 7:43 PM
    picqero

    		A similar phrase was used in mediaeval Europe, and even later by some accounts, "as rare as a black swan" used to describe an object or person rather than an event. The phrase fell out of circulation after black swans were discovered by the first Europeans to visit Australia. They are nowadays not uncommon in England, usually having escaped captivity.

    Apr 05 05, 10:38 PM
    Flynn_17

    		How tasteless of you.

    Apr 06 05, 8:46 AM

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