Home › Vocabulary › History, research and data › Family history Practise this list
Ways to practise
From these 27 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list La variante grafica is the spelling variant, and the noun inside it travels a good deal further in Italian than « variant » ever does in English. On this page the two words agree: a surname copied by four clerks comes back as four varianti grafiche , and that is exactly what an English genealogist means by the term. But la variante also does a job with nothing abstract about it at all. It is a stretch of road built to go round an obstacle: la variante di valico is the new pass road, and a lorry sent along una variante has been sent round a town rather than through it. English calls that a bypass, a diversion or a relief road, and never a variant. The same Italian word covers an amendment to a contract, a different line in a chess opening and a second way of making a dish. So the rule for reading it is the concrete one. Whenever la variante is something a vehicle can drive on, no English sentence containing « variant » will be right, and the word has to be changed outright rather than carried across.
The words
View Compact With examples
Noun (m) (14)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
l’albero dei discendenti the descendant chart Noun (m) C2 L’albero dei discendenti parte da una coppia sola. A descendant chart starts from a single couple.
il registro di stato civile the civil register Noun (m) C2 Il registro di stato civile comincia più tardi dei libri di chiesa. The civil register begins later than the church books.
il libro parrocchiale the parish register Noun (m) C2 Il libro parrocchiale è scritto in latino fino a un certo punto. The parish register is written in Latin up to a certain point.
l’atto di battesimo the baptismal entry Noun (m) C2 L’atto di battesimo nomina anche i padrini. The baptismal entry names the godparents as well.
l’atto di sepoltura the burial entry Noun (m) C2 L’atto di sepoltura indica spesso l’età e non la data di nascita. The burial entry often gives the age rather than the date of birth.
il foglio di censimento the census schedule Noun (m) C2 Il foglio di censimento mette insieme tutta la casa. The census schedule brings the whole household together.
il fascicolo di emigrazione the emigration file Noun (m) C2 Il fascicolo di emigrazione contiene la richiesta di passaporto. The emigration file contains the passport application.
l’atto catastale the land register entry Noun (m) C2 L’atto catastale lega una famiglia a un pezzo di terra. The land register entry ties a family to a piece of ground.
l’atto di successione the probate record Noun (m) C2 L’atto di successione elenca i figli ancora vivi. The probate record lists the children who were still alive.
il patronimico the patronymic Noun (m) C2 Il patronimico cambia a ogni generazione. The patronymic changes with every generation.
il muro della ricerca the brick wall Noun (m) C2 Il muro della ricerca cade spesso grazie a un vicino di casa. The brick wall often comes down thanks to a next-door neighbour.
il ramo collaterale the collateral line Noun (m) C2 Il ramo collaterale conserva quello che la linea diretta ha perso. The collateral line keeps what the direct line has lost.
il centimorgan the centimorgan Noun (m) C2 Il centimorgan misura quanto due persone condividono. The centimorgan measures how much two people share.
il diario di ricerca the research log Noun (m) C2 Il diario di ricerca annota anche dove non c’era nulla. The research log also notes the places where there was nothing.
Noun (f) (13)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
la registrazione del matrimonio the marriage entry Noun (f) C2 La registrazione del matrimonio dice da dove venivano gli sposi. The marriage entry says where the bride and groom came from.
la lista dei passeggeri the passenger list Noun (f) C2 La lista dei passeggeri scrive il paese di partenza. The passenger list records the country of departure.
la consuetudine dei nomi the naming custom Noun (f) C2 La consuetudine dei nomi dava al primo figlio il nome del nonno. The naming custom gave the first son his grandfather’s name.
la variante grafica the spelling variant Noun (f) C2 Lo stesso cognome ha molte varianti grafiche. The same surname has many spelling variants.
la fonte derivata the derivative source Noun (f) C2 Una fonte derivata ripete anche gli errori di chi ha copiato. A derivative source repeats the copyist’s mistakes as well.
la prova contraddittoria the conflicting piece of evidence Noun (f) C2 Una prova contraddittoria non si nasconde, si spiega. A conflicting piece of evidence is not hidden away, it is explained.
l’argomentazione probatoria the proof argument Noun (f) C2 L’argomentazione probatoria mette in fila tutte le fonti. The proof argument lines up every source in order.
la ricerca ragionevolmente esaustiva the reasonably exhaustive search Noun (f) C2 Una ricerca ragionevolmente esaustiva guarda anche dove non spera. A reasonably exhaustive search looks even where it expects nothing.
la ricerca sul contesto the cluster research Noun (f) C2 La ricerca sul contesto studia vicini, testimoni e padrini. Cluster research studies neighbours, witnesses and godparents.
la genealogia genetica genetic genealogy Noun (f) C2 La genealogia genetica conferma o smentisce la carta. Genetic genealogy either confirms the paper or contradicts it.
l’endogamia endogamy Noun (f) C2 L’endogamia rende ogni parentela più stretta di quanto sembri. Endogamy makes every kinship closer than it looks.
la discendenza non attesa the unexpected line of descent Noun (f) C2 Una discendenza non attesa va comunicata con prudenza. An unexpected line of descent has to be passed on with care.
la tutela dei viventi the protection of the living Noun (f) C2 La tutela dei viventi viene prima della curiosità. The protection of the living comes before curiosity.
Back to the quiz ↑
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to History, research and data — 19 lists and 667 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer
The quiz needs JavaScript. Everything above works without it.
← Astrophysics Radiology → 