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C2  ·  29 words

Seismology in Italian

How an earthquake is measured when nobody felt it.

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From these 29 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.

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The twenty-sixth entry is l’adeguamento sismico, and the noun that carries it is the quiet false friend of this page, because English has a word that looks like it and damns with faint praise. « Adequate » in English means barely enough: a piece of work called « adequate » has passed and pleased nobody, and an « adequate » supply is one that will only just hold. The Italian adjective adeguato carries none of that grudging tone. It means matched to what the case requires — una risposta adeguata is the right answer and not a thin one, and un compenso adeguato is proper pay. From the adjective comes the noun, and l’adeguamento is the act of bringing something up to the level now demanded: l’adeguamento degli stipendi, l’adeguamento alla normativa, and on this page l’adeguamento sismico of a school, which English calls seismic retrofitting. So a reader who hears « adequate » under the word will take a full structural upgrade for a minimum scraped through. It is the other way round: the building is being lifted to meet a demand, not merely allowed to sit below it.

The words

Noun (f) (19)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

l’onda sismicathe seismic waveNoun (f)C2
L’onda sismica attraversa tutta la crosta.The seismic wave travels through the whole crust.
l’onda primariathe primary waveNoun (f)C2
L’onda primaria arriva per prima.The primary wave arrives first.
l’onda secondariathe secondary waveNoun (f)C2
L’onda secondaria scuote di più.The secondary wave shakes harder.
l’onda superficialethe surface waveNoun (f)C2
L’onda superficiale danneggia gli edifici bassi.The surface wave damages low buildings.
la profondità focalethe focal depthNoun (f)C2
La profondità focale cambia tutto.The focal depth changes everything.
la magnitudo momentothe moment magnitudeNoun (f)C2
La magnitudo momento si ricava dall’energia rilasciata.The moment magnitude is derived from the energy released.
la scala di intensitàthe intensity scaleNoun (f)C2
La scala di intensità descrive i danni osservati.The intensity scale describes the damage observed.
l’accelerazione di picco al suolothe peak ground accelerationNoun (f)C2
L’accelerazione di picco al suolo guida il progetto.The peak ground acceleration governs the design.
la liquefazione del terrenosoil liquefactionNoun (f)C2
La liquefazione del terreno fa affondare le case.Soil liquefaction makes the houses sink.
la faglia trascorrentethe strike-slip faultNoun (f)C2
La faglia trascorrente muove i due blocchi di lato.The strike-slip fault moves the two blocks sideways.
la zona di subduzionethe subduction zoneNoun (f)C2
La zona di subduzione produce i terremoti più profondi.The subduction zone produces the deepest earthquakes.
la lacuna sismicathe seismic gapNoun (f)C2
La lacuna sismica indica un tratto rimasto fermo.The seismic gap marks a stretch that has stayed still.
la scossa premonitricethe foreshockNoun (f)C2
La scossa premonitrice si riconosce solo dopo.The foreshock is recognised only afterwards.
la sequenza di replichethe aftershock sequenceNoun (f)C2
La sequenza di repliche è durata mesi.The aftershock sequence lasted months.
la sismicità indottainduced seismicityNoun (f)C2
La sismicità indotta accompagna certe attività industriali.Induced seismicity goes with certain industrial activities.
la carta di pericolosità sismicathe seismic hazard mapNoun (f)C2
La carta di pericolosità sismica divide il paese in zone.The seismic hazard map divides the country into zones.
la norma costruttivathe building codeNoun (f)C2
La norma costruttiva impone armature più fitte.The building code calls for denser reinforcement.
la testimonianza storicathe historical recordNoun (f)C2
La testimonianza storica parla di campanili caduti.The historical record speaks of fallen bell towers.
la paleosismologiapalaeoseismologyNoun (f)C2
La paleosismologia scava nelle tracce lasciate dalle faglie.Palaeoseismology digs into the traces left by faults.

Noun (m) (10)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

il tempo di arrivothe arrival timeNoun (m)C2
Il tempo di arrivo si legge sul tracciato.The arrival time can be read off the trace.
l’ipocentrothe hypocentreNoun (m)C2
L’ipocentro sta sotto il paese.The hypocentre lies beneath the village.
il moto del suolothe ground motionNoun (m)C2
Il moto del suolo è stato registrato in città.The ground motion was recorded in the city.
l’effetto di sitothe site effectNoun (m)C2
L’effetto di sito amplifica le onde nella valle.The site effect amplifies the waves in the valley.
l’accumulo di sforzothe build-up of stressNoun (m)C2
L’accumulo di sforzo dura secoli.The build-up of stress lasts for centuries.
il sismografothe seismographNoun (m)C2
Il sismografo registra anche i movimenti minimi.The seismograph records even the smallest movements.
il microsismathe microseismNoun (m)C2
Il microsisma non si avverte, ma resta sul tracciato.The microseism is not felt, but it stays on the trace.
il preallarmethe early warningNoun (m)C2
Il preallarme arriva pochi secondi prima.The early warning arrives a few seconds beforehand.
l’adeguamento sismicothe seismic retrofitNoun (m)C2
L’adeguamento sismico della scuola è finito.The seismic retrofit of the school is finished.
l’isolamento alla basethe base isolationNoun (m)C2
L’isolamento alla base separa l’edificio dal terreno.The base isolation separates the building from the ground.

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