"Schivi"

[Peter Farruggio]

In the Southern Italian dialects of New York City, "schifoso" has been
used  (as a noun) to describe a trickster, hustler, liar, dishonest or
insincere person.  3rd  and 4th generation Italian-Americans with weak
command of the Italian language used "skeeve" for a slippery character, or
a cheat.  I've heard some use it with just a generally negative
connotation, wherein it loses it's specific reference to cheating or tricking.

Pete Farruggio




At 08:47 AM 5/12/00, you wrote:
>Tom Dalzell notes, regarding "skeevy": For "schivi," check out THE
>PHILADELPHIA DIALECT DICTIONARY by Claudio R. Salvucci (Evolution
>Publishing, 1996).  He lists "skeeve" as a verb (to disgust) from the
>Italian "schifare" and "skeevie" as a noun for somthing disgusting.
>He cites a March 1976 article in the Philadelphia Magazine, "How to
>Talk Like a Philadelphian Part II."  Salvucci writes: "It is in
>frequent use among those of Italian dscent;whether it occurs outside
>this ethnic group I cannot say."
>
>I distinctly remember hearing "skeevy" 15+ years ago in New York from
>a young woman, probably late-20s/early 30s, of Jewish background.  I
>also have a vague notion that I have heard it once or twice more, but
>certainly not recently.
>
>GAT