Sono un pescatore ligure, ancorche' un po' fuori sede.
The "gallinella di mare" is definitly a fish that lives among the
rocks. It's rather fat and rests most of the time on the see bottom.
I'm sure it can't fly under any circumstances.
When ashore its color turns to a sort of red. The 'fat' shape, the
color and a "crest" of spines are probably at the origin of the name
(the same fish - or at least a very similar one - is called
'pesce cappone', that is the common denomination in Genoa dialect).
It's a most tipical prey for fishing nets in Liguria.
I think Montale had both 'gallinella' and 'cappone' at his disposal
and decided that the 'gallinella' caught in the net was far more
poetic.
> Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 03:17:02 PST
> Subject: Bird or Fish?
> From: "rossella riccobono" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Reply-to: [log in to unmask]
> Cari colleghi/e,
>
> I have a question for this very useful colloquia site and perhaps
> somebody can help me find an answer.
> I am working on Montale and have come across a dilemma about the
> identity of the 'gallinella di mare' of 'I morti'.
>
> Battaglia (1966ff) registers different meanings:
> the crucial ones here are the following:
>
> 1. type of fishing bird, a species being the 'gallinella d'acqua'. No
> mention is made of 'gallinella di mare', however.
>
> 2. type of fish, popular in the Mediterranean especially on rocky areas
> -- and this fits with the Ligurian coast.
>
> The lines read:
>
> 'come la gallinella
> di mare che s'insacca tra le maglie'
>
> It seems to me more logical to identify this misterious being as a fish
> 'che s'insacca tra le maglie', and I would do so if Montale's well known
> passion for birds didn't put a doubt in my mind.
> Could a bird 'insaccarsi tra le maglie' whilst fishing?
> Can anybody help?
>
> Rossella Riccobono
>
>
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Francesco Caviglia
Romansk Institut
Aarhus Universitet
Tel (voice) (45) 8942 1934
Fax (45) 8616 3861
e-mail [log in to unmask]
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