13 replies to this topic

[jaxfan]

What it the exact meaning of this word, someone told me it meant "crazy ferari fans'?

[magnum]

The word, to begin with (yes the cane will come momentarily) is Tifoso - or, in its plural form, tifosi. The word tifosis is a Michael Schumacherism (see the LONG thread on his interview if you want to know about his ignorance!) - it derivates from the word "tifo" which, literally, is a verb - "to support" - thus if one gives "tifo" for a team, one becomes a "tifoso" - and many become known as "tifosi".

Now bend for suggesting crazy Italians!

[Mr. Salty]

Actually derived from typhoid fever if memory serves. I'll look it up at lunch and post the full definition from my Ferrari 1998 season summary book.

[magnum]

Mr. Salty u are correct that the word can also mean typhus (tifo), but in the sense that was asked, it means as I explained. Other related verbs are "tifare" which is, literally, "to shout for", and, in terms of "tifo", one needs to say "far il tifo per" which is to be a fan of ... or to shout for ... however, I'd be curious to know if the word tifo as used in connection with support has anything to do with Typhoid - though I doubt it.

[jaxfan]

Magnum, sorry about the incorrect spelling (actually copied from another post cause I didn't know how to spell).
Not sorry about the definition, like that one better, but some may like the typhoid def.
Never said Italian's were crazy just the Ferari fans, is there a diff?

[This message has been edited by jaxfan (edited 04-14-2000).]

[RedFever]

Magnum is totally right.

Ferrari fans in Italy don't call themselves Tifosi, that definition comes from the British press, who generalized the Italian word tifoso (someone cheering for a team or athlete) to means "Ferrari fans". In other words, tifoso is a slightly bland version of the English word fan. Fan is short for fanatic, tifoso literally means "someone who cheers". In fact, when accidents and fights happen in soccer arena, normally the press or the teams or the regular organized fan clubs invariably mention "those are not 'tifosi', they are groups of violent franges that hide themselves among the real 'tifosi' - meant as sport enthusists.

Clearly you cannot expect the press, particularly from a foreign country, to use terminology in the correct way. The word tifoso in Italy is not limited to Ferrari fan, but to anyone that cheers any sport team or athlete in any discipline (e.i. Agassi's tifoso, Liverpool's tifoso, Luna Rossa's tifoso, Biaggi's tifoso, Ronaldo's tifoso, etc, etc).

The word tifo as the illness has no connection whatsoever to the Ferrari or other fans. Tifo as the illness is a noun, tifare (to cheer) is a verb and tifoso is the derivative noun from the verb. The meanings are entirely different.

[Mr. Salty]

So I was partially correct.

"It is perhaps apposite that the word tifosi derives from typhoid, il tifo, since ecstatic fans are said to display similar symptoms to one in the throes of typhoid."

David Tremayne, "Ferrari Formula 1 Racing Team" 1998

He is actually describing the passion of the Ferrari fans, and does not directly atribute typhoid as the basis for the word. Or does he? Muddy enough now?

[magnum]

I think Tremayne was suffering from some medical condition when he wrote that ... perhaps delusional from a typhoid attack ...

[RedFever]

David Tremayne is of course giving his own personal 2cents worth interpretation of a word that is Italian and in Italy has no correlation whatsoever to the illness (what this bloke probably did is take a dictionary Italian-English, check the word Tifo and figured that it has two separate meanings. He then decided that Ferrari fans are called tifosi because their cheering reminds him of the behavior of people with the illness. In his ignorance, he forgot to verify the entirely different origin of the two meanings). If you want to take his word, free to do it, but I am Italian and educated enough to understand the meaning and origin of words in my own language.

[This message has been edited by RedFever (edited 04-14-2000).]

[Dennis David]

Red's correct on that one. Tremayne isn't the only writer who get's it wrong from time to time. I've read it a number of times. It's more a product of weak scholarship.

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Regards,

Dennis David
Grand Prix History

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

[The RedBaron]

Dennis David -Just seen your website, its pretty cool and put together really well

[This message has been edited by The RedBaron (edited 04-15-2000).]

[HappyDude]

The term isn't used in the english media just for Ferrari fans, or Italian fans of racing in general. It's used broadly to refer to Italian fans of other sports as well. Italian cycling fans are often referred to in the British press as tifosi, which is actually where I first heard the term.

Happy

ps Cipollini is a wuss



[This message has been edited by HappyDude (edited 04-15-2000).]

[doohanOK]

I was told by an Italian that it means "fans" in Italian.

regards,
doohanOK.

[Dennis David]

RedBaron, Thanks! What took you so long. If you have broadband, DSL, Cable tyou should check out the videos.

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Regards,

Dennis David
Grand Prix History

Life is racing, the rest is waiting