Language

Could we have an area for discussing language problems? My son recently walked the Sentiero degli Dei on the Amalfi coast. Shouldn't it be Sentiero dei Dei? A mouthful I know but can anyone explain why the rule has changed (gli before spaghetti, zii i.e masculine impure s or z) or is there another rule which I don't know about yet?

Good idea! And to answer your query, it is an exception due to an irregular plural;
Singular: il dio
Plural: gli dei, hence it is Sentiero degli Dei

FBower wrote:Could we have an area for discussing language problems? My son recently walked the Sentiero degli Dei on the Amalfi coast. Shouldn't it be Sentiero dei Dei? A mouthful I know but can anyone explain why the rule has changed (gli before spaghetti, zii i.e masculine impure s or z) or is there another rule which I don't know about yet?

Sentiero degli Dei = Path of the Gods.  Gala is right - it is an irregular plural.

Why not write something about your sons trip along this wonderful coastline? (or get him to join and he can write something)

Last year we stayed in Praiano for a week. Fabulous! I wanted to do the Sentiero  degli Dei, and this is how I found out about this particular irregular plural. Unfortunately, I have a knee problem and my husband worried about the consequences of that walk. On the other hand, we were staying in a house in the upper part of Praiano and the views were breathtaking!!! I could manage the walk up and down, through a maze of lanes down to the beautiful parish church of St Luke. It happened that it was the Saint's day and we were able to witness an incredible procession through the town. Oh!  And we were only a few meters away from the Locanda degli Dei.

The Amalfi Coast is referred to as 'God's own Country' in our house...

I would put together in that category the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre... I would add Portofino, although I would need to get rid of the tourists, although that applies everywhere. We went to Praiano in early October and most of the tourists were gone, which was great!  Also, the weather was fine and not too hot.