Daily Italian Vocabulary: Pullman (Coach/Bus)

Pullman is one of my favorite Italian words, not because it sounds particularly sweet, but because of its interesting history.

Before we turn our attention to the Italian definition, let’s briefly understand the original meaning associated with the term.

In the United States, Pullman Actually refers to a luxury railway carriage, whereas in Europe it is the name for a railway dining car or lounge. The cars are named after the American designer George. M. Pullman, his namesake company built and operated them from 1867 to December 31, 1968.

In many European countries, the term Pullman Also used in the first long electric streetcars, which were similar in appearance to Pullman railroad cars. Between the 1930s and 1950s,Some particularly luxurious coaches are occasionally called Automatic Pullman.

The word still exists today in Italian (and in Greek), but not in reference to luxury railroad coaches, but to large intercity busor coachpresumably because of the shared comfort offered by both modes of transportation.

I take the bus because I don’t have a car.

I’m going to take a coach because I don’t have a car.

This is just the strict definition in the dictionary. Depending on where you go to Italy, Pullman can also refer more generally to any bus, including commuter buses for public transport within the city.For example, in Turin, many people like the word Pullman Exceed bus or bus In informal conversations, although bus is the preferred term at the written and institutional level.

What time does the bus pass by? – Eight thirty-five. – thanks!

What time does the bus arrive? — 8:35. – thanks!

Pullman is a masculine noun. As with many loanwords in Italian, there is no change between singular and plural, so be sure to use the article for numbers.

notes: Pullman Sometimes incorrectly written as a ‘l‘ (bus).

minibus Literally “Little Pullman,” it refers to a minibus. It is often used to refer to a school bus, which in Italy is smaller than the classic American yellow bus.

I can’t come to pick you up tomorrow. You will have to take the school bus home.

I can’t come to pick you up tomorrow. You have to take the school bus home.

some synonyms of Pullman include:

• bus / automatic running = Old-fashioned term for a bus, still used by older generations. It refers specifically to a bus from one town to another.
• torpedo = Old term for an open-top (open air) bus. During the Fascist regime, it replaces the word Pullmanwhen it was decided to abolish foreign terms in order to “purify” Italian.
• Automatic drawbar = an old-fashioned way of saying Pullman