confetti 的詞源

1815年，“由意大利狂歡節的狂歡者在街上互相投擲的石灰或軟石膏製成的小顆粒”，源自意大利語複數 confetto “糖果”，經由古法語，來自拉丁語 confectum， confectus（參見 confection）。

這些小球（留下白色印記）是傳統上在意大利狂歡節期間扔的小糖果的替代品； 19世紀初，這個習俗被英國人用於婚禮和其他場合，用象徵性的小紙屑扔（到1846年被稱爲 confetti）。

The chief amusement of the Carnival consists in throwing the confetti—a very ancient practice, and which, with a little research, may be traced up through the Italian Chronicles to the time of the Romans. The confetti were originally of sugar, and the nobility still pique themselves on adhering to so costly a material. The people have degraded them to small balls of lime, which allows more sport, and takes in a much greater number of combatants. [Dr. Abraham Eldon, "The Continental Traveller's Oracle; or, Maxims for Foreign Locomotion," London, 1828]

狂歡節的主要娛樂活動是扔 confetti ——這是一種非常古老的做法，通過對意大利編年史的一些研究，可以追溯到羅馬時代。最初的 confetti 是由糖製成的，貴族們仍然自豪地堅持使用這種昂貴的材料。人們將它們降格爲石灰小球，這樣更有趣，可以吸引更多的參與者。[亞伯拉罕·埃爾登博士，《大陸旅行者的神諭； 或，外國旅行的格言》，倫敦，1828年]

[The Roman ladies] are generally provided with a small basket of confetti, and as their acquaintance and admirers pass in review, they must be prepared to receive a volley of them. It is thought quite the supreme bon ton for a Roman beau, to mark how many distinguished beauties he is in favour with, by having both his coat and hat covered as white as a miller with the flour of these confetti. [John Bramsen, "Letters of a Prussian Traveller," 1818]

[羅馬的女士們]通常會準備一個小籃子 confetti，當他們的熟人和仰慕者依次經過時，他們必須準備好接受一連串的 confetti。羅馬的紳士們認爲，通過讓他們的外套和帽子被這些 confetti 的粉末覆蓋得像麪粉一樣白，來標記他們受到多少傑出美女的青睞，是最高的 bon ton。[約翰·布拉姆森，《一位普魯士旅行者的信》，1818年]