A superstitious word. “Gnenoccia quanto è bellu” was said to the child’s mother to compliment her (sincerely or as a formality).
It is evident that “gnenoccia” means “may it not harm him”. It is a superstitious word, used to ward off the evil eye, which could be attracted to the child by the compliment, which, no matter how sincere and selfless it may be, objectively contains a substratum of envy.
In any case, it can arouse the envy of others. It is probably a last echo of the ancient Greek concept of the “envy of the gods,” towards people who were too beautiful, too rich, or, in general, too favored by fortune or success, who for this reason were exposed to their wrath: the worst fate that could befall an ordinary mortal.
So the people from Marche, when something is too good to be true… they whisper GNENOCCIA! Just to be safe.
www.larucola.org/2013/04/08/gnenoccia-una-parola-scaramantica/
