Raffaella Panigada Oct 10, 2012:

I must agree with Giulia, it's a different shade of meaning: when I said that "the game is over" I was referring to the implementation phase of the school reform. Eight years on, enough time has passed to be able to evaluate the pros and cons of the changes.

Alistair_ Oct 10, 2012:

I didn't say the timeframe is not important, I agree we are talking about past events (disregard my note), but the Italian translation still is "così come stanno le cose", irrespective of what supposedly bilingual dictionaries say, of course it can be expressed more colourfully.

Giulia Gigliotti Oct 10, 2012:

Alistair I don't think we're saying the same thing at all. The time-frame is indeed all-important here, and as we are talking about events that happened 8 years previously the dust has indeed settled although it may not necessarily be game over. I think they are reflecting on past events with the benefit of hindsight 'dispassionately, unemotionally, especially at a later time' which is the definition of 'in the cold light of day' given in the link I have provided. Actually, I am now wondering whether 'with the benefit of hindsight' might not be a better translation...

Alistair_ Oct 10, 2012:

We're all roughly saying the same thing here, it all depends on the timeframe. A bocce ferme doesn't necessarily mean game over done and dusted, the balls could get moving again, but lets judge things as they are now.

Le cose possono volgere al meglio o girare al peggio, ma a bocce ferme...

Lucia Valentino (asker) Oct 9, 2012:

nono..è proprio il testo in italiano che dice questo :) o almeno credo che non sia stato tradotto da google

philgoddard Oct 9, 2012:

Have you Googled this? The first hit explains in English what it means.