This thread was started 11 years ago. No doubt Rachel has resolved the issue, one way or another, since then.

One day I was preparing music for my friends using Noteworthy Composer, and I found myself staring at the special endings. "da capo, al segno," "Fine," and thinking that they reminded me of organized crime.

Suddenly I had an insight. We don't speak Italian! Why am I wasting time decoding this stuff? So I pressed X for text, and at the end of the notes I wrote "back to top." And at the true end of the piece I wrote "End."

In the same spirit, I would not write ritenuto, ritardanto or ralletando. I would write "suddenly slower" or "gradually slower." And those of us who perform in groups are expected to know that this also means "all eyes on the conductor."
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Spaw, I am interested in your second cousins. Do they have any good Italian recipes to share?