Italy Italians vs Italian Americans

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[Marty_S]

I am Italian and I can say that in Italy we do look at Italian Americans as Americans...we don’t see any similarities with them

[dcamaraman]

The American version of anything is always the Walmart version of wherever ther are from

[themastema]

Most "italian-americans" couldn't tell the capital of Italy, they would say "aha that's an easy one, SICILY!"

[albebelt]

I am an Italy Italian, and I think the problem is that Italians first immigrants were almost all poor and not well educated. Plus America is a judgmental place still now from my European view. Americans often tend to judge people through stereotypes. Italy first immigrants had to face racism, they called them names(guineas...) so I think they acted like that also as a defense. Plus if you live in a world where you are judged through stereotypes, your psychological think accept those stereotypes like: they think I am like that, so I will act like that.

[EK-rxju]

That's easy - one group are Italians the other are Americans. Case closed.

[StudSupreme]

As an Italian, I can authoritatively say:
There were two primary waves of italian immigration - one pre-war, one post-war. In both cases, the great majority of immigrants were from the poorest demographics and from the south. This makes quite a bit of difference.
Every province in Italy has a different inflection, different 'attitude', different gestures, different dialect, different way of speaking. The dialects can even shift some between cities in the same province.
So: if you think you know Italians, you don't.
When you can listen to an Italian speak and watch that person at the same time AND tell from that person's posture, gestures, inflection and choice of words whether they are Lombardo, Emiliano, Toscano, etc....THEN you can legitimately say that you know Italy and its people.

[valsett]

An italian-american is just a dude with 3% Italian DNA who watched too much times the godfather

[snakelemon]

"Can I please get some Italians?"
"We have Italians at home."
Italians at home:

[Managing_Me]

Never heard of "Italy Italians". Lmfao. Pretty sure it's just "Italians".

[bezoozime]

I introduced a real italian to my american 'italian' friend & clearly the real italian asked my friend to speak english because he didnt understand his creative italian 😂

[thegastrotraveler]

‘Different kind of Italian’. Yes. I believe they’re called Italians.

[citizendaine]

I've lived in jersey for 20 years. The first time I met a group of Italians from Italy for business, I was blown away by the vast difference. I was like "Wow!!! They're so quiet.... And in shape."

[camillawatkins]

Ok. Let me just say: Italian-Americans who don't speak a word of Italian, eat fucking fettuccine alfredo (Not an Italian thing people!!!!) and identify Italians with the guy named Tony who calls his mother "ma", wears a crucifix and eats spaghetti and meatballs to be in touch with his culture, don't know the first thing about Italians, Italy and Italian culture.

I am Italian and, having lived in America for a couple years, I've had people who were fully and PAINFULLY American come up to me claiming that they were also Italian one too many times.

[carlosacta]

For the record, and it's sad, too many Italian Americans are wholly ignorant of Italian culture, history and especially the amazing language. Most Italian Americans are surprised when they encounter Italian descendants from Latin America. Newsflash: More Italians emigrated to Latin America than to the US. Columbus never came to the American mainland. He landed on Hispaniola aka the Dominican Republic! Saluti!

[petitefille]

I do not understand why in the United States they have this tendency to stereotype people by the nationality of their ancestors. Italian Americans are Americans because they were born in the USA, grew up in the USA and acquired its culture. In Latin America there are also many descendants of Italians, in Argentina for example, but nobody calls them Italian-Argentines, they are simply Argentines, period.

[johnbottari]

I view being Italian American as its own separate culture

[katnisseverdeen]

If Italian Americans think they're the most "italian" outside Italy they have definitely never heard two Argentinians argue.

[ett]

People don't realise how much this can affect someone's identity and sense of belonging. My parents immigrated from Italy to Australia before I was born - so I was raised speaking the regional dialect, have family in Italy, and have been raised with strong Italian traditions and values. I'm rejected from the Australian's as being too Italian, and rejected from the Italians as being too Australian. It sucks.

[Angelica-rgmf]

Some of these American "italians" are so close to their roots they can't even pronounce their last name correctly

[callmedave]

Remember that episode of the Sopranos where they go to Italy and the old country Italians basically call Paulie a caveman for calling spaghetti sauce "gravy"?