Got a bumper sticker on the back of my car
that says, Kiss Me I'm Italian. My lience
plate frame says Ciao Bella! But francamente
I feel quite alone driving around in my car
like I'm the only Italian on the road. LOL!
Wish there were more Italians in
California and the U.S. in general.

Only 6% of the total U.S. population are
people of Italian origin. In California
it's less than 1%. Why can't we be like
Argentina that has 60% of it's people of
Italian origin? Brazil has some 35 million
Italians while the U.S. only has 17 million.
(Brazil total population 160 million. U.S. 300 million.)
(Also, the Spanish dialect spoken by Argentines has a lot
of Italian influences and slang. In fact, a recent study
of the language found the Argentino Porteno accent is
closer to Neapolitan Italian than any other language.)


So what went wrong in the U.S.?! Why are there so many Italians
in Argentina and Brazil and not in the U.S.?
How would the U.S. culture and language be different
today if we had more Italians? Say 60% of the population.(Come in Argentina.)
Would we be speaking English with an Italian accent
like the people speak Spanish with an Italian accent
in Argentina? Would there be more Italian ristoranti,
more Italian being taught in U.S. schools, Italian
TV and radio stations e cosi via?

A proposito. Just read that over half of the Italian immigrants to Brazil came
from Northern Italian regions of Veneto, Lombardy, Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna.
About 30% emigrated from Veneto.(Where I'm going in a couple of weeks.)
On the other hand, during the 20th century, Central and Southern Italians
predominated in Brazil, coming from the regions of Campania, Abruzzo,
Molise, Basilicata and Sicily.

Almost half of the population of Uruguay is of Italian origin or has some degree of Italian descent. Italians
began arriving to Uruguay in great numbers in the 1870s, and this migratory flow continued to the 1960s.
(The flow of Italian immigrants to the U.S. ended in 1924.)

The Italian settlement, along with the Spanish, formed the backbone of today's Uruguayan society. Like its neighbour
country Argentina, the culture of Uruguay exhibits significant connections to Italian culture; in terms of language,
customs and traditions.

Additionally Italians in the 1961 Venezuelan census were the biggest European
community in Venezuela(ahead of the Spanish)(In a Spanish speaking country no less.)

I agree, Villa. Where are all the Italians in the US? On the East Coast we have an Italian section in Boston, The North End and Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island. Both are wonderful places to visit and the food is divine. "Benissimo!"

Just today I went for breakfast with an Italian friend of mine. We went to a little out of the way but popular restaurant. Shortly after arriving, someone from behind started to caress my shoulder. lol. I turned to see it was my friends cousin with his wife and kids. A little bit later I over heard the people beside them asking what part of Italy they were from. It was almost like we all planned to have a nice Italian gathering.

The women my age were laughing while their mother was saying how we girls would drive our mothers crazy and compared how our Italian families reacted to our behaviour as compared to our British friends.
My Nona is from Gagliano in Abruzzo and this family was from Sulmona. The city I live in has a very high Italian population and alot of them are from Gagliano which I find soo amazing considering when I have researched our town the history states that over the last 150 years the town has gone from about 3000 to about 400.
I think that most of them came to Hamilton Ont (canada) or Detroit, Michigan USA. If you ever read on some of the Italian Canadian history I think you would find that Hamilton is very popular for its Italian influence.

Although now adays most of us are of mixed race, I think it would be safe to say that at least 80% of the people who were born and raised in hamilton have some italian blood in them.

Seriously Villa only 6%? Wow,It sure seems like more!

I really wish I would see more Italians stand up and make a voice like the Hispanics have done in recent years.

I can only speak about Florida, since I am from Florida. I don't think there is anyplace I can go without seeing Spainish either written or spoken.
I'll be honest, I am extremely jealous about it. I always ask myself, "why can't we have that in Italian?" or "why can't I have at least one Italian TV channel included in my viewing package like the um-teen Spanish channels or home shopping channels that I'll never watch?"

I, like you Villa, show my Italia-pride and feel like I'm all alone out there. 'Course that's what's good about coming to this board

James, Good post. Complimenti!

I on the other hand have a master's degree in Spanish. So I can enjoy Italian and Spanish. What the hell, they're 70+% the same.

Just last week while in Vicenza at a Bed and Breakfast place the owner of the place was saying how his Mexican friend speaks to him in Spanish and he answers him in Italian.

Grazie Villa.
I took one year of Spainish way back when I was in high school, but back then Spainish wasn't spoken as common in my town.

I just wish that since we have always been told that "America is a melting pot" that if we are going to give one language other than English exposure in TV, radio, print then we should give all languages equal time. If we can't do that,for some reason then it should be English only. Of course that discussion is for a different thread

What really blows my mind is that growing up I was surrounded by so many Italians even if they were Italian-Americans. Now it seems as if either we've all moved to a differnt country or have gone into hiding.

I don't know I find that first generation Italians that just come over are great but then second generation ends up becoming more Canadian or American for the sake of you Americans lol. I don't find that people my age are really Italian. They are so different. Yet again I guess I can say the new generation in Italy is very different then any previous generation also. I find that second generation Italians in another country obvioiusly are in turn more traditional then the new generation Italians in Italy... go figure only they aren't Italian if that makes any sense. It does I swear it's just hard to explain.

Ciao Villa e Tutti

Yes Villa its too bad some cities in North America do not have large Italian populations or a wonderful little italy neighbourhood where they can experience the great things our Italian culture offers but at least others can continue to eat our food, wear are clothes, shoes, drive our cars, enjoy our art, read about our ancient history and continue to dream of one day visiting Italy. Interesting there was a national survey asking non-Italians if they were to be of another origin what would it be? The number one answer was “Italian” wow! That sure feels good for those of us who are of Italian origin.

As far as you’re statistics with respect to Italian population living abroad? I must correct the fact that the most Italians living abroad come from the region of

1. Calabria
2. Sicily
3. Campania

Its so sad people keep reading books writen by authors who have only visited the bubble gum commercial tourists traps of Italy such as Milan, Florence, Venice, and the ancient Rome. Please people flip the menu page, stop eating spaghetti and meatballs and get over “Diane Lane” spreading her legs in Tuscany its about time someone tells you where our true and existing Italian culture is found and has always been “under the southern sun “ that’s Rome south for those who need directions. Where did the name Italia come from?

Did you miss me Villa ..Oh Yes ..tiamo anche but your still an asshole ..is that what is really on your bumper sticker in Calafornia or would it be "nip and tuck" and that wont change until you get educated and join me on one of my Calabria Riviera Tours so you can really start educating our members by telling the truth when it comes too our Italian Culture and History.

Here people do some homework on these historical towns in Calabria, Italy you might be surprised to learn where the name “Italia” came from!

ok i guess i should actually read the posts before writing something regardless I guess I don't feel it as bad as you Americans. I live in Canada in which Italians continue to be the 5th largest ethnic group. Now the current city I live in there is a hugh population well unless you compare it to Toronto. Anyways going on the top of my head there is about 200,000 people in Windsor and 30,000 is said to of Italian origins. We have Via Italia full of Italian stores and restaurants. we have yearly festivals and I am a member of the ciociaro club which is one of the three major clubs located for Italians in this area. So I don't feel like the only one actually I dislike it at times lol. The tipical gossip that surrounds my community can be quite annoying yet at the same point I love being part of a community it makes me feel like I belong. The problem is like I noted earlier the Italians here in Canada at least the second generation ones are not Italian. My friends in Italy are so different. I can go into detail but this is a already long message and not really the topic of discussion on this thread. Like I said I should of read it before I posted earlier. So anyways I feel for you Americans you should move to Canada lol there are so many Italian immigrants here, you'll feel right at home we even Telelatino which has mostly Italian programs.

__________________
Fra il dire e il fare c'è di mezzo il mare!!!

Did you miss me Villa ..Oh Yes ..tiamo anche but your still an asshole ..is that what is really on your bumper sticker in
Calafornia or would it be "nip and tuck" and that wont change until you get educated and join me on one of my Calabria
Riviera Tours so you can really start educating our members by telling the truth when it comes too our
Italian Culture and History.

I just saw this Frankie. Molto divertente!!

Must have been quite a blow for you when G.W. lost! You had to hide your face in shame! LOLROTF!!!