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Death is good. They aren't Italians anyway. They're American and people born and raised in Italy balk at the idea of Americans calling themselves Italian because of some grandparent.
They really dont "balk" at that idea. They just think its funny unless they are some weirdo
but.. many people still claim to be african american very prominently, and probably a whole lot more than those who are italian american do the similar thing. so why is one ridiculous but not the other? most african americans have a earlier lineage in America than italian americans. are you saying its cringey because italy is not a continent, just a country?
but.. many people still claim to be african american very prominently, and probably a whole lot more than those who are italian american do the similar thing. so why is one ridiculous but not the other? most african americans have a earlier lineage in America than italian americans. are you saying its cringey because italy is not a continent, just a country?
No because black people don't say they are loud because they're African. We don't claim to cook authentic Ghanaian dishes because we're African. The people I'm talking about act as if they were born and raised there, as if they speak Italian, as if they aren't 100% American, and it's annoying. I tend to ask people who are like that if they're parents speak Italian or anything and most people have no one in the family that speaks Italian. I'm not talking about people with Italian heritage, I'm talking about Americans who actually think they're Italian.
No because black people don't say they are loud because they're African. We don't claim to cook authentic Ghanaian dishes because we're African. The people I'm talking about act as if they were born and raised there, as if they speak Italian, as if they aren't 100% American, and it's annoying. I tend to ask people who are like that if they're parents speak Italian or anything and most people have no one in the family that speaks Italian. I'm not talking about people with Italian heritage, I'm talking about Americans who actually think they're Italian.
Believe me, no one really thinks they are "Italian" - its shorthand for Italian-American because its easier to say. Its important to them because in many cases there is still a living memory of relatives who immigrated to this country, and not just some DNA result or history lesson. Its important because it took almost the entire 20th Century for most Italian-American families to assimilate, maintaining separate neighborhoods and separate customs in large parts of this country, and that also is part of living memory. Its important because many still maintain old customs, sometimes unique accents, and still have relatives in Italy that the family stays in contact with. Its important because even in Italy being "Italian" is considered a higher social level than being a "Sicilian" (where most Italian-American families actually originate), and many want it to be called that. For decades Italian-Americans had bad reputations and stereotyping from most other Americans, so it wasn't just themselves that caused the community to look inwards - it was more or less forced on them.
Source: I grew up in a mainly Italian-American community of first and second generation families. My family did not have Italian heritage, but my sister married an Italian (born in Sicily, but would always say "South Italy" when asked where from originally, reluctantly acknowledging Sicily only if I asked directly if he was from there). I got to observe as an outsider the insides of neighborhood and family culture.
One other anecdote - I had a friend in school whose parents were Sicilian, but travelled to Rome just to have their child be born as a "Roman" and an "Italian" - that's how important being "Italian" was as a social class. I think that has also carried through to those living in the US.
Last edited by RocketSci; 05-13-2023 at 09:13 AM..
No because black people don't say they are loud because they're African. We don't claim to cook authentic Ghanaian dishes because we're African. The people I'm talking about act as if they were born and raised there, as if they speak Italian, as if they aren't 100% American, and it's annoying. I tend to ask people who are like that if they're parents speak Italian or anything and most people have no one in the family that speaks Italian. I'm not talking about people with Italian heritage, I'm talking about Americans who actually think they're Italian.
Don't let it get to you that much. There's people from all different cultures and ethnicities that pull that crap. I have been around it at points in my life and I agree, it's annoying af at times. It just helps some people feel better about themselves for whatever reason. We are all American.
but.. many people still claim to be african american very prominently, and probably a whole lot more than those who are italian american do the similar thing. so why is one ridiculous but not the other? most african americans have a earlier lineage in America than italian americans. are you saying its cringey because italy is not a continent, just a country?
I don't think it's cringy for prople refer to themselves as simply Italian rather than the clunky Italian American.
But, it gets a little silly when people that are 1/4 Italian, 1/4 German, 1/2 British isles refer to themselves as Italian. I get family context/life experiences matter in identity, but at that point it's a bit of a stretch to be considered Italian American, IMO.
I don't think it's cringy for prople refer to themselves as simply Italian rather than the clunky Italian American.
But, it gets a little silly when people that are 1/4 Italian, 1/4 German, 1/2 British isles refer to themselves as Italian. I get family context/life experiences matter in identity, but at that point it's a bit of a stretch to be considered Italian American, IMO.
Meh.
My grandmother was born in the US in 1940 as the 8th child of Italian immigrants. She was decidedly "American"...and she was the only one of her siblings who was not given an Italian name.....but she definitely still strongly identified as Italian and cooked mostly Italian dishes, spoke conversational Italian, went to Catholic Mass with an italian-speaking priest, and let's just say walking into her home and seeing the decore...there was no question. She passed away about 10 years ago but many people in my millennial age group, I'd imagine especially in the Northeast, grew up with 1 or more grandparent with similar stature. Especially if this was the case on both sides of the family.... I can definitely see how a strong "Italian" identity can persist especially with still-living grandparents.
Not me personally; I will say "oh my grandmother was 100% italian"...which is 100% true and means I am familiar with Italian-American culture. But again; I can see how 2nd and 3rd generation "italian-american" people, especially with still-living 1st generation relatives...can easily and understandably take on that identity.
I'm just sitting here calling myself "Scottish" and "Polish" when I have like 1% of those ancestries per 23andme lol. Yeah, most white Americans don't have a whole lot to distinguish ourselves in terms of background, so ancestries from the old country are the obvious thing to use.
No because black people don't say they are loud because they're African. We don't claim to cook authentic Ghanaian dishes because we're African.
Spoken like someone who doesn't know any Africans. Literally Nigerians, Eritreans, Somalians, do this all the time. Do you have any Puerto Rican or Dominican friends? All they talk about is Boriqua and Dominicano pride when they're all Americans and half have never even visited their ethnic home countries or speak Spanish. So stop the bs. All the ethnic groups pull this. It's not unique to Italian Americans.
I'm just sitting here calling myself "Scottish" and "Polish" when I have like 1% of those ancestries per 23andme lol. Yeah, most white Americans don't have a whole lot to distinguish ourselves in terms of background, so ancestries from the old country are the obvious thing to use.
I think that your story is pretty common. Person after person finds out through testing that the ancestry that they thought they were mostly is but a very small percentage. I can't say that mine is the case. I'm well over 90% Slavic and the majority of the rest of it is Baltic. I was hoping for some surprises, but no.
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