Have you heard the saying Una Faccia Una Razza?

Question

Hey,

Do any of you hear this ever and what is your opinion of it... is it true, also what countries would this apply to?

I know this phrase is Italian not Greek.

I don't think it only applies to Greeks and Italians, but maybe the whole Mediterranean because the Greeks were the first civilisation to fully dominated the Mediterranean.

What's your opinion?

Mia fatsa Mia ratsa

Answer 1

No it doesn't apply to the whole Mediterranean because the Mediterranean doesn't have the same culture through and through and the Mediterranean is spread through three continents and over twenty some countries. This saying applies to Greeks and Italians only because those are the only two countries that I've ever heard it be used by and because both cultures share similar ancient cultures with Rome adopting many Greek elements and in later times Greeks adopting certain Roman elements.

http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-artic...

Answer 2

I think that Greeks share some characteristics with southern Italians. The first settlers of Southern Italy were the Greeks and later became absorbed to the Italian population. Usually, when anthropological or genetic studies take place in Italy the population is being separated into Southerns and Northerners.

As for way of living or behavior, i don't know.

Answer 3

It applies to Greeks and Italians - in my opinion it doesn't fit either looks nor personalities - two completely different 'fatsas' (face) and 2 completely different 'ratsa' (race - nationality)

You only have to watch Italians on holiday in Greece to see just how different they look and act.

to asker: Maybe the Italians don't see enough Greeks on holiday in Italy to make comparisons - Epirus is full of Italian tourists at the moment - Italians seem to be the only nationality that is louder than Greeks in tavernas!!!!

Answer 4

Yes, it means "One face, one race" in Italian. By the way, I don't think that is completely true about Greeks and Italians, since they have different  ancestry and different mentality.

To Feta Cheese: You say you live between Italy and Greece... which would make you live in the sea? LOL :) Just kidding. I guess you live somewhere in ex-Yugoslavia? Cool, me too.

Answer 5

i have heard it. here we pronounce it una fatsa una ratsa.i dont know where it applies to. it is similar to americas "the apple doesnt fall far from the tree"

Answer 6

It applies only to Greeks and Italians, and actually to Greeks and in particular Southern Italians (which is not very flattering for Greeks).

Answer 7

It doesn't apply to the entire Mediterranean. First of all Greeks did not rule the Mediterranean (Romans did later), they colonised all southern Italy and 1-2 cities elsewhere, such as Marseille. But since the ancient times much has changed, as all northern Africa and southern Spain became Arabic in the Middle Ages. So basically the saying only applies to Greece and Italy, for whom it has been created (hence it is in Italian).  

Answer 8

It does not seem very true for Italian and Greek people.

I live between them and I can say they are not very similar.

Maybe they were before in the past, but now no.  

Answer 9

it only applys to greeks and italians if you utter that phrase to any other but greeks and italians you will get a blank stare...una facia  una racia...stems from the fact that greeks and italians have .the same values in family hierearchy..meaning..that we both races have thier roots in respect for the father and mother..and the unity of family..(not that any other race dosent) but it also means our ethics are very similar although each has its own particularity..accordign to topography and custom of a particular region...the other being that the italians borrowed and (secretly)loved greek customs..althought they developed thier own..and thier own beleifs and societys values and laws but all based on greek rhehtory... the ironic thing is that through the centurys greeks and italians have interchanged words for instance ..the word for DOOR in greek is THERA...the word in italian is PORTA..and yet today greeks use the word porta more often than thera...i once looked up how many words we as greeks have of italian origin and there are about 140 words of italian origin that we use in our vocabulary even today ..and the italian use a greater deal of greek origin words ..next time listen very carfully to an italian speaking preferably an educated one..and you will pick up on the greek based words.they utter in thier vocuabulary....ps.. we also have a number of french words and turkish words of thier own origin in our every day vocuabalary...not many slavic depeding on the region your living.other than that we greeks have the most richest grammar in history...par  for the chinnese who also have a very rich and complex grammar..