What do you think about Italian Americans?

Question

I'll post this in English or else it will get deleted. In my experience, Italian Americans don't speak Italian, cook terrible Italian food and are obsessed with the negative portrayals of the lowest aspects of Italian culture, i.e. the Sopranos etc. Okay it was a great series, I have Italian family, I found it funny but I wouldn't want to emulate those people.......! Has anyone else experienced this with so-called Italian Americans?

Answer 1

I totally agree with you. Of course, this is only a generalisation, but I have found that many Italo-Americans tend to be as you describe. They appear to be obsessed with reinforcing the negative stereotypes of a culture that is practically non-existent in Italy. It's quite tragic really and you take pity on how badly they embarrass themselves. They have no idea of Italian culture, language, literature, history, let alone where to find Italy on a map. They also have this stage perception that Sicily is not actually part of Italy. Rather bizarre.

I live in Australia (ma sono italiana) and I can assure you that a similar phenomenon is occurring here. The so-called "wogs" (ie people of mediterranean ancestry) attempt to assert their ethnic identity by reinforcing these tough, mob-like stereotypes. There are certain things they associate with being Italian, like speaking in a particular way (and I assure you they sound like they have some sort of bizarre speech impediment-I cannot for the life of me understand why they speak that way, when they grew up learning english. I don't have an accent when I speak english and Italian is my mother tongue), dressing with particular clothes, going out to specific places, doing particular things they interpret as being "Italian". The biggest shock for these people is when they actually go to Italy and realise Italy is not what they thought it was. I personally think it's just a way for the ethnic minorities to assert themselves as strong members of society. Though I don't understand why they base themselves on hollywood's interpretation of "italian" that is specific to a particular group of immigrants from particular parts of sicily which belonged to the Mafia, which had nonetheless mutated in America to an almost unrecognisable form.

As an Italian residing in an anglo country I get very annoyed that thousands of years of culture have been reduced to "done-up cars", godfather gang-like mentality, speech impediments and insistence that "fangool" is an Italian word. Ma andate a cagare! But . . . what can you do, ignorance abounds and all you can do is laugh.

Have a nice day!

Answer 2

It's only the Americans who insist of being "African Americans" or Irish Americans or Scottish Americans or Italian Americans....even if noone in their family has been anywhere near those countries in generations!!! In other countries, you're just thought of as Americans.

Answer 3

Well I always think of Tony Soprano or Fat Tony from the Simpson's show!!!

I'm Italian (not Italian American)

I have never had experience with them, no!

Answer 4

I am an Italian living abroad myself. What I find hard to understand is why many of us rush to embrace the local culture if we can define it as such, and forget and neglect our own traditions. In the end many speak none of them properly.

I think the Italian organized crime has been blown out of proportion and overrated. Of those actors who lend themselves to those roles I think of them as whores, even though they win awards.

They should not taint the image and reputation of an entire country for the sake of money, therefore I give low marks whether they are Pacino, De Niro, Gandolfini, etc.

I think NIAF did the right thing to oppose honorary Italian citizenship to De Niro, because he played too many mafia characters.

I think big part of Italian-Americans are well settled down in the American mainstream, they moved up the social ladder and are well accepted into the new society.

Answer 5

Italian girls.....nothing wrong with them.... As for Italian Americans..... they are Americans.... aren't they ?

Answer 6

What you say is only partly true... But... some Italian Americans do speak Italian, some cook GREAT Italian food... and not all Italian Americans portray negative aspects such as the Mafia... there are mafias everywhere.. Russian mafia, Chinese mafia etc.

And... I am not a so called Italian American... I may have different ethnic backgrounds (such as Sicilian, Italian, French, Dutch, Irish, German and Hungarian)... but most of all... I am an American.

Answer 7

Why should they speak Italian, they are American. As far as the rest of your comments, you are stereotyping them. I know plenty of people of Italian descent having grown up in New York and New Jersey and none of them fit your description. I must associate with a higher class of  Italian American -- College educated professionals, than you do.

Answer 8

The more schooling the Italoamerican has the less inclined s/he is to being a stereotypical Italian-American.

What is the "7 fish feast" all about?