Hey Pete what's the Argentinian got to do with it..
BTW...its pronounced fee-h-kee
Claudio
Claudio,
In the 1890's my great grandfather traveled from Italy to Argentina then to America. He was searching for a place to relocate his family. Being from the hill country in the south of Italy, he had little choice. Over the next 20 years, 60% of the village immigrated. Some to the US and some to Argentina. I am told that I still have relatives in Argentina.
Many times, Italian-Americans traveling in Italy will mispronounce a word. Usually they pronounce it as though it were Spanish. The Italians are use to this and will normally inquire if you are from Argentina. As the Italian community there is very large.
What was stated earlier about dialects is true. However, people are taught proper Italian in school and are naturally exposed to it in the media. Yet at home, they often "slip" back to their dialects. It is usually very difficult for an Italian-American if they learned a dialect at home. In many cases, they learned a dialect and colloquialisms that are no longer in use today. I was with a friend having diner at his relative's in Italy. In dialect, he asked for a napkin. Every one, including me, started laughing. What he had asked for was "a small blanket". Then one of the old women said that she had not heard that term used since she was a little girl.
The dialects are laced with words from former conquests, eg French, Spanish, Austrian. It was the Latins who "settled Rome" and imposed their language through out the peninsula.
Today, in large city's you can do just fine with English. In small towns, Italian helps, but most people will gladly help you if you show that you are trying.
Pete
