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Happy family
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:29 am    Post subject: Happy family Reply with quote
Another oldie, this one from February 2004, I was walking in Pisa and noticed a young couple, the young lady led a dog with the cord and the young man had two puppies in his jacket pockets, one on each side. On the ponte di mezzo (middle bridge) I stopped them and asked them to pose for a snapshot. They seemed to me like the portrait of happiness.



_


PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The dogs (esp. those in his pockets!) are really funny.
These two people, esp. the girl, don't look like Italian. Do you remember where they came from?


PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
These two people, esp. the girl, don't look like Italian. Do you remember where they came from?


They spoke with an unmistakeable Tuscanian accent, and they pronounced the "C" letter, so I'd definitely say they were from Pisa or Lucca provinces, because in the other provinces of Tuscany, they aspirate the C. Example: "Coca cola" by people from Pisa or Lucca is correctly pronounced "coca cola", while people from Siena or Firenze provinces would pronounce it "hoha hola".
This prononciation defect comes from a long way, because (and this is the most amazing thing, which I learned in University) Horatius, the famous Latin poet, joked about the people living in what would have become Tuscany, because they did not pronounce the "C"!

The girl does not look Italian to you because you, like most people living in Germany or other Europe or USA places, are used to see only Southern Italians, because it's the Southern Italians who did emigrate to other countries looking for work - and to Germany especially.
So most non-Italians think that Italians are all dark haired and with Southern face features, small height, etc., but these are features of the Southern Italians.

And it's the same with other things like food for instance, outside of Italy most people think that pizza and spaghetti are specialties of all Italy because this is what the Italian emigrants brought to your countries (and also unfortunately with bad things like Mafia or Camorra). But all these things, are only from the South of Italy.

If you came to Northern Italy, you would not notice much difference in people look from French or Austrians, and when you do, it's usually also because you see Southern immigrants here, too. And if you go to a local restaurant here, you will find no traditional restaurant with any Spaghetti or Maccheroni in their menu, unless the restaurant belongs to a Southern Italian, or it's a restaurant for tourists.

Same for pizzerie, you have many around here because the dish has become international, but pizza does not belong to here more than it does to Germany or the USA. And most pizza cooks here are from Southern Italy.

In Northern Italy, the percentage of tall and blonde people is about the same as in France or Austria. I mention France and Austria because they are the nations which occupied Northern Italy for the longest time, But also because both French and Northern Italians come from the same originary populations: this region was inhabited by Celts and Gallic tribes both before and after the Romans domination.

My town, Salsomaggiore Terme, was first founded by the Celts. Then Romans occupied it because of the salt.

Our origins are also well visible in the languages that we speak, which all come from a common Gallic language. See:
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialetto_parmigiano (you will have to use a translator)

A few examples of famous Northern Italian origin sport champions:

Federica Pellegrini, Olympic vice-champion of swim freestyle, from Padova (Veneto region):


Alberto Gilardino, footballer, national team world champion, from Biella (Piemonte region):


Massimo Ambrosini, footballer, European club champion, from Pesaro (Marche region):


Tania Cagnotto, pool dive, European Champion, from Bolzano (Trentino region):


And then, more modestly, there is also Monica, my blonde girlfriend, which I think you know. Smile

And these are just some examples I could make.

I always like to explain these things to non-Italian people because everywhere outside Italy there is this image that the Italians are all like the people in the South, but it is not true. Unfortunately, even here in Italy, the TV and main newspaper are in the hands of people who like to impose the Southern Italian identity over all the nation. I respect the Southern Italian identity, but we have an identity of our own here, which we want to salvage. We are proud of our differences, our traditions, our languages, which are our own, and would like that these differences are not cancelled, and that they are also hopefully known outside of Italy.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks a lot for this interesting explanation. Of course, generalizations are always bad and never true. There is no "real" German, either, although everybody thinks of us as tall, blond and blue-eyed people (perhaps infamously pushed by the terrible NS-regime).

Many people from other countries think I am quite close to that stereotype, but I am not. I am blond and I am 180cm tall (which is no too tall today, actually) but I've got grey-green eyes. Wink

It is always nice to learn about cultures and traditions from person who is part of it. Especially interesting is the linguistic aspect (which we have talked about some time ago already). I guess we share this fascination, Orio.

So, I am glad to get this kind of information. Thanks, again. Smile


PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I now live in a country that prides itself as a "melting pot", with people from all over the world, with no strong characteristic "type". I well remember those gorgeous blonde and especially red-haired girls in Italy! As for food - I vainly spend hours trying to explain to my American neighbours that what passes for "italian food" here would not be given house room in most of Italy. Our local restaurant serves twenty different variations on a plate of spaghetti, each worse than the last one, and charges $15 per serving! and I remember magical meals in places like Parma (creamed kidneys springs to mind and Monte Bianco for dessert). Here in the US people will eat anything as long as it has no distinctive flavour and is covered in melted cheese.


parickh


PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
patrickh wrote:
...Here in the US people will eat anything as long as it has no distinctive flavour and is covered in melted cheese.


Laughing Laughing Laughing

This reminds me of that fake children song:

"On top of spaghetti,
all covered with cheese,
I've lost my poor meat-ball
when somebody sneezed.

It rolled down the table
and fell on the floor
and so my poor meat-ball
and rolled out through the door."

Laughing


PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Patrick, when you want to visit, you will be my guest. There can be a bedroom for you if you like and I will take you to restaurants that will make you want to cry for how good the food is.

In change, you'll get back home with +10 kilograms I am afraid ! Embarassed Rolling Eyes


PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A great shot and an interesting read!!
Thanks again O!!
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