Americanization of Italian first names

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erudita74
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Americanization of Italian first names

Post by erudita74 »

I know this topic has been previously discussed on the forum. I just wanted to provide a link to an article written by Dr. John Philip Colletta. It originally appeared in the magazine.italianjournal.it
That link takes a long time to load, but I found the article in its entirety in another link

http://www.readperiodicals.com/201401/3185735561.html

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suanj
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by suanj »

Very interesting Erudita.. I just don't agree abt Reppina short for Giuseppina .. it don't exist in Italy, it is right Peppina or Pina (and term of endearment: Pinuccia ).. really.... Reppina is wrong...
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AngelaGrace56
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by AngelaGrace56 »

Thank you for posting this, Erudita. As always, very interesting. I had a quick read through it earlier and the name "Reppina" for Giuseppina also jumped out at me. I came to the conclusion that it was possibly a typo? All our Giuseppina's here were Peppina or remained Giuseppina, some were called Josephine but usualy the Italian name remained, thank goodness. It is really lovely to see the children's children of our immigrants carrying on the "Italian" name i.e. Matteo and not Matthew.

I'm going to have a closer read now that I have minute.

BTW: A little diversion: The topic came up in the last week re: the "evolution of Italian surnames e.g. Di Milita to De Milita. I'm guessing that a lot of this in Italian records would have been due to the fact that there was a lot of illiteracy, and the clerk would have just written what he heard (phonetically). Anyone else's thoughts/knowledge would be helpful.

Thank you again, Erudita.

Angela :D
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by adelfio »

Thank you Erudita

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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by PippoM »

Well, it might be a typo, but it's repeated twice!
However, nicknames for Giuseppina can be Beppina, or Geppina, too.
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erudita74
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

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Here's the link to the original article. It seems to be downloading quickly this morning and not have the errors as in the one I previously posted.

http://magazine.italianjournal.it/how-d ... ome-james/

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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by AngelaGrace56 »

Thank you again, Erudita. This reads much better. I knew that "Reppina" had to be a typo (error).
Angela :D
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

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Definitely the original is much better. Sorry it wouldn't download yesterday.
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by ELLENMONTE »

Thank you for the link. I am just really starting to research all this and find everything so interesting. Though I feel said that "Another popular girl's name that had no hope of survival was Assunta." My grandmother, who was born on the Feast of the Assumption" in NY in 1801, was named Assunta. She was known as Susan, Susie or Suzie (depending on what record you are looking at)

Though the info about Carmine didn't ring true for me. I see several Carmines on the family tree and have known several Carmine's my age (Gen X) but no Herman's. And my GG Grandfather changed Carmeno to Carmine not Herman.
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suanj
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by suanj »

I believe that Herman sound just a bit as Carmine.. in Italy Herman is Ermanno and no Carmine... but... obviously... it is a very subjective and personal choice... as a well Susan is Susanna in Italy very far from Assunta.. in Italy Assunta shortly, it is Suntina.. maybe for that was changed in Susan in USA.. that proves that is very subjective and personal choice, and many names have the right translation, for some other it is right that anyone choose the first name very close to italian first name... no the right translation but a first name with a similar sound.....
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Re: Americanization of Italian first names

Post by sacesta »

AngelaGrace56 wrote:I'm guessing that a lot of this in Italian records would have been due to the fact that there was a lot of illiteracy, and the clerk would have just written what he heard (phonetically). Anyone else's thoughts/knowledge would be helpful.

Angela :D
I'm fairly new at genealogical research, but I would guess that illiteracy had very much to do with name changes and not just in Italian records. The world, on the whole, is more literate today than ever before and even so, many people simply cannot spell. My surname gets butchered all the time.
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