For the Italian in All of Us
In spite of Italian Christopher Columbus and his discoveries in the late 1400s, emigration from Italy to the Americas didn't reach full swing until almost 400 years later. Many of the immigrants came during the Great Migration (1880–1922), when they could find work easily and buy land cheaply.
When Italians did begin to come — mama mia! — their influence took an immediate hold. Today, the U.S. Census Bureau says Italian Americans comprise the fifth-largest ethnic group in the country.
a capella |
without musical accompaniment |
al dente |
slightly underdone; cooked firm but not soft |
al fresco |
dining outdoors |
allegro |
a quick and lively tempo |
bambino |
child |
brio |
vigor, vivacity, spirit |
cantata |
a musical composition (often sacred) |
ciao |
goodbye |
cognoscente |
someone having superior or refined taste |
con |
with |
crescendo |
gradually becoming louder |
diva |
a female opera singer; now also denoting a difficult-to-work-with star |
finale |
the final movement; in nonmusical terms, conclusion |
forte |
loud; in nonmusical terms, a person's strength or specialty |
graffiti |
(usually illegal) drawings made on walls or other surfaces |
gusto |
enthusiastic zeal |
incognito |
in disguise |
largo |
slow (musical term) |
libretto |
the text of an opera |
lingua franca |
a common or standard language between peoples |
Machiavellian |
having qualities like the Italian philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote about expediency, craftiness, and dishonesty |
Mafia |
an organized crime syndicate in the United States and Italy |
manifesto |
a public declaration of principles or policy |
molto |
very |
omertà |
a code of silence in the Mafia |
paparazzi |
freelance photographers who sell pictures of celebrities to magazines and newspapers |
pianissimo |
very soft (musical term) |
primo |
the first; the best; the ultimate |
quasi |
resembling; in the style of |
simpatico |
compatible, physically pleasing |
Food and drink are an integral part of Italian culture. Coffee drinks like espresso and cappuccino have become everyday necessities for many Americans, and Italian wines — whether created by big-name brewers or local villagers — have their devotees as well.
The food that complements the wine is even more famous. Pizza, of course, has become the food of choice for many Americans. Many pasta-based dishes (we'll skip the controversy about whether or not pasta originated in Italy) and other Italian favorites have become part and parcel of American households: spaghetti and marinara sauce, chicken marsala, beef carpaccio, penne with sauce, risotto, salami, bruschetta, panini, calzone, cannelloni, ravioli, prosciutto, tiramisu and gelato.
