Why do some people of Italian descent do this?

[Anonymous]

Souther Italian here.

It's a NORTH/SOUTH thing, same as the US.
People in the US make certain assumptions about people from the South (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana etc) ....hence Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. (stupid, poor and uneducated)
And certain assumptions about people from the North (educated, wealthy and healthier).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I recall when I lived in Italy, it's as the pp said. There is a big North-South divide with the north being more wealthy, cosmopolitan, educated and industrialized (sound familiar?). Whereas the caricature of the South is toothless peasants. Rome is technically in the South but they don't admit that. The Mafia is all over but the stronghold is Naples. All the Italians in Florence told me to never, under any circumstances, go there but from what I have heard, that's a big exaggeration.

I lived in Naples for several years as a teenager, I loved it. I wish I could go back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are saying they are not Sacillian.

I had no idea it was a "bad" thing to be Sicilian.

Hell, I do this. Im Italian and when people ask me WHAT part of Italy Im from, I make sure to say NOT SICILY. pretty ignorant of me, I know....no need to berate me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almost 20 years ago, I had a roomate from Milan who wouldn't be caught dead in Rome. She explained that the south (disdainful twist of nose) was racially distinct from the north because it was once under "Moorish domination". And Moors were really the same "race" as sub-Saharan Africans, only just a little less so. Yeah, really.

And this was from a highly educated European who came from a wealthy family. I've googled her recently, and she has a pretty cool career. But wow, was she ever a piece of work as a young woman.

This is also my understanding, people from the south potentially have Moorish blood i.e. North African.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I recall when I lived in Italy, it's as the pp said. There is a big North-South divide with the north being more wealthy, cosmopolitan, educated and industrialized (sound familiar?). Whereas the caricature of the South is toothless peasants. Rome is technically in the South but they don't admit that. The Mafia is all over but the stronghold is Naples. All the Italians in Florence told me to never, under any circumstances, go there but from what I have heard, that's a big exaggeration.

This is it exactly. I also lived in Italy- in Milan. The people I knew were very well educated and exacting, and tended to make fun of people from southern Italy. Education expectations are different, accents are different, wardrobes are different, appearances tend to be different. The US equivalent is like people from Boston/NYC/DC making fun of southern rednecks.

[Anonymous]

Same reason people who live in New Jersey like to say they're from New York. They think it makes them sound better.

[Anonymous]

My dad's family is from Calabria...very south. He is 1/2 Italian. They are proud of it.

Southern Italy is reviled by the North. They see it as corrupt and dirty. FWIW, northern Germany and Southern Germany also don't get along. I lived in Berlin for sometime and they talked with disgusts of the Bavarians. I, on the other hand, LOVED Bavaria. Northeastern Americans also refer to the south as slow and backwards.

[Anonymous]

Where is the Giudice family from?

[Anonymous]

This African blood which I guess makes them black, is probably why some are putting distance. However, on the other hand, that blood also gives them great skin and thick hair like Joy Behar.

[Anonymous]

My family is from Nothern Italy, and when I explain that I'm Italian, I generally say the North but that's because I don't "look" like the stereotypical Italian (e.g., dark hair, etc.) I have olive skin, but light hair and eyes, which is more typical of the north. Frankly, I never thought anything of it beyond clearing up confusion when people think I must be full of sh*t.

[Anonymous]

My family came from both Rome and Sicily, but I'm a fourth generation italian, so it was my great grandparents who actually came from there. My ancestry consists both of Romans and "dirty southeners". I simply say that I am italian and that's usually the end of the discussion. (I very much look the part also so there's no confusion there either.)

[Anonymous]

the Giudice and Gorga familes said they are (both) from Sala Consilina which I think is near Salerno

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My family is from Nothern Italy, and when I explain that I'm Italian, I generally say the North but that's because I don't "look" like the stereotypical Italian (e.g., dark hair, etc.) I have olive skin, but light hair and eyes, which is more typical of the north. Frankly, I never thought anything of it beyond clearing up confusion when people think I must be full of sh*t.

I am a blue-eyed Italian from S.Italy. My dad's side of the family all had blue eyes. I have the olive skin (though now in the winter it isn't as dark)--as soon as the sun comes out I get sock/short tan lines in a 20 min jog. I also have light brown hair that was almost blonde when I was younger. There is a lot of German influence in parts of Northern Italy--so fair hair and blue eyes is not uncommon up there. South is usually very dark hair-eyes--but now always.

[Anonymous]

Sounds similar to how people say they're from "Northern VA," not just "Virginia."

[Anonymous]

This is really interesting because my family does this (my Grandparents are second generation) and now I know why they always specify!