Tuesday, March 27, 2007

FIGLIA DELLA COSTA NORMA IS IMPRESSED


I was so impressed with Gino Campioni’s Italo-American Dictionary
Or Italglish Dictionary. (Just like the movie Spanglish). I want to
Thank Gino and compliment him on his work – beautiful and done with
Love and it brings back so many wonderful memories of all our dear ones
Trying to speaka da Inglish!! Hope to re-meet Gino someday soon.
I do want to thank him immensely and again thanks to Ivano for doing the
Book and getting all this going – it would not have happened if it wasn’t for
The book.
We could probably add more to the Dictionary – one more that comes to
Mind is: flet taia / flat tire.
Thanks again Ivano and Gino. All done in loving memory of our dear ones
And our heritage – lets not let it ever stop.
Ciao per ora & mille grazie – Norma Dinelli Wilson


LNC: Thanks Norma. I am sure that Gino "D'Baffi" will appreciate your message very much. In the "La Nostra Costa" story. I mentioned the old radio program "Life With Luigi" (P.224) starring J.Carroll Naish who played Luigi. Like the "Italiani su per la costa" Luigi would misunderstand and mispronounce many English words making for a fun filled half hour. Valentina, my mother, would always say that the program made fun of the Italians. However, as I mentioned in the book,
she always laughed along with us as we listen in. I may be going out on a limb here;however, I think that you know that you have made it in America whan you can laugh at your own imperfections. And as Norma says, for the sons and daughters of those Italian Immigrants, it is an endearing reminder of our history. ivn0



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Norma,

Thanks for your kind comments. I'm glad the "dictionary" has some value to someone.

It is good to know that you recognize it as a tribute to our parents, and not intented to be ridiculing of them in any way. It is the language in which many of us grew up.

Your mention of "flet taia" brought back other quotes that I had forgotten, such as "ha fatto stocco" and "ha fatto recche". You will know what those mean.

Saluti e grazie di nuovo. Gino

Anonymous said...

Talk about laughing at each others mistakes, I remember an incident that occurred at the 'cookahousa' on the Rodoni Ranch. Anderina Rodoni and my mother, Valentina were sitting around drinking coffee and talking when the "old box" phone on the wall rang out with authority. Andreina being the 'bossa' of the 'cookahousa' dutifully got up and answered. The party on the other line (speaking in English) requested to talk to "Sidro" the Filipino Foreman. Anderina not being quite sure of what the caller was asking, kept repeating,
"Youa wanta some Sidro. You wanta
some Sidro. Ok-a, I getta youa some Sidro."

My mother thought that was hilarious and burst out laughing at her best friend's remarks. Andreina couldn't quite understand why my mother was laughing so hard. When my mother explained the incorrectness of the phrase, Anderina also burst out laughing. "Questa era la vita di noi poveri ranceri".

Anonymous said...

Bravo Ivano

Fai il conduttore della “ Nostra- Costa” e “ il FRIULI V.G.”

Un caro saluto anche ai miei cugini secondi Dino e Sheila , mia cugina Joanne e alla mia carissima zia Lina e un pensiero va al “grande” Joe mai dimenticato

Un abbraccio a tutti

Ferruccio

Anonymous said...

Hi: Norma and Al. Your message has been posted at the top of the "Blagga", with some added comments by me at the bottom. Thanks very much. It's contributions like yours (and Gino)that keep the'Blagga' going.

In answer to your question, Giulia is the daughter of my first Cousin Ferruccio Dri in Italy. (His mother was Venerina Bressani, on of my mother's younger sisters) Apparently Guilia is quite the scholar. (About to receive her Masters in the Russian Language) We are all very proud of her. I met her once in 1998, when she and Ferruccio came to the US for a visit. Unfortunately it was a bad time for us, because my Uncle Joe Gemignani was in the hospital dying of cancer. I didn't really get a chance to interact with her very much. Maybe next time.

BTW: Next month, the Santa Cruz Library will be having a "La Nostra Costa" photo display in the genealogy section. I don't know if you want to display your Coastal Map?? Ivno

Anonymous said...

Hello Ivano,

Thanks for your note. Yes, those gals (Binki and Alma) were pretty spectacular way back when. But I seem to remember some of the ladies on our school bus were pretty dazzling too... I guess that was then, but I'm still looking forward to the '57 reunion this fall.

Gino's Dictionary is a great thing. I can spend a lot of time working through it, always a grin here and there. (I'd hate to see what an evil parody could be made today, by our professor, of the desperate attempts I'm making to 'spik grik' up at the U. of Washington, but I need that language out of self-defense from some of the bands I work in). The Onassis Foundation is sponsoring Greek language and culture in a number of universities in the US - and being a certified geezer, I get the class way on the cheap.
Hank

LNC: Binki and Alma are the two girls in Hank's "Once Upon a Time"
band Ruze Dalmatinke". He was gracious enough to send me a CD
"Songs from Croatia,Bosnia and Hercegovina" recorded a few years back. I can't understand the language (Hank needs to send me his Croatia-Bosianish Dictionary.) but some of the tunes sound real Italian. ivano