How is Italian culture different from
the United States culture?
BROOKE HODORY
• Unlike our unhealthy options we choose, they prefer healthy, and their food is
very different. They have a typical breakfast for them, at about the same time as
we do. A typical breakfast for them would be like a croissant, yoghurt, and
coffee. And then, at around 11 they take a tea break with thinly-sliced
sandwiches, almost in like a routine-organized day. For them, lunch is the biggest
meal of the day, eaten at around 1:00 p.m, and usually takes hours! Popular
meals are healthier versions of what we’d eat; pizza, bread without butter, salad
and pasta,(usually full of vegetables)and sometimes incorporate gelato. They
often have a lighter dinner, at around 8:00, full of vegetables, a lot of times with
pasta, and rarely eat meat, but seafood is more often eaten than red meat. Before
they eat, cheeses and nuts are served. Their desert is not what we’d consider a
“desert”. They usually have mixed fruits but sometimes have gelato. What are
their behaviors? You may have a particular seat, you can’t be that late, and need
to bring something for them in return. Like chocolate or something, and if you
want to deliver them something, it must be delivered that day. Strict, huh? That
is not all!
(continued on next slide)
• BEHAVOIR/TABLE MANNERS: You would need to remain
standing until you are invited to sit down. You need continental
table manners (fork is held in left hand and knife is held in right
hand). Follow the host (she toasts first). The guest should return
the toast later when still eating; women are allowed to toast
also. You will need to take a small amount at first, so you can
have 2nds, however, you can leave a small amount of food on
your plate. You can’t rest your hands on your lap, or put your
elbows on the table. You have to pick up cheese with your knife!
Ant to politely say you don’t want more wine, you leave your
wine glass full.
• You can tell from the name that a lot of people there do speak
Italian; it is the official and dominant language. 93% of them
are native Italian speakers. Some others they speak in different
areas are Albanian, Greek, Croatian, Catalan, Alghero,
Sardinian, Laden, Slovene, German, English, and French. All
together, they equal about 7% of the rest of their language.
• Music in Italy has been a major glory in European arts.
Operas, theaters, plays, and Ballets are also very
valuable. Italy has theaters, churches, and museums,
keeping their history art, artifacts, and much more alive. Art is a
big part of this and at a time, Italy was the most advanced in
Europe (Italy was where the renaissance began!).
Many
sculptors, architects, and painters
are from it.
Italians also invented opera, piano,
and musical
notation; many composers come from Italy. However, opera is
highly regarded. Some Italian actors in film have been
internationally recognized. Italians also practice Traditional Folk
arts.
Appearances matter because it indicates your family background, education, and
social status, also because your first impressions are lasting; a good image is
important to them (they judge easily). They prefer looks over comfort. Clothes are
important, they are very fashion conscious and judge others on their appearance
(clothes, shoes, accessories, and how you carry yourself). To have a good image,
you need to do more than dress well, you need to have confidence, demeanor, and
style. It extends to the aura. Many line-skirts many women there wear, are snug at
the waist and wider at the at the hips. They also love wearing bright clothing. They
care about style; they like pointed and pointed shoes (for women). They like to
wear Denim- aged jeans, and denim jackets. Many like nose-studs. They avoid
routines and like to look good. A new fashion season comes with it’s own themebased looks. For men: (for everyone, though, they dress by adapting to the
occasion, moment of the day, or for what they are visiting, or the level at which
they are going to. For example, if you were going to a fancy dinner, you would
need to definitely wear dressy, fancy clothes.) anyway, men wear many loafers,
and dress shoes. Denim is popular in both genders. They wear well-cut suits and
follow certain “do’s” and “don’ts.” Like they wear their dark clothes on top, wear
raglan sleeves, double-breasted jackets, pants with patch pockets, and pleated
pants. These are some “do’s.” Some “don'ts” are like wearing skinny pants or jeans,
(on men of course) or sleeveless t-shirts.
• NEW YEAR’S DAY HELD JAN. 1 LIKE OURS, LOCALLY CALLED “CAPODANNO”.
 6, Jan. Epiphany is a Christian feast day celebrating (they believe) god the son as a human being as Jesus
Christ locally called “Epifania.”
 17 March, the national day locally called “Giorno nazionale, Anniversario dell'unificazione d'Italia,” only held
in 2011.
 (Movable) it is Easter Sunday, locally called “pasqua.”
 Easter Monday which is the Monday after Easter, locally called “Lunedì dell'Angelo, Pasquetta.”
 25 April, Anniversary of Liberation locally called “Anniversario della Liberazion” which was the End of World
War II in Italy, in 1945.
 May 1, Labor Day locally called “Festa del Lavoro” (or Festa dei Lavoratori)
 2 June Republic Day called locally “Festa della Repubblica”. It was the Birth of the Italian Republic, in 1946.
 15, August Ferragosto (celebration of the end of hard labor, in middle of summer)/Assumption Day ( they
believe the assumption of Mary) locally called “Ferragosto and Assunzione”
 1 November, called All Saints day and locally called “Tutti i santi (or Ognissanti)”.
 8 December is their Immaculate Conception, (of Mary, a patrional feast day for certain countries) locally
called “Immacolata Concezione (or just Immacolata).”
 25 December, their Christmas Day, locally called “Natale.”
 26 December, St Stephen's Day locally called “Santo Stefano.”
• 19 March is their Saint Joseph's Day, locally called “Festa di San
Giuseppe.”
• 2 November is their All Souls' Day, locally called “Commemorazione
dei defunti.”
• 4 November is their National Unity and Armed Forces Day, locally
called “Giorno dell'Unità Nazionale e Festa delle Forze Armate.” which
was the Victory over Austria-Hungary, in 1918
• 7 January their Flag Day, locally called “Festa del tricolore.”
• 27 January, their International Holocaust Remembrance Day, locally
called “Giorno della Memoria.”
• 11 February, The Lateran Pacts (from their Lateran treaty) holiday,
locally called “Patti Lateranensi.”
• 9 May: their Europe Day, (celebrating peace and unity in Europe)
locally called “Giorno europeo.”
• Greeting are enthusiastic and formal. For strangers, you can just give them a
handshake with eye-contact and a smile. You need to keep in mind Italians are
guided by first impressions. You shouldn’t call people outside your family by their first
name unless you are invited to. To greet people in your life like family or others you
have some sort of relationship with you can kiss on both of their cheeks, staring with
their left. But for men, you can just pat them on the back. Don’t give people things
used at funerals., red flowers (indicate secrecy) or yellow, (jealousy) don’t wrap gifts
in black, (mourning) or purple (bad luck). If you want to give them whine, they prefer
quality, not quantity. Gifts are usually opened the day they get it. If invited over, (if
informal) wear stylish, still formal clothes. You can only arrive 30 or less mins. Late to
a parts, or 15 tops. To a dinner. You should give them a gift to say thanks, wrapped
that day. More of their customs for manners I have described on 3rd slide for eating
manners.
• Their main and dominant language is Roman Catholic. There is
also some Protestant and Jewish; there is also some Muslim too.
• We have quite a bit in common, like similar holidays like
Christmas, but we do call them different things. we eat alike,
they just find ways to turn them into healthy versions of what we
like. We both like some similar things, like we also are big on
preforming(Hollywood) and both like the same types of food,
like how we both like different versions of pizza. We both try to
be strict on manners. In both areas we like to dress up, but for
them it is a little bit more normal. We like some of the same
styles of clothes, and preforming arts, like ---. Our language
and religion doesn’t really overlap, or not very much, at least.
Both of us like to keep our history alive. So you can see we have
quite a bit in common, but………
• We have more that is not. They are quite more enthusiastic than
we when it comes to meeting people. They are more strict and
formal in manners, and more formal in general. They dress
better then we do , and regularly. As us, many prefer comfort,
(in clothes) while ALL they care about is looks. When it comes to
clothes and appearances, they are more judgmental than we
are. They have way different languages than us, and way
different religions than us; their language is Italian , and
religion is roman Catholic. Us, we don’t have barely any roman
catholic, or Italian. There is a major difference there. They also
celebrate much more and many different things than we do; we
probably never have heard of something like Immaculate
conception, nevertheless celebrated it.
• They are much more strict when it comes to table manners. Their
Food-related day is much, much different from ours. their day is
it seems organized into times, unlike ours. Break.: around 8:00
a.m, lunch: 1:00 p.m. (unlike ours) and dinner: 8:00 p.m. and
tea-break: 11:00. they have organized times for every meal
whereas we eat whenever, at a reasonable times, and they can
go longer periods without eating. They eat healthy food, while
we at fatty food, they find ways to turn what we enjoy into
good-for-you-foods. The foods unlike ours are way different;
have you ever heard of Chicken Bolgogneese? Didn’t think so.
We also have different customs. Like we don’t have to pick up
and eat our cheese with our knife, but they do.
• We have some in common, but some different. What we have in
common is spread to both countries through enhanced
transportation, travel, technology, communication, etc.. We get
the idea that they like it and this is built into their culture;
(GLOBALIZATION). This is the main reason we have things in
common. What is different is because the people in both areas
may like the way they are modernly doing things, and it is only
a little or not at all effected by globalization.
• I can explain how culture defines my chosen group in the world
today and how this group shows a unique perspective. (in the
differences)
• “Italy- Language, Culture, Customs and Ettiquite.”
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/globaletiquette/italy-country-profile.html.
• What is your name?
• “Qual `e il tuo nome”
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Hi
“Ciao”
Bye
Also “ciao”
See you
“Vederti”
What are you doing?
I love Johnny depp: <3
“mi piace johnny depp”
“cosa stai facendo”
• THANKS!