A commonly held notion of how earlier generations of immigrants were educated--often used as the chief argument supporting English immersion--is a myth. Far from succeeding by immersing themselves in English, immigrant groups did much worse than the native-born; some groups, particularly Italians, did much worse than others. Research findings are…

A study investigated the choice of language (French, English, or Italian) for different activities and with different individuals among second-generation Italians in Quebec through interviews with 12 adults. The report first provides a sociolinguistic profile of the subjects and identifies the social factors associated with language choice in…

The assimilation of Italians into American culture led to the loss of the Italian language, and an oral tradition of Italian peasants in which Italian feminist philosophy was grounded. The legends, parables, and proverbs told by these Italian women challenged the teachings of Catholicism, perpetuating an underground religious tradition which…

The essays prepared for this symposium range from the scholarly and highly structured to the impressionistic and subjective. Together, they comprise a substantive exploration of Italian American life and serve as a model for research into American ethnicity. In the papers three different areas are addressed: (1) current research and issues in the…

This book of Italian-English phrases intended for Italian-speaking immigrants is divided into two main sections. Part One contains the grammatical section, a pronunciation guide, and basic words and phrases a newly arrived Italian-speaking person would need to get along in an English speaking environment. Grammatical notes in Part One indicate…

Asserts that the history of white ethnics has been written far too long as the story of disorganization and disintegration. Argues that the themes of rebirth and creativity should be explored, discarding the myth of the American as a new man emerging after stripping away Old World traditions and institutions. (Author/RJ)

The ethnic press has played a vital role in the assimilation and the social and geographic mobility of immigrant groups. Its coverage of and editorial positions on ethnic relations, "Americanization," news and events occurring in the country of origin, the issue of language retention, and labor and economic concerns have influenced this…

This research report summarizes data on six immigrant groups residing in the New York City borough of Queens: Colombians, Greeks, Italians, Koreans, Indians, and Israelis. Data on which this report is based include aggregate qualitative data, analysis of previous surveys, data from other projects and public agencies, and a review of scholarly and…

Elementary school students who were recent immigrants from Puerto Rico, Haiti, Greece, Italy, Hong Kong and Israel participated in this after school program. The goal of the program was to increase student proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English. Ninety-seven students from two elementary schools were selected on the basis of…

This curriculum guide contains information, materials, and resources dealing with Italian Americans and Italian American culture. The guide is organized into 5 units, each presenting a major theme related to the history of Italian Americans from their immigration to their integration into American society. Each unit provides historical and…

A sociological, political, and cultural history of Italians in America, this book's chapters discuss (1) Italian explorers, intellectuals, and artisans who participated in the settlement and establishment of the United States; (2) socioeconomic conditions in nineteenth century Italy that led to mass emigration; (3) the distribution of Italian…

The objectives of the investigation were to find out what changes were made in the educational structure of the city under the pressure of Jewish and Italian immigrants, and to determine if there were any clues sixty years ago to the viability of the New York City schools of today. The period selected was 1898-1914 and the major sources used were…

The author discusses the acculturation process of first, second, and third generation Italian families in the United States in terms of the interrelationships among cultural, social, and psychological events. As background to the discussion, the role of the family is described. In southern Italy, the nuclear family is the essential feature of the…

Discusses the social and linguistic problems of children living in Sweden who have at least one Italian immigrant parent. (CFM)

This collection of papers tells the story of how languages other than English have contributed to making New York City a culturally vibrant and linguistically diverse city. Part 1, "Introduction to the Multilingual Apple," features "New York's Multilingualism: World Languages and Their Role in a U.S. City" (Ofelia Garcia). Part…