LINGUISTICS

Italian Language in United States of America



Italian Language in United States of America

Introduction

The purpose of this research is to analyze how Italian language is maintained by Italian people or how this language as other languages get weaker that sometimes can lead to starting losing importance between Italian people in the United States of America. Italian as many other languages, is a strong and helpful source of communication between Italians because it represent their culture and distinguish them from others. This paper identifies the values that Italians give to their language and it's important in their life. They promote their language to ensure that it does disappear from their or their descendants' life. This research provides an understanding of the response of Italian people to the impact of a new language in their life and their contribution in promoting and their native language. Several interviews of Italian residing in America were taken for the purpose of research. Moreover, a literature review of the work of other scholars in also elaborated in the paper (Kochan, 2003).

Research Question

Do Italians maintain their native language when they move to the US and start learning a new one like English in the US? (Kochan, 2003).

Review of Relevant Research

The interest that revolves around Italian language in the United States has undergone an exponential growth, especially in the last five years. The Italians are expanding not only the language but also promoting the Italian literature and culture. According to a recent estimate, the number of American students studying this foreign language is increasing at a higher rate, thereby creating demand for these schools (Schein, 1989). In New York and Connecticut, this demand has increased the fee by USD Thirty thousand on average. Moreover, exhibitions, film screenings and cultural events, museums, libraries and Italian studies in the United States are becoming more than popular and a revenue generating business (Koller, 2005).

According to data provided by the Italian Consulate in New York, it seems that in recent years there has been a boom not only to Italian culture, history, and their lifestyle, but also to Italian language. It is estimated the soon 'Italian as a foreign language' will pose high competition to Spanish, in colleges and high schools. Moreover, the first Italian language newspaper is also printed in United States of America (Grosjean, 1982) (Koller, 2005).

Italian is a language spoken in the United States of America for more than one hundred years. The history of this romantic language in U.S.A. can be traced back to the large scale immigration in the 19th century. Today, it is the eighth most spoken language in the States.

The Italian Americans began migrating on mass level 1880. The first Italian immigrants, mainly from other parts of Sicily and southern Italy, were largely men (Fairchild, 1994). Many of them had plans to return to Italy after making money in the U.S. Between 1890 and 1900, 655,888 Italians came to the United States, and over 2 million between 1900 and 1910, although about 40% ...