Table of Contents
Introduction
This project presents the timeline of the Italian language through three generations. In other words, it is about the understanding of the Italian language if it is still alive in Italian-Canadian families or not. However, from the research, it is clear that the third generation is not speaking their native tongue, and this did not surprise me. I believe that the biggest reason is the society where we live because everyone wants to be accepted in it. We all want to integrate with society, and this means we have to speak and understand the language of that society. Immigrating and starting to live in a country where culture, language, tradition, and lifestyle are different is full of challenges. We immigrate for different reasons, but mostly in search of a bright future. The language, however, becomes one barrier between us and the society where we immigrate. We need to learn it in order to fit in that society, that means we need it to express ourselves when we visit doctors, we look for a job, we meet new people, and so on.Furthermore, children are also struggling in learning at school and in making new friends because of language.
I was 6 years old when I moved to Italy and making new friends was a challenge for me because I didn’t know how to communicate with them; I couldn’t understand their language and they mine. However, as time passed, I started to adapt to a new environment without knowing the fact that I was losing my own language. My parents didn’t feel good about this, but what they could do? My teachers told them to speak Italian at home in order to perform well at school because children speak their parent’s language. This is an issue for bilingual families because growing up with more than one language confuses children, therefore families often end up choosing the country’s language where they live. Indeed, when a child is struggling at school, the first question that teachers often ask parents is: “What language do you speak at home?”.
One example of interviewed : “ Avevo 6 anni..molto difficoltà a enterare a scuola.. tutti alunni parlavano l’inglese e nessuno parlava italiano….. io mi ricordo da prima che ero …io sono.. ho un personalità vivace da piccola sempre cosi.. la mia mamma mi chiamava tempesta… tipo non puoi immaginare.. allora a scuola non potevo essere se stessa perchè non capivo la lingua, però come avanzava il tempo,, ero piu aperta, meno faticosa e potevo participare a tanti eventi a scuola…”.
Translation. “I was 6 years old…very difficult starting the school.. all students were speaking English, no one spoke Italian…I remember from the beginning I was…I am… I have an energetic personality since the childhood…my mother used to call me storm… you can’t image… but at school, I couldn’t be myself because I didn’t understand the language, but as the time passed, I was more open, less tiring, and I could participate at school’s events..”.
Indeed, children experience a hard time at school, and start to feel sad and solitude because they couldn’t be as they are, couldn’t express themselves, couldn’t make friends, and so on.
I believe the second Italian-Canadian generation passed through these experiences and they don’t want to see their children in the same condition, and this could be one reason they speak English with them rather than in Italian.
When my parents noticed that I was losing my own language, they decided to spend every summer in my country, and this helped me to learn and keep interests in my culture and language. Therefore, I agree with the opinion of one interviewed who said: “we need to show our culture to our children so they become passionate and feel proud of it and this may push them to learn more about their language and culture.”.
However, every family has its own story, indeed, In Canada, some Italian-Canadian families still speak Italian at home, others do not speak, but they would like to learn it, and others do not speak it at all. Dr. Sandra Parmigiani, during a talk, mentioned that now many students with Italian background are taking Italian courses. She said that the 3rd Italian-Canadian generation wants to preserve their culture/language.
Through this discussion, I was curious about learning and finding out when the Italian/dialect was not spoken anymore at home and what factors influence the 3rd generation in learning Italian.
Abstract
The immigration of Italians towards Canada began in years the ‘80s and ‘90s. However, there are different reasons for this movement, but the biggest one was the war.These first movements were going to create the first Italian generations in Canada. These generations spoke only their dialects and came to Canada without knowing a word in English. This means, not only they had difficulties to integrate with Canadian society but also with other Italians because of different dialects. Many members of the first generation wanted to settle in Canada, indeed, after the first world war around 46,000 Italians became permanent residents[1]. Since settling down, supporting families, and making a bright future was their primary goal, they focused more on working than on learning English. Moreover, many of them worked in agriculture fields, in mines and steel factories; these works didn’t require a specific specialization at that time, and this is another reason that the first generation didn’t urge to learn English. Therefore, it can be said that the native language is still alive among the first generations. Indeed, still today couples of the first-generation talk to each other in Italian/dialect, furthermore, they communicate in dialect/Italian with their grandchildren too.
The second generation, on the other hand, made a further step in this process, which means they focused more on how to integrate with society and improve their conditions through education. Indeed, in the 1970s many members of the second generation move up in becoming employers, developers, home ownership, and so on[1]. However, this generation can speak either their native language or English. When they are outside, for example, with friends or colleagues, they have to speak English, but when they return home, they have to speak Italian or dialects to communicate with their parents (1st generation). Therefore, they became bilinguals, and they still speak Italian/Dialect when they talk to their parents.
However, the biggest difference between the first and the third generation is that the 3rd generation has not those worries that the 1st generation had such as supporting family and settling down. Therefore, they can focus on education and on other things, which may help them to be more connected with Canadian society. Indeed, the third generation is well integrated with the society. However, in most cases, the third generation speaks only English. The reason is that when they are outside, they have to speak English (as a 2nd generation), but even in the home, they can speak English to communicate with their parents, which was not possible among the second generation.
This shows that in most cases Italian is not spoken at home after the second generation. Now it is interesting to know why the 2nd generation didn’t choose Italian/dialect to communicate with their children and what factors influence the third generation in learning italian. This project also presents a reflection about the future generation, that means if that generation will be in touch or not with their tongue language.
[1] http://www.oxfordreference.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780195415599.001.0001/acref-9780195415599-e-813
II generation
One interviewed said:
“ …my nonno identified as a communist and so he participated in the war as little as he could. He worked as a medic, but he was also part of the underground… So, he was part of a network of people that would move weapons to do the communist resistance, so my family temperamentally experience prejudice because of this connection to fascism but they actually fought against that… So it was I think that was a really difficult thing for my nonno because he couldn’t be more different and he did not support the fascism, he did not hold those policies at all… he was a communist and socialist and a freedom fighter and so then to come to a country where you are treated poorly in part because of the things your government did that you have spent your life fighting against it was a very difficult experience for him …. They had very difficult life in Italy…so many people like him came to Canada to a better life…”
Another said:” My dad’s grandparents came to Canada for work…”
So, many Italians immigrated to Canada because of the war; some of them had negative experiences, and this made them keep less attachment with the country. Therefore, they integrated more with Canadian society.
However, everyone came to Canada for a better life, and for that, they need to integrate with society. Indeed, some respondents said that they want to see their children well integrated with the new environment, so they don’t feel uncomfortable. Many parents want to see their children’s success in studies, indeed, they want to see them as doctors, engineers, advocates, and so on. This means children need to learn the language, they need to use it every day, so they become familiar with it, otherwise, they will struggle at school. Struggling at school means low academic performance, hence no higher education. Here is one example of one interviewee:
“.. I know when my sister… she went to school she’s actually struggled the first because she did only speak Italian…”.
So, the second generation had quickly learned English. They are bilinguals, but they raise their children, the third generation, to be English monolinguals, because they feel that by doing so their children will not struggle with the language at school as they had to.
Another concern is the effect of dialects: Some families want to speak Italian with their children, but this often ends up confusing them. Here is a story of one interviewee’s family:
“ io con il mio primo figlio parlavo italiano con lui , quand’era.. quand’era proprio piccolo, meno di 1 anno, parlavo sempre italiano quando potevo. Però mio marito non parla italiano, ma parla dialetto, parlava inglese con lui, allora il piccolino si confuse quale lingua doveva parlare. Quando mio figlio era con i miei genitori, mia mamma e mio papà gli parlavano italiano, noi italiano siciliano ma italiano con lui..lui rispondeva in italiano, allora capiva, però quando lui comincia andare all’asilo, la tutti parlavano inglese, lui parlava in inglese con gli amici durante all’asilo e poi nella scuola…”.
Translation :
“With my first son I spoke Italian with him, when he was… when he was small, less than 1 year old, I always spoke Italian when I could. But my husband does not speak Italian, but speaks dialect, so spoke English with him, then the little one confused what language he had to speak. When my son was with my parents, my mum and dad spoke to him Italian, we speak Sicilian but Italian with him… He answered in Italian, then he understood, but when he starts to go to kindergarten, everyone spoke English, he spoke in English with friends during kindergarten and then in school… “.
Almost all members of the first generation speak dialects instead of Italian and so their children (the 2nd generation). But what happens when the members of the 2nd generation marry Italians but with different dialect speaking? Here there is a need to choose a common language which is English and continue with it among the next generations.
“ quando ho inconrato mio marito si parlava inglese e anche lui di famiglia italiana,ma loro parlano dialetto italiano e io non so parlare dialetto napolitano e cosi la lingua in comune era inglese, allora parliamo inglese..”.
Translation:
“When I met my husband, we spoke in English and He is also from an Italian family, but they speak Italian dialect and I do not know how to speak Napolitan dialect and so the language in common was English, then we start to speak English..”.
These are some factors that the second generation evaluate in regards to the language they are going to speak at home with their children.
III generazione
Some of the third generations are still connected to Italian because of their parents (2nd generation).
Here an example of the 3rd generation:
“Q: Do you speak Italian?
A: Yes
Q: How did you learn?
A: My Dad taught me when I was little and we speak mostly Italian to each other and at home and with my grandparents “
However, others want to learn Italian for different reasons: some want to travel back to Italy and feel comfortable with the language when they talk with their relatives or with the community. Going back and visiting the country is considered one way to keep connected the next generations with their culture. Indeed, many after visiting their country, feel proud of being Italians, because Italian culture, architecture, food, and art is everything that can make them proud.
Taking Italian courses are considered an opportunity to learn the language, thus the culture. Therefore, some take Italian classes to learn about their background and others think that it will be easier for them to learn it since their parents can help them. Therefore, they believe this will benefit them in studies and also in the workplace since knowledge of many languages is often required.
However, some parents, sometimes, are not able to help their children in Italian assignments and here the reason:
“Q: So, you speak English?
A: Yes……but I enrolled in past in a class in an Italian class in my high school because I wanted to learn Italian. I thought Oh yeah that is gonna be great because if I ever have any questions in Italian class I can always ask my parents right and my parents like yeah yeah we’ll help you with your Italian assignment if you need it you know, I was like ok great and then my first assignment comes up in like I don’t understand how to do this and they’re like well I can’t help you with it, I was like what do you mean… and then they told me that they learned things from dialects…whenever I was learning is different from their dialect…so they weren’t able to help me with my assignment…”
Furthermore, some of the third generations mentioned their grandparents as the reason for learning Italian.
In the families where both parents worked, the grandparents often looked after their grandchildren.
We know that in most cases the first generation knows only Italian or dialect, hence they used their language to talk to their grandchildren, and many of them used to tell stories in Italian/dialect. Here some examples :
1. “ Q: Do you speak Italian ?
A : Yes!
Q : How did you learn ?
A : My grandmother spoke Italian to me when she took care of me when I was younger. “
2. “Q : Is there something that your parents/grandparents show you to keep your interests in Italian culture or to push you to learn Italian?
A : yes,
Q: What is?
A :Going to Italy and hearing stories about my grandparents growing up there makes me very interested in keeping our Italian culture. “
Conclusion
In summary:
- The first generation speaks Italian/dialect
- The second generation knows Italian/dialect and English
After the second generation there are three paths:
- Some of the third generation:
- speak or understand Italian because their parents want to keep alive their language among generations;
- speak only English because their parents only speak English;
- speak English but also speak/understand Italian even if their parents speak only English at home. This because of the presence of the grandparents(1st generation) and the effect of the stories told in Italian by grandparents.
But, what about the next generation?
Here are some thoughts of the third generation about this:
1.“
Q: What are your thoughts about the importance of preserving the mother language?
A: It is important to me because it is a big part of my life and my family and I want my children to also be able to speak a second language.
Q: According to you, future generation should learn/speak Italian? Why?
A: Yes because to be able to speak a second language will be very beneficial for him in adulthood and when they want to travel
Q: If yes, how is that possible?
A: I will teach them myself, and/or send them to Italian school when they are young. “
2. “
Q: What are your thoughts about the importance of preserving the mother language?
A: I think perserving the mother language is always important and that’s why I am working ahrd to keep it.
Q: According to you, future generation should learn/speak Italian? Why?
A: I do think future generations should learn to speak Italian because it is a beautiful language and learning foreign languages can always be a benefit.
Q: If yes, how is that possible?
A: It is possible through students taking Italian classes and/or learning from relatives. “
I believe it depends on the third generation whether to keep the interests and the language or not among the future generations. When the third generation will marry both partners will work and as usual grandparents (2nd generation) will take care of their grandchildren. We find out that in most cases the 2nd generation prefers to speak English at home and it’s only the 3rd generation who is more interested in preserving their heritage language. Therefore, I believe the 2nd generation will talk or tell stories to their grandchildren (4th generation) in English, hence it all depends on the 3rd generation. If the third generation encourages their children in learning Italian, then probably the 4th generation will be interested; otherwise, the language will disappear among the Italian-Canadian families.