Aiscrima e Checchi Italian-American Dialect and Development in the New Millennium

Author(s)

Elizabeth Loyacano Pedrotti, University of Dayton

Advisor

Jennifer E. Haan, Ph.D.

Department

English

Publication Date

4-2017

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Abstract

The Italian-American identity is inextricably linked with language. Italian immigrants and their descendants have formed a culture in the United states with a dynamic history, particularly when it comes to language use and perceptions. This study examined multigenerational Italian Americans’ perceptions of English, Italian, and the unique Italian-American dialect; it aimed to discover changes in the usage of Italian-American dialect over time. Italian Americans in the Dayton area were interviewed and presented with surveys to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Results indicate that while overall usage and recognition of Italian-American lexical items has decreased dramatically since the 1980s, younger generations of Italian Americans today show greater interest in learning about Italian culture and language than those in previous decades.

Permission Statement

This item is protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code) and may only be used for noncommercial, educational, and scholarly purposes

Keywords

Undergraduate research

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | English Language and Literature | Italian Language and Literature | Linguistics

eCommons Citation

Pedrotti, Elizabeth Loyacano, "Aiscrima e Checchi Italian-American Dialect and Development in the New Millennium" (2017). Honors Theses. 104.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/uhp_theses/104