Brignole 1 Sydney Brignole Kelley AP English 6th Period February 6, 2013 Rhetoric and History of Italian Culture Since

753 B.C, Italy has been an influential world power (Burckhardi). In the early 1800s Italy decided to begin a fight for unification and independence. With rising tensions in Europe came an urge to emigrate away from Italy (European Emigration). Modern Italy was established with the unification of the Two Sicilies with the Papal State. By 1870 the new nation had a population of over 24 million, which later increased to 32 million due to the combination of populations (European Emigration). The welcoming environment began to change in Italy. In the south, the land wasnt being distributed evenly among the new citizens of the country, rather it was given to the wealthy aristocrats in the area in abundance (Morace). Emigration from Italy began to increase. Immigrants fled for various reasons including the lack of economic opportunity remaining in some parts of Italy, tensions between the European powers, overpopulation, natural disasters and the ever present leisure, success and liberty that was delineated by the United States(Italian Immigration). The Italian Diaspora began as the immigrants were placed on ships clustered on the fore dock for fear of separation before reaching their destination Isola della Lacreme (Island of Tears or Ellis Island) where they would meet their fate of citizenship or denial (Corsi). Though most immigrants were searching for opportunity most ended up taking up their new lives in squalid tenements and at the lowest wages on the bottom of

Brignole 2 society (Morace). Immigrants were most often found in mills and factories working the lowest jobs in order to make any money they could (Italiano). Though these Italian immigrants were some 5,000 miles away from their home they managed to incorporate and bring a long their cultural style and communication to the tenements of New York where a hybrid of communication and culture was formed. With the passage of over 4.5 million Italian immigrants came the expansion of Italian culture and rhetorical influence (Morace). The Italian language is one of many Romance languages known for sophisticated pronunciation, syntax and fluidity (Williams). An overwhelming amount of Italian words end in vowels, particularly As, Es, and Os. With the termination of a word ending on a vowel the overall feeling and intensity of the word it subtle and rhythmic. This controlled unison within each word resembles the overall syntax of the entire Italian language. For example, in the immigrant newspaper LEco DItalia, meaning The Echo of Italy, published in 1880 and written in Italian, is comprised of many synchronized and fluid sentences, one after the other. The words fit together like puzzle pieces, like they could all be one word and when translated into English it is a very simple article as well yet precise and rhythmic. Another rhetorical strategy often shown in Italian literature of this time was short paragraphs. Each subject the speaker touches on is precise and quickly expressed. In the article Il Vero Inveuro del Telefone from LEco DItalia regarding news as well as a letter written by Campobasso Montelongo expressing her anxieties, each Italian American author writes in precise paragraphs that quickly analyze and assess the given situation. Not only is Italian rhetoric fluid with its sounds in the language of Italian but translated to another language such as English the ideas are precise and clear with fluidity as well. With each Italian American

Brignole 3 generation, less of the rhythms and sonority of the Italian language remain present in American literature but it is still easy to spot. Italian American structure and literary presentation is very unique due to the cognates between the two languages, Italian rhythm, and precise presentation.

Brignole 4 WEB September, Kasey. Letters From Home Steel Valley Voices. Web. http://steelvalleyvoices.ysu.edu/resources/collections/italian-collection/letters-fromhome/ Feb. 4, 2013. Charpentier, Marc-Antoine. A 16th century Italian model for the French-style rhetoric presented in my Harmonic Orator The Ranumus Panat Times. Web. http://ramunspanat.com/html%pages/vespucci_word_music.html Feb. 3, 2013. Marazzini, Claudio. Rhetoric in Western Europe: Italy. International Encyclopedia of Communication. Web. http://www.communicationencyclopedia.com/public/tocnode? id=g Feb. 3, 2013. Origins of the Italian Language The Italian Language. Web. http://www.italianlanguage-study.com/italian-langauge/origin.htm Feb. 4. 2013. Corsi, Edward. Coming to America Wikiquote. Web. http://en.wikiquote.ork/wiki/transwiki:American_History_Immigration Feb. 4, 2013. Pozzetta, George. Italian Americans. Countries and Their Cultures. Web. http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Ha-La/Italian-Americans.html Feb. 5, 2013. Italian Immigration. Digital History. Web. http://digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/italian_immigration.cfm Feb. 5, 2013. Destination America: When Did They Come? PBS. Web. http://www.pbs.org/destinationamerica/usim_wn_noflash_5.html Feb 5 2013. The Immigrant Experience and the Pan-American Expodition. Buffalo Library. Web. http://library.buffalo.edu/exhibits/panam/immigrants/italians.html Feb 5, 2013. Morace, Robert A. La Stoira: Five Centuries of the Italian American Experience.

Brignole 5 EBSCO. Web. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=102be5ca-e8c6-4ba8-87486aefe76daa18%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2Z Q%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=9306168109 Feb 5 2013. Hunt, Rebecca. Save our Italian Newspapers Colorado Italian American Heritage. Web. http://www.italianamericanheritage.org/italianHeritage/savenews/save_newspapers.html Feb 5 2013.

PHOTOS Giving Carmela and Nello their Blessing. Johnson, Kasey. Steel Valley Voices. 1924. Italy. Archive. Web. 5 Feb 2013. Awaiting Departure to America. Johnson, Kasey. Steel Valley Voices. August 1917. Archive. Web. 5 Feb 2013. Well wishes for the Child with Severe Burns. Johnson, Kasey. Steel Valley Voices. September 13 1925. Archive. Web. 5 Feb 2013. Responding to the New of Antoinettes Condition. Johnson, Kasey. Steel Valley Voices. October 10 1925. Archive. Web. 5 Feb 2013. Biggest Farm Italian Colony in this State. Alfonso, Amedio. Wisonson Local History and Biography Articles. January 27 1924. Archive. Web. Ricordo di Antonio Muecci. Cantania, Basilio. March 1880. Radio Marconi. Archive. Web. 5 Feb 2013. Save Our Italian Newspapers. Colorado Italian American Heritage. 1885. Web. Archive. 5 Feb 2013

Brignole 6 La Scintilla Italiana. San Francisco Italy. 1876. Web Archive. 5 Feb. 2013. La Voce de Popolo. San Francisco Italy. 1890. Web Archive. 5 Feb. 2013. LItalia. San Francisco Italy. 1897. Web Archive. 5 Feb. 2013. La Icorriere Italia Buffalo Library. 1879. Arichive. Web. 5 Feb 2013. BOOKS Pietro Di Dinato. :Christ in Concrete. New York. New American Liberty Penguin Group. 1993. Print. Web.