'Ethnicity: Italian or Sicilian?' UK schools provoke row with online form

The Local (Italy) ^

[BlueHorseShoe]

They’re all Italian. Saying you’re Sicilian is like saying instead of I’m American, I’m Nebraskan.

[SkyDancer]

Don’t Sicilians have some Arab background?

[COBOL2Java]

When selecting their ethnicity from a drop-down menu on school district websites, Italians in the UK faced a surprising choice. They were asked to define themselves as either 'Italian', 'Italian - Sicilian', 'Italian - Neapolitan' or 'Italian - Other'.

What - they didn't have 'Italian - Jersey'?

[Chode]

Cause you, you’re part eggplant...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3yon2GyoiM

[captain_dave]

It’s no different than asking if a person is “British - English”, “British - Scottish” or “British - Other”. Before the mid-1800s Italy was divided into several countries, the “Kingdom of the Two Sicilies” being one of them.

[moovova]

Except, politically, the island of Sicily is semi-autonomous ...Nebraska ain’t.

Also, the Sicilian language is significantly different from Italian. Similar, but different...sort of like Spanish and Portuguese.

[az_gila]

It’s no different than asking if a person is “British - English”, “British - Scottish” or “British - Other”. Before the mid-1800s Italy was divided into several countries, the “Kingdom of the Two Sicilies” being one of them.

---

It is different... the boundaries for England, Wales and Scotland still exist on the map, and they do have separate assemblies.

My mother is from Trieste and she thought all of the rest of the Italians from Rome south were “lower class and lazy”...:^)

[moovova]

Pretty much any country that sailed a ship across the Med, or swooped down thru Italy, conquered Sicily. Normans, Vandals, Romans, Greeks, Spaniards, Saracens...lots more. Greek Syracuse rivaled Athens militarily, and actually beat back an attack by the Athenians.

Wonderful/interesting island.

[nickcarraway]

One of the theories of the root of the mord, “mafia,” is from the Arabic word for, “refuge.” When Sicily was conquered in the 9th century, the resistance lived in the hills. Of course, after the Moors, they were invaded by the Normans and other groups.

[nickcarraway]

One of the theories of the root of the mord, “mafia,” is from the Arabic word for, “refuge.” When Sicily was conquered in the 9th century, the resistance lived in the hills. Of course, after the Moors, they were invaded by the Normans and other groups.

[correctthought]

Yeah, and prior to the 9th century, sicilians were more like northern eurpeans, mostly blonde and blue eyed.

[dp0622]

My mom and pop were from Italy and pop treated mom like gold.

Pop from Naples and mom from Sicily.

Sorry you got the wrong impression about “old Italian” whatever that is.

[dp0622]

I’m half Sicilian and that side gives me the light skin and blue eyes :)

Northern Europeans invaded too!

[dfwgator]

Could be worse, the choices could have been, “Dago” or “Wop”.

[dp0622]

Or Italian Staten Island! :)

[dp0622]

See post 33!! :)

[dp0622]

And then my choices would have been left hook or right upper cut :)

Took an Irish gal on staten island out for a date. Blond/blue I am so she must not have thought I was italian.

She said “the WOPs really flooded staten island after the bridge was built.

I took her right back home.

[dfwgator]

And then my choices would have been left hook or right upper cut :)

This Polack can relate.

[dfwgator]

Good thing she didn’t tell you the one about the “Italian Tires.”

[dp0622]

Italian Tires? Have to know now. Dont worry, not thin skinned :)