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Worry and Anxiety in Italian — La preoccupazione, L’ansia and L’ansietà.  Many scenarios, either real or imagined, can prompt a feeling of concern. In short, in life there are many reasons to worry, and we often try to get advice or find solace for our worries by speaking with another. In Italian, there are many ways to convey the emotions we feel when we get worried and upset. Therefore, we must learn to think in Italian if we are to communicate our emotions in Italian! The Italian noun that means   “the worry” or “the concern” is  la preoccupazione. If one …

Most genealogists are familiar with the term “brick wall.”  We use it to describe a situation where we think we have tried every possibility to find some piece of information but have come up empty. Sometimes, the information exists but it’s not on the internet.  You might have to go to some courthouse in South Carolina, or write to them, to get a copy or an extract of somebody’s birth record. Sometimes, the information is on the internet but you have to either pay a subscription fee, or go to a public library or FamilySearch center to use their web …

We can spend countless hours talking about our memories of Roseland because our youth there was wonderful. We can read about someone else’s life and experiences and immediately recall similar events in our lives. That’s what life in an ideal community is all about: the shared experiences. For us Roselandites, those experiences centered on the “The Ave.” The Michigan Avenue shopping area, otherwise known as “The Ave,” ran from about 110th Street south to 115th Street. All of us Roselandites remember going into the stores on “The Ave” as children when we were shopping with our parents. Another part of …

World War II reached from end to end of the Italian peninsula, leaving devastation in its wake. With the Allies’ aid and support through the Marshall Plan in 1946, structural reconstruction and governmental reform began. The monarchy was abolished by popular vote. Benito Mussolini’s death minimized the Fascist Party. America supported the democratic forces in Italy and worked to reduce the rising power of the Communist Party. Political and social dynamics began to stabilize. Italy became a democratic republic in 1946, and the people elected a president. By 1947, this new government ratified the constitution and promulgated it in 1948. …

The world lost a legendary actor in June when Donald Sutherland passed away at the age of 88. The New York Times called him “a Chameleon of a Movie Star” and mentioned many of the iconic characters he portrayed in an extraordinary career that spanned seven decades. Among them were a few unforgettable roles in films directed by Italians or made in Italy. In 1976, Sutherland appeared in two films by equally legendary filmmakers Federico Fellini and Bernardo Bertolucci. He portrayed the title role in “Fellini’s Casanova,” taking on the larger-than-life character Giacomo Casanova, described as “a man who never …

For many Italian Americans, the dream of returning to their ancestral homeland lingers. But tax concerns can often be a major deterrent. Those concerns might be overcome by the extension of the so-called New Inpatriate Tax Regime. Although there are some aspects that are less favorable than the previous special tax regime, the new regime applicable as of January 1, 2024, still has some interesting perks to offer. The new program is designed to attract highly skilled professionals back to Italy by offering significant tax breaks and making relocating and working in Italy a more financially attractive proposition than ever …

  Say “I’ll take care of it” in Italian with Subject – Verb Inversion Certain situations may require clarification of an individual’s responsibility to family members, friends, or co-workers. This leads to common phrases used on a daily basis. For instance, “I’ll take care of it,” can be rendered in Italian by a unique sentence structure using a verb of action and also with the reflexive verb occuparsi. When in Italy, a simple way to emphasize that you will take responsibility for an action is to make a short statement and place the subject pronoun after the verb; in effect, …

After more than three decades of Italian research, I thought I knew it all. Actually, I know I don’t — know it all — but I also don’t spend a lot of time looking again at the same records I have already reviewed and set to rest. Recently I saw a YouTube interview by Bob Sorrentino on his “Italian Roots and Genealogy” channel. I was interviewed for this channel about a year ago on the topic of “Researching Triggiano to Chicago.” A number of notable Chicagoans like Dominic Candeloro and Carla Simonini have also been on this channel. But a …

At this time of year, my thoughts begin to focus on what I have done this summer and what I’ve yet to do. I also look back at the summers of years gone and some of the more memorable events from those happy days. There were Roseland’s July Sidewalk Sale, St. Anthony’s Carnival and St. Willibrord’s Carnival and Talent Show, and more recently the joining of Roseland’s Catholic parishes, culminating with the merging of Holy Rosary with St. Anthony’s. Hopefully, my memories will kickstart yours to help you recall highlights of your Roseland summers. Being a teenager in Roseland provided …

Known for her striking resemblance to Anna Magnani, Neapolitan actress Lucianna De Falco has ignited the imagination of modern Italian filmmakers who have played on the similarities, allowing her to interpret the style of a cinema icon. “The physical resemblance to Anna Magnani has been a constant, especially at the beginning of my career, and I was scared of it,” said De Falco in a 2019 interview with Fra Noi. “Then I started working, and about 10 years ago, I finally played her in a short film where Magnani and Bette Davis meet, titled “The Big Lie.” I won several …