Interview of Edmondo Catania
Oral History, Italian-American, South Florida
<ul><li>
<p><strong>Name:</strong> Edmondo Catania</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Place and Date of Birth:</strong> South Philadelphia, PA, 09/23/1944</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Generation:</strong> 2</p>
</li>
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<p><strong>Family Origin:</strong></p>
<ul><li>Paternal = Naso, Sicily, Italy</li>
<li>Maternal = Capo d’Orlando, Sicily, Italy<br /><br /></li>
</ul></li>
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<p><strong>Spoken Languages:</strong></p>
<ul><li>English</li>
<li>Proficient in Italian (understands some Sicilian dialect and communicates at an advanced novice level in standard Italian)</li>
</ul></li>
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<p><strong>Relocation to Florida:</strong> 2012</p>
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</ul><br /><p><strong>List of the Italian Expressions and Traditions Mentioned in the Interview:</strong></p>
<br /><ul><li>Festas (referring to street festivals in Italian American enclaves)</li>
<li>Agnello (means “lamb”, Ed intended to say “anello”)</li>
<li>Anello (means “ring”)</li>
<li>Zingaro (means “gypsy”, Ed intended to say “zanzare”)</li>
<li>Zanzare (mosquitos)</li>
<li>Cittadini (means “citizens”)</li>
<li>Contadini (means “farmers”)</li>
<li>Lardo (means “fatback”)</li>
<li>Prosecco (bubbly wine)</li>
<li>Prosciutto (dry-cured ham)</li>
<li>Liquore (means “liquor”)</li>
<li>Bocce (lawn ball sport related to British bowls and French pétanque)</li>
<li>Morra (hand game that dates to ancient Roman and Greek times)</li>
<li>Porchetta (fatty and moist boneless pork roast)</li>
<li>Quanti quante volte in Italia? (means “How many times in Italy?”)</li>
<li>Prima volta in Italia? (means “First time in Italy?”)</li>
<li>Edmondo, come stai? Quanti anni? (means “Edmondo, how are you?</li>
<li>How many years [has it been]?”)</li>
</ul>
Edmondo Catania
Interview
Program of Italian of the Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature, Florida Atlantic University
02-18-2019
Domenica Diraviam
Program of Italian of the Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature, Florida Atlantic University
Italian-American Oral History Collection at Florida Atlantic University Digital Library
Audio mp3
en
Oral History
US-FL, 2019
November 22, 1943. Letter from Danny Badia to Leona Badia, née De Nardo
Italian-American, 1943
Danny tells Leona how blue he was after seeing the show "This is the Army" and recommends she see it too. He wishes he were home making biscuits with her and his mom. At the risk of sounding like a sissy he admits how homesick he is. He is looking forward to an upcoming promotion and tells her that he is gaining weight from all that he is eating.
Danny Badia
Badia Family Collection
Italian Program, Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature, Florida Atlantic University
1943-11-22
Domenica Diraviam & Viviana Pezzullo
Patricia Badia-Johnson
Paper
en
Letter
Camp Wolters, US-TX
October 24, 1943. Letter from Domenico Di Paolo to Leona Badia, née De Nardo
Italian-American, 1943
Dom is Leona's cousin. He is longing for his dead hometown of Bellaire. In the war, there have been 4 days of fighting followed by 4 days of calm during which they clean up themselves and the machinery. He complained about their opportunity to go to town becasue it was so crowded. There are so many soldiers there that they are completely ignored. He comments on how stripes affect a guy's attitude toward others. He asks about how Leona's mother is feeling and admits having a hard time writing to his mother in Italian. He got a letter from Elma, but they correspond as if they were strangers. He cannot figure out why her feelings have changed.
Domenico Di Paolo
Badia Family Collection
Italian Program, Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature, Florida Atlantic University
1943-10-24
Domenica Diraviam & Viviana Pezzullo
Patricia Badia-Johnson
Paper
en
Letter
N/A
October 3, 1943. Letter from Danny Badia to Leona Badia, née De Nardo
Italian-American, 1943
Danny has received confirmation that at the end of this training he will remain at the camp as a cook. Unfortunately, the others are being shipped overseas. He has received the watch that Leona sent him. He references that his mother has the same sentiments as Leona's mother regarding the couple's intention to marry.
Danny Badia
Badia Family Collection
Italian Program, Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature, Florida Atlantic University
1943-10-05
Federico Tiberini, Vincenza Iadevaia, Viviana Pezzullo
Patricia Badia-Johnson
Paper
en
Letter
Camp Wolters, US-TX
July 4, 1943. Letter from Leona Badia, née De Nardo to Danny Badia
Italian-American, 1943
Leona has received Danny's recording and she shared it with his mother and with some friends. It is good to have his voice close by. His mother has inquired why he has not written to his sisters. Leona tells him that he should and that he should also send an occasional card to her mother and sister too. Leona lets him know that she cried herself to sleep with his picture. She is sending him a box with some snack items and has written to Roger Di Paolo, Johnnie, and Mimi.
Leona Badia, née De Nardo
Badia Family Collection
Italian Program, Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature, Florida Atlantic University
1943-07-04
Federico Tiberini, Vincenza Iadevaia, Viviana Pezzullo
Patricia Badia-Johnson
Paper
en
Letter
Detroit, US-MI