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sm_counsell · 16-03-2010, 18:58

I did think you were trying to be humorous Bob, perhaps I just hoped there was a funny story somewhere.
As regards the names of Italians that emigrated for example to the USA, perhaps we should remember that usually the people that emigrated were more than often extremely poor, and in many cases, unable to read or write. On arrival, they were asked not only their names, but also the spelling!.
This is the reason that many Italians in England have a different name because it was left up to the clerk to decipher their 'Italian' names. Perhaps Mr. Luigi Bruno knew the translations for a few colours ( Bruno = Brown), so he had fewer problems!
I've heard of Italians called 'Maffei' that was then written as 'Maffia' ( you can imagine the problems!!) and it has taken a long time to correct this mistake made many years ago!!

16-03-2010, 18:58	#17
sm_counsell Full Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sicily, Italy Posts: 439 Liked: 40 times Rep Power: 1800	Re: Accrington's 'Little Italy?' I did think you were trying to be humorous Bob, perhaps I just hoped there was a funny story somewhere. As regards the names of Italians that emigrated for example to the USA, perhaps we should remember that usually the people that emigrated were more than often extremely poor, and in many cases, unable to read or write. On arrival, they were asked not only their names, but also the spelling!. This is the reason that many Italians in England have a different name because it was left up to the clerk to decipher their 'Italian' names. Perhaps Mr. Luigi Bruno knew the translations for a few colours ( Bruno = Brown), so he had fewer problems! I've heard of Italians called 'Maffei' that was then written as 'Maffia' ( you can imagine the problems!!) and it has taken a long time to correct this mistake made many years ago!!