The Study of Racialism

Richard Miller · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 19:03 Post subject: Ask a Puerto Rican

Frank, somebody, answer me this (I would categorize this as a question I've always wanted to ask, but was afraid to):

I've noticed that almost every Puerto Rican I meet claims to be half Italian. What's up with this?

I'm aware of the Corsican influx in the early 1800's, but combine it with the existing population, it's not enough to make everyone half Italian - even if it was, this influx occured before Italy became a county - where Corsica was part of Genoa, then later became part of France - so Corsicans weren't "Italian" back then anyway.

If I was to take the sample of Puerto Ricans I've met over my life, and apply the social microcosm theory, there aren't enough Italians in America to make that many Puerto Ricans half Italian.

Somebody clue me in.

G-Man · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2608 }

I've never met a PR who claimed to have Italian ancestry, and I've met quite a few.

Richard Miller · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 20:54 Post subject:

You remember that movie, Hangin' With the Homeboys? There was this character, Fernando (aka Vinny). Basically, he was a Puerto Rican posing as an Italian. I think that whoever wrote that movie was basing him off of a real observation.

I've met two of these posuers myself. One was telling me he was Italian - and I didn't believe it. I was talking to another guy who knew him, about what he mentioned growing up in Italy, and he laughs and tells me that this guy is Puerto Rican.

Another guy while I was stationed in Norfolk tried to do the same thing. Those who don't know any better think that Spanish and Italian are mutually intelligible (I can speak a little Italian myself, and am currently working on a fluency, but I don't speak any Spanish nor do I, personally, agree that these languages are mutually intelligible), but this guy's surname was Jaramillo (and he prounounced it "ha-ra-ME-yo" himself). I easily exposed this idiot (who later confessed to being mixed Puerto Rican/Mexican), and left him subject to ridicule for awhile.

onlyhuman77 · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 20:57 Post subject:

I just had my coworker review your question. Though she is Cuban/Puerto Rican she was born & raised in Puerto Rico considering herself Puerto Rican. She has been in the U.S. for about seven years. The heritage she recalls is Amerindian, Spain, and some African. None of her friends growing up ever claimed to have Italian ancestry. She was born in Rio Piedras, and raised in Bayamon.

However she does admit that most of her friends either had one parent or one grand parent that was of Cuban ancestry which may not be consistant with the rest of the commonwealth.

Richard Miller · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 21:02 Post subject:

Well all the the Puerto Ricans with whom I've encountered this are "Nuyoricans," so maybe its a phenomena that exists there.

OTHER · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 21:03 Post subject:

Richard Miller · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 21:08 Post subject:

I have a friend who's Dominican, and lives in New York. While she can't speak for PR's on this one, she says that there are Domincans who do this as well in order to explain their dark skin and curly hair (both of those normally far exceeding those of Italians - I personally never saw a Dominican do it though); however, I've seen Puerto Ricans who don't even have dark skin or curly hair do it.

By the way, Ricky Martin claims to be half Italian.

OTHER · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 21:12 Post subject:

Richard Miller · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 21:16 Post subject:

onlyhuman77 · Posted: Thu 18 Sep 2008 21:25 Post subject:

My best friend is Puerto Rican and he claims Italian jokingly, but that is only with us his friends we joke a great deal about our different cultural backgrounds. But if anyone questions his background, he has no shame since he is a proud Puerto Rican.

I am thinking born and raised Americans who have Puerto Rican heritage are the ones responsible for claiming Italian heritage. I have encountered enough Puerto Ricans to conclude that many of them (not all) do have an Italian look. Combining that with not being taught about your Puerto Rican background, and having so many Italians living so close to Puerto Ricans in places like NYC it makes sense that some Puerto Ricans would conclude that they have Italian Ancestry.