Italiano
Italian
Belmont +2For over a century, the New York metropolitan area has constituted one of the largest (if not the largest of all) “Italian-speaking” cities outside of Italy. However, the majority of Italian immigrants who have arrived in New York, especially in that first major wave, were not able to speak, read, or write (standard) Italian. Most, though by no means all, came from the south, and spoke Italo-Romance languages identified primarily by hometown, popularly known (in Italian) as dialetti (dialects). The New York presence of Italian itself grew significantly across the 20th century through newspapers, radio, schools, and later waves of migration.
C
alabrians, Campanians, and Sicilians involved with constructing streets, railways, and Croton Reservoir settled in the Bronx were among the earliest Italians in the Bronx in the late 19th century. Today there remain substantial communities not only in the famous Arthur Avenue area in Tremont, but also in Morris Park and in neighborhoods to the east such as Throggs Neck and Country Club—not to mention further north in Westchester.
Note that the language above may be used throughout the New York area — this is just one significant site.