Cache of letters

tjbrn · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Absolutely, Carole. I really am not in any rush. By the way your Bangers and Mash dish reminded me of one of my favorite episodes on a show based on the Harriot books, All Creatures.

Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Tom - Here are Pages 1 & 2

I haven't time just at the moment for the others...Livio is away for seven days, but maybe Luca can help. If not - I'll get back to 3 & 4 later - OK?

Page 1.
Belmonte Mezzagno 27 November 1935

My loving brother it is with much delay I have received one of your awaited letters in which it pleases me to read that you are in good health, together with your dear wife and your loving children, as indeed the family of your mother-in-law and the whole family. As how can I tell you am I and my wife and dear children and all the family, beloved brother, I have written to you with a bit of a delay, I've been missing for 10 days chopping wood in the country and sowing wheat, further away from Pizza xxxxxx.....

Page 2.
... than you would imagine, dearest brother you cannot know what thoughts I have had in my heart thinking of your lateness and I didn't have other to think, and I said perhaps my brother is complaing about some words I have said, but pay no attention, it is enough that you are well dear brother. Regarding the children I have understood that you have six children and they are 3 males and 3 females, and another is on the way, dear brother God wishes it this way even my wife has had many children 4 females and only one male and it will be Stefano and another it will be days and moments, I am content that your children go to school, as my children have done their school, Loving brother...

tjbrn · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

No problem. I'm not in any rush. I was actually attempting to add a link to my blog beneath my signature when I managed to post the same images twice. I didn't see any parameters for doing that.

Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:46 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

tjbrn wrote:

Sorry, I don't know how I managed to post twice.

No problem Tom - I'll deal with it.

Not too sure how quickly these four will get done with Easter starting tomorrow! But rest assured they will get done and won't be forgotten.

Buona Pasqua!

tjbrn · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Sorry, I don't know how I managed to post twice.

tjbrn · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:35 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

27 Nov 1935

Page1
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Page2
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Page3
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Page4
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Carole · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:26 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Luca wrote:

Wow Carole, ma chi è la splendida fanciulla comparsa al posto del tuo solito avatar? Non vorrei commettere una gaffe, ma lo sguardo è quello di sempre Wink

(

)

Per tornare alle lettere, alla pagina 3 ci sono i soliti saluti e la traduzione non aggiungerebbe molto al contenuto sicuramente più interessante di pag. 2 e 4. E' carina però l'annotazione scritta sotto-sopra: non sembra completa, ma il senso c'è tutto - amato fratello sperasse [io sperasse, bellissimo verbo coniugato alla siciliana Very Happy

] in una giacca Americana, se puoi. Baci.
Tradotto: non so se potrai farlo, ma se potessi spedirmi una splendida giacca americana li "facissi crepari" d'invidia ai paesani Very Happy

Carole, please, translate for Tom.

Ciao
Luca

Translation of Luca's notes... The first sentence is a very nice comment about my new avatar Embarassed

which is a photo of me taken way back in 1965!|

But this is what follows:

On Page three there are the ususal best wishes found already on Page 2 and 4. It is sweet though the note written upside down at the bottom: it doesn't seem complete, but the sense says it all - dearest brother I don't know if you can do it, but could you send me a beautiful american jacket it would make all my fellow countrymen die with envy if you did.

Luca · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:40 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Wow Carole, ma chi è la splendida fanciulla comparsa al posto del tuo solito avatar? Non vorrei commettere una gaffe, ma lo sguardo è quello di sempre Wink

(

)

Per tornare alle lettere, alla pagina 3 ci sono i soliti saluti e la traduzione non aggiungerebbe molto al contenuto sicuramente più interessante di pag. 2 e 4. E' carina però l'annotazione scritta sotto-sopra: non sembra completa, ma il senso c'è tutto - amato fratello sperasse [io sperasse, bellissimo verbo coniugato alla siciliana Very Happy

] in una giacca Americana, se puoi. Baci.
Tradotto: non so se potrai farlo, ma se potessi spedirmi una splendida giacca americana li "facissi crepari" d'invidia ai paesani Very Happy

Carole, please, translate for Tom.

Ciao
Luca

Carole · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Thank you so much Livio. I do find it difficult where they run one word into the next so often. I try speaking them aloud, but obviously a slight Milanese intonation does nothing at all to help me to understand how it would sound if spoken by a Sicilian... Sad

But with yours and Luca's help we are getting there.

liviomoreno · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Some corrections asked by Carole:
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[b]Page 2[/b]
Loving brother, regarding my health I have told you that I have been a bit sad and thanking our patriarch Saint Giuseppe I now find myself quite well in health, as I hope that when this letter of mine returns I find everyone in good health as well as all the family and your mother in law, enough dearest brother I thank you for again having a thought for me when you are so far away but dear brother I desire to have money for me to come to see you in America, that I want to see this dear brother that I always think of you, that I am alone in Italy and I feel to be abandoned by everybody, bu I think God

Carole · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:33 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

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Page 1
Belmonte Mezzagno 16 September 1932

My dearest brother,
Just today I received your dear letter telling me that you your health is good together with that of your wife and your dear children and all the family, as I can tell you also am I and my bride (wife) and all my children.
My dear brother you cannot know how happy it makes my heart to get your letters assuring me always that your health is good togehter with that of your bride and your children

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Page 2
Loving brother, rearding my health I have told you that I have been a bit sad and thanking our patriarch Saint Giuseppe I now find myself quite well in health, as I hope that xxxxxx (believe?) me in this letter of mine I find everyone in good health as well as all the family, enough dearest brother I thank you for again having a thought for me when you are so far away but dear brother do you desire to have money for me to come to you ???? (Tom - I'm not sure if this is correct - maybe Livio or Luca can correct, and complete it for me as it clearly concerns money...)

That just leaves Page 3 - but I'm out this evening... around again much later and again tomorrow....

nuccia · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:02 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

liviomoreno wrote:

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Page 4 is the page that makes the difference in this letter. Page 4 is written by Giuseppina to her aunt Giuseppina. The letter is full of mistakes and is written in a very poor Italian (worse than Tano's).

I guess that would be expected as I know that many of our ancestors were illiterate, so I am amazed that these people knew as much as they did! My mother in law only learned to read and write within the last few years herself.

I guess sometimes we forget how difficult life must have been for our ancestors...how lucky we are today to have that type of education offered.

Need to go to work. Look forward to reading more when I get back. kiss

liviomoreno · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Page4
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Page 4 is the page that makes the difference in this letter. Page 4 is written by Giuseppina to her aunt Giuseppina. The letter is full of mistakes and is written in a very poor Italian (worse than Tano's).

Following is the word by word transcription and the in English

Cara ziagiuseppina benchè non sono in conoscenza unpensiero e un saluto dasua nipote spero che non appena riceve questo mioscrito desidero buone suoinotizie. Cara zia desiderasse sapere quanto figli ciave e senitiene sposate sperassse avere in conoscenza levostre buone fotografia sperando sempre le buone saluti io la bracio e bacio tuti di famiglia sottomifirmo sua nipete Giuseppina Dragotta

Dear aunt Giuseppina, although we never met, a thought and a greeting from your niece. I hope that as soon as you receive this letter I wish good news from you. Dear aunt, I would like to know howm many children you have and if some of them are married I would hope to see you in a photograph always hoping good health I embrace you and I kiss all the family. I sign below, your niece Giuseppina Dragotta.

tjbrn · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

16 Sep 1932

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tjbrn · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: Re: Cache of letters

Tano's doubts about my grandmother writing her letters may be well founded. My mother told me long ago that she remembered her brother, Steve, the oldest male, writing letters for my grandmother and generally assisting in such activities. My uncle would have been nearly 17 when this letter was written. He was also the only one among my aunts and uncles who spoke Italian. Since my grandmother was only 9 years old when she emigrated and married by 14, it wouldn't be very surprising if she couldn't write, or not write very well. I have no information whether or not my grandfather could write. He was 22 when he emigrated so it would seem he might have had opportunity to learn to do so. As a child I do recall both grandparents writing something from time to time but I have no idea what exactly it may have been. My grandfather never spoke a word of English my entire life; however, he somehow managed to make himself understood to the grandchildren. With the letters starting around the 1930's favors a hypothesis that my uncle may have actually written the letters for my grandparents. With more information comes more mystery!

Tom