Bitz

I see some of ya calling pizza "apizza" but the real Eyetalians in Brooklyn used to call it "Bitz" (also Ganool = Cannoli, Gabbagoal= Cappicola) of course with gravy (tomato sauce) and Moozarell (mozzarella). Bee-oo-ti-full! Any other translation out there?

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

I see some of ya calling pizza "apizza" but the real Eyetalians in Brooklyn used to call it "Bitz" (also Ganool = Cannoli, Gabbagoal= Cappicola) of course with gravy (tomato sauce) and Moozarell (mozzarella). Bee-oo-ti-full! Any other translation out there?

I've always understood the pronunciation of "apizza" to be "ah-beetz" with the emphasis on the "beetz". pb

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

I see some of ya calling pizza "apizza" but the real Eyetalians in Brooklyn used to call it "Bitz" (also Ganool = Cannoli, Gabbagoal= Cappicola) of course with gravy (tomato sauce) and Moozarell (mozzarella). Bee-oo-ti-full! Any other translation out there?

In New Haven, Bitz, as in ah-BEETZ. Cannoli -- kan-OLL (which could sound like gan-OLL). And capa-COLL, which might sound like gabba-GOLL. And is there some way other than motz-ah-RELL to pronounce mozzarella?

manacotti= man a gut
proscutto= brasuit

Where I grew up it was mahnuh-GOAT and pra-SHOOT.

i grew up in south jersey;
that's the way i heard it.
all my italian relatives talked like that.
what do i know.

Cute, regional US Italian accents! Yes, Brooklyn pronunciation was different form New Haven. We even made our own words: Tootsarella (Hot Italian woman), Gobbaguida (Italian guy on the make). Yes, beeootiful!
Also, brashoot and brazhole, yum! (Brooklyn turned P=B! For Brokklyn?)

Xannie has a point-alot of my friends Italian families used a "B" where the"P"shoulda been,and a "G"where the "C" shoulda been.Thats how I learned to pronounce certain words.And when i go down to Gloriosos deli on the east side of Milw.and ask for braSHOOT,,that is how the old Italian guys say it too.I guess just a matter of where you are from,or how the families have said things for generations...

I know there's been heated debate in the past on Ahbeetz, but I'll take a chance and offer a story I grew up with.

My Grandmother told me that when she was a girl (which would place this somewhere in the 19-teens) in Braintree, Mass. an Italian family moved into the neighborhood and the daughter mesmerized my Grandmother with stories of ahbeetz. When my Grandmother and her friends were finally invited to her house they were all disappointed to discover it was just pizza.

I now wonder if this family moved from the New Haven area?

I grew up with RI pronuciations of other items much like those reported here. Mozzarell, Ree-ghot, Bro-jhoot, Gappa-go (cappicola), Manni-ghot. When I lived in Manhattan and Astoria the local Italian deli people looked at me like I had three heads.

quote:

Originally posted by Ashphalt

I know there's been heated debate in the past on Ahbeetz, but I'll take a chance and offer a story I grew up with.

My Grandmother told me that when she was a girl (which would place this somewhere in the 19-teens) in Braintree, Mass. an Italian family moved into the neighborhood and the daughter mesmerized my Grandmother with stories of ahbeetz. When my Grandmother and her friends were finally invited to her house they were all disappointed to discover it was just pizza.

I now wonder if this family moved from the New Haven area?

I grew up with RI pronuciations of other items much like those reported here. Mozzarell, Ree-ghot, Bro-jhoot, Gappa-go (cappicola), Manni-ghot. When I lived in Manhattan and Astoria the local Italian deli people looked at me like I had three heads.

In NYC Ree-ghot was "ri-gut". BTW my grandparrents were from "Northern" Italy and were (snobbishly) horrified by these pronunciations.Of course, the spoke "real" Italian and pronounced every vowel esp. at the end of words.