Table of Contents
It’s been awhile, I’m taking a short break from my series as a working stiff with this post.
The following appears in the Italian Genealogy Blog (here – Italian Roots Newsletter March 2025).
A Common “Language” Nebaletan!
Last month, in Bob’s email, I mentioned that while American-Italians in the Great Lakes/Midwest and those in the NYC/Tri-State area share plenty of similarities, they also have their fair share of differences. One of the more enjoyable similarities? Our shared “language.”
I use “language” in quotes because, well, it’s not a real language. It’s not Italian, not Neapolitan, and not Sicilian. (By the way, Neapolitan is not a dialect; it’s a formal language—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.) Some might call it “Italian Slang,” but no, it’s more than slang, it has a common history, I call it NEBALETAN!
What is NEBALETAN?
Growing up, I’d ask my grandmothers, “What are we?” Even though one was from Avellino and the other from Basilicata, their response was always the same: an emphatic “NEBALETAN!” When an Italian grandmother speaks emphatically, you listen.
To them, anyone from Southern Italy – Campania, Basilicata, Abruzzi, Calabria, Molise, and Puglia was NEBALETAN except for Sicilians, who were simply Sicilians. This distinction likely arose because my small town outside of Cleveland had few Sicilian in comparison.
Historically speaking, Naples and its surrounding regions including Sicily—formed the Kingdom of Naples (later the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) for about 600 years. The affinity for the South was strong among early Italian emigrants to North America, who started to arrive soon after Italian unification in the 1860s but before the concept of a truly unified Italy took hold, so their regional dialects remained strong. That’s how my family ended up speaking a mix of Italian, Neapolitan, and good ol’ English—blended together into something uniquely NEBALETAN!
My grandparents were from different hilltop towns in Campania and nearby provinces, and though their dialects had differences, they understood one another and shared a common thread—NEBALETAN. And yes, I still use it today!
The NEBALETAN words were similar to Italian, but with a few quirks:
- Trailing vowels? Often dropped.
- The “TH” sound in English? Doesn’t exist in dialect. So “this and that” became “dis and dat.”
- The vocabulary? Simple (think “dis and dat”) but also… let’s be real, at least 50% profane.
Why Do I Believe NEBALETAN is a Common Language Among American-Italians?
My Catholic high school pulled in kids from various neighborhoods, and I quickly realized something—we all spoke NEBALETAN. No one taught it to us formally, but somehow, we all just knew. Even today, in my group texts during Cleveland Browns games, the NEBALETAN zings off our fingertips (again, mostly profane… I mean, it’s the Browns!).
Over 40 years ago, I moved for work from my Great Lakes hometown to Rochester, NY—another Great Lakes city with a strong Italian community. Though Rochester was mostly settled by Sicilians, I still heard plenty of NEBALETAN. (Except for Minchia—that was new to me.)
Then, in 1999, The Sopranos debuted. I didn’t always love the subject matter, but one thing was undeniable—they spoke NEBALETAN! Whether it was Tony Soprano (whose ancestors were from Avellino) or Paulie Walnuts (whose background was Neapolitan), their language was unmistakably NEBALETAN.
Around the same time, the internet exploded with websites and YouTube channels dedicated to “Italian Slang,” further proving that NEBALETAN wasn’t just something my grandparents made up—it’s a real, shared language among American-Italians.
Now, living in a 55+ “community” with American-Italians from New England, Buffalo, Chicago, Toronto, and NYC/Tri-State, I see firsthand how NEBALETAN still thrives. Despite coming from different cities, we all recognize words and phrases—and laugh about our shared history. The true fun begins when our “real” Italian neighbors from Palermo, Siracusa, Roma, and even Napoli stare at us with only a vague idea of what we’re saying in a dialect that’s over 150 years old!
Why Call it NEBALETAN?
This might be the most controversial part of my entire essay. Why call it NEBALETAN?
When I started my blog Femike99 six years ago, I began writing about my mother’s use of these words as a way to tell stories to my future grandchildren. A few years in, I had a lightbulb moment—I remembered my grandmothers calling me A NEBALETAN. And just like that, the term stuck.
After 137 blog posts, I’ve defined 183 NEBALETAN words. Want to take a look? Check out my TOC & Nebaletan Words. If you’ve got words or stories of your own, I’d love to hear them (femike99@yahoo.com)!
After all, we NEBALETANS need to stick together. Dis and dat’s the truth!
PS – I have a Jewish friend in Rochester from Brooklyn, he calls me a NEBALETAN too!
Pizza Review – Sicilia Italian Pizzeria, Venice, FL – Slice
My never-ending quest for the perfect pizza joint led me down the Google Maps rabbit hole once again—because, let’s be real, those “Best Pizza” lists from Herald-Tribune “journalists” are about as trustworthy as a gas station sushi review. After a quick “pizza near me” search, I stumbled upon Sicilia Italian Pizzeria in Venice, FL.
Now, I’d seen Sicilia pop up in my searches before, but let’s talk logistics: It’s peak snowbird season, which means driving north into Sarasota is about as enjoyable as assembling IKEA furniture without instructions—frustrating, time-consuming, and possibly dangerous. Instead, I opted to head south, a much more peaceful journey, and the perfect excuse to take our new-to-us FIAT for a spin. (I mean, I already have Italian bikes—an Italian car was the logical next step, right?)
For this pizza adventure, I sampled two different styles: a classic New York slice and a Sicilian Sheet Pan. Today’s post is all about the NY slice—because each deserves its own moment in the spotlight. Stay tuned for my Sicilian review in another post, because let’s be honest… PIZZA. IS. LIFE.
| Date | February 5, 2025 |
| Pizzeria | Sicilia Italian Pizzeria |
| City/Neighborhood | Venice, FL / just north of the Venice Airport on Tamiami Trail (Gulf of America Trail?!?!?) 41 Bypass |
| Website | Sicilia Italian Pizzeria |
| About Us | Sicilia Italian Pizzeria (About Us) Nicely done About Us page. As you know, this is an important aspect for me in choosing a pizza joint. It likely shows that the owners care a little more because they are willing to tell their story! |
| Style | New York |
| Ambiance | Sicilia is tucked away in a strip mall—not my favorite, but this is Florida, where strip malls are as common a Publix! Definitely not the Northeast, where charming old towns with historic brick buildings set the scene for cozy pizza joints. That said, the interior is well-done and has a touch of quaintness. But the real highlight? The owners are right there, making the magic happen. I had a fantastic conversation with Massimo and Olga, the husband-and-wife duo behind Sicilia. They hail from Catania, Sicily—one of my favorite cities in Italy. When I mentioned that we’d visited Catania multiple times, they were genuinely surprised. Catania is not exactly overrun with tourists. I felt like I’d earned some unofficial honorary local status. |
| Beverage Pairing | San Pellegrino |
| Rating Criteria | |
| Shape | A slice from a round pie (because I had another pie coming!) |
| Dough/Crust | Tickness – Thin Cook – Soft with browning/crispness from being twice baked and a great flop aka a genuine NY slice Flavor – Crispy (is that a flavor?), slight sweetness, but not highly flavorful which is typical for same day, NY style. The flavor is mostly from the toasting (browning from the second bake) |
| Cornicione | Crispy crunchy, but not much air |
| Toppings | Tomato, Cheese, and Oregano – the simpler the better! Fresh – likely not |
| Sauce | Sweet and Savory – a great, tasty combo, but unfortunately, there was little |
| Cheese | Cheese Type – Moozedell and pecorino – again, a nice flavorful combo Cheese Distribution – all over Slightly over browned (over cooked?), again, likey from the 2nd bake. Greasy, stringy, and salty although not overly so (likely from the pecorino) |
| Cheese to Sauce Ratio | Sauce – a little Cheese – a little to medium Balance – a little out of balance for me, more sauce would’ve been nice and might have softened the saltiness of the pecorino |
| Value | GREAT for both the slice and a full pie! $4 for a large slice from an 8 cut 16″ pie A full 16″ is $19.50 which is an outstanding $11 for a 12″ equivalent |
| Overall Rating | Good – very representative of a NY slice! A touch more sauce from being greater! |
| Would I Go Back? | Yes |
You must be logged in to post a comment.