Do you know what this title means? First of all, it belongs to an old and very popular song written by Renato Carosone, but it has been rearranged today becoming so popular that you can dance it all over the world!
That sentence means: “You act like an American/ You wanna be an American” and it refers to all those emigrants who from Italy, especially from Naples as the song says, moved to United States and when they happen to travel back to their homeland for holidays for example, they act like “big shot” Americans who have it all, when in reality they have nothing.
Well, there are reasons why I decided to bring this up… First of all because it is a popular song in Italy, and then to explain its meaning, as I see a lot of people singing it without knowing what it actually means. But the most important reason is that I am a huge fan of the american English accent. Yes my dear friends: when I was a little girl I watched american movies in original version (unfortunately in Italy dubbing exists), I translated all the american songs I listened and I studied hard this beautiful language.
When I speak English I always try to imitate their pronunciation without using my native Italian accent and this is a curious fact because everybody who listens to me, says: “Oh My God you look like american!” And I laugh because I feel like I am trying to act like an American, and that’s why this song comes to my mind. My best English teacher told me one day: “If you wanna speak a good English, try to imitate them!” So that’s what I am doing, and I can assure you the results are amazing!!!
If you think, he is right because speaking a non-native language is a hard challenge, because through what you say there is the doubt: “Do they understand me?”
So it is important to get closed to their pronunciation because communication is the key here, right? Think if we speak English with a wrong pronunciation, it is impossible to be understood, right?
If I were to apply this principle for those who speak Spanish, it wouldn’t be so simple. And the reason is their different pronunciation in English, not because they are not capable to imitate the american accent, but because of their different sounds, it is harder for them to speak a good English. My intention here is not to criticize or judge them, but to explain my point of view.
Just think of words like school or study, they pronounce Study /Estady/ or School /Eschul/, so it is hard to delete the e sound: imagine after spending a lifetime pronouncing Escuela, Estudio and suddenly have to delete that sound because every word in English starts with the letter s, you can then understand what I am saying!!! So it is understandable why it is hard for them pronouncing a good English!
But returning to my passion for this beautiful language, all that’s left to say is: I SIMPLY LOVE IT!!I melt away when I listen to an american person speaking american English. I love their sounds, such as: the r so strong to say, the double t which is pronounced like a d, etc.
So if I were to ask myself: “Federica, Tu vuó fá l´ammericano?” I would answer: “Maybe?”, hehehe
No, no, no…just kidding. I’m just trying to follow my English teacher´s advice, I try to imitate them, but I’m fully aware that I cannot speak it so perfectly, cause I am Italian. I should live there for some years to acquire their proper accent but anyway, in the meanwhile I will try to do my best!
Which is your linguistic passion?
Translation of the picture: “Listen to me, there is nothing to do!”
He is referring to this Napolitan guy who is acting like an american and he sings to him: “Don´t worry, whatever you do you are Italian!”
I am very proud to be Italian, that goes without saying… I just want to try to speak all languages well, especially the American English one!!! ;D
Gregorace Translations 
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