Terrone

The term Terrone use the Italians, mainly the inhabitants of northern Italy and central Italy, as a derogatory or even jocular term for southern Italians. It means eartheater.

Origin

Only since the mid-20th century, the term is used in its current meaning appraisingly; He originally comes from the Italian word for earth terra and has been known since the 17th century, more generally, a land or landowner. Later the term was mainly used as a lineage label.

From the sixties, after the wave of emigration of workers and peasants in southern Italy in search of work in the industrial north, the term developed in the urban centers to a label with a very derogatory connotation for an often uneducated farm workers.

Terrone as an insult

The designation of the southern Italians as an insult is historically believed to be due to the fact that only a part of the Italian population knew the real meaning of the word. The Supreme Court has in a judgment formally recognized that this term has an offensive meaning. From this epithet is often closed on negative personal characteristics, mainly ignorance, unwillingness to work, the rejection of common applicable standards and a lack of personal hygiene. Another meaning of the term as referring to a brutish person with no fashion sense, manners and education.

The Italian international Gattuso sees this also positive. He says: "To be Terrone means to have profound roots, ie the tradition to maintain, never to deny their own culture, to give his own son the name of his grandfather and to have a holy respect for the family. "