Rhode Island Italians are unique, and I speak from some measure of experience, seeing as I married one. They indiscriminately omit vowels from the end of Italian (or "Italian") words, and occasionally change consonant sounds based on nothing at all. Almost all such words are foods. For instance: ricotta = ragott; antipasto = annapahs; prosciutto = projute; pizzi di patate = pizzi baton. (That last one is a mashed potato casserole-type pie thing that my husband's cousin Patricia makes, and it is fabulous.) As far as I know, Italians in Chicago and New York don't do this, and my theory is that when you're as isolated a community as Rhode Island is, your language evolves within, as it did with French in Quebec. (If you're wondering what my credentials as an anthropological linguist are, google the term "lighten up.") Anyway, it doesn't matter because almost every altered word is one for something delicious, like zeppole, which is, admittedly, pretty untouched, although I've heard them referred to as "zeppa" and even "tzeppola," with the "t" sound in front like tzatziki, because I guess it just doesn't sound Greek enough to some. But you know what, Italians? You pronounce things however you want, just as long as you keep stuffing pastry shells with sweet ricotta filling. Zeppole, canolli, whatever. Keep it coming.
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