Google Answers Logo
View Question
 
Q: Natives of Albino, Italy. ( Answered,   2 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Natives of Albino, Italy.
Category: Reference, Education and News > Education
Asked by: loveletter-ga
List Price: $10.00
Posted: 14 Apr 2003 21:00 PDT
Expires: 14 May 2003 21:00 PDT
Question ID: 190593
Dear Sir/Madam,
How are you?  This is my first question and I hope you will be able to
help me...and my father (Ed) because he thinks he knows the answer. 
Please let us know if "Albino, Italy" got its name because the
settlers were Albino...as in the lack of pigmentation.  Also, are
these Albino inhabitants Caucasian or Africian....or a combination
thereof?  Thank you.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Natives of Albino, Italy.
Answered By: leli-ga on 15 Apr 2003 05:40 PDT
 
Hello and welcome - it's always nice to meet a new customer.

I'm afraid I may disappoint you or your father here, but Albino, near
Bergamo in Italy, did not get "its name because the settlers were
Albino...as in the lack of pigmentation."

Albino can be traced back to the Celtic placename "Albė", which means
village in the valley among the mountains. This information (in
Italian) is on the "Commune di Albino" website about the town at:
http://www.orobicnet.com/albino/

They refer to a book on the placenames of the Albino area:
"La Toponomastica di Albino", by Professor Mario da Sovere

In the ninth century, the name was also written Albines or Albine,
according to this website on the Seriana valley:
http://www.valleseriana.bg.it/cenni_storici.htm

Professor da Sovere and the town's own website seem to be good
authorities for the origins of Albino's name. (More on da Sovere
below.) However, there is another theory about Albino when used as a
first or last name, which might explain how the idea of the original
inhabitants having albino non-pigmentation arose.

No-one suggests a link with true albinos but there is a connection
with a fair complexion and blond hair. 'Albus' in Latin can mean both
white and light-skinned.

There are several Italian websites including this theory as a possible
explanation for the name Albino, like this one:
http://www.melegnano.net/cognomi/cognomi0001l.htm

Here they suggest that the surname Albino comes either from the
placename Albino or from the Latin name Albinus which, they say,
refers to someone with a pale complexion or fair hair.

So, there may be room for debate about the origin of the name, at
least until we read the professor's book, but the possibilities do not
include albino settlers in the area.

I hope this helps and that you are not too surprised or disappointed
by the answer!

Please feel free to get back to me via a clarification request if
anything needs  explanation, or if any links fail to work, and I will
do my best to help.

Leli



I made these notes on Professor da Sovere to check he was a reputable
authority:

This webpage cites Prof. da Sovere's work and explains that a majority
of place names in the Bergamo area have non-Latin origins.
http://www.orobicnet.com/documenti/mulattiera_corpo.htm

Da Sovere has published other works on that part of Italy, including
other works on placenames, between 1975 and 1999:
://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22da+sovere%22+mario&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&start=10&sa=N


Search strategy:

Various searches which didn't help much and also:

albino bergamo seriana toponomastica
://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=albino+bergamo+seriana+toponomastica&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

albino albinus nomi
://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=albino+albinus+nomi&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

latin dictionary white light-skinned
://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=latin+dictionary+albus++light-skinned+&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Comments  
Subject: Re: Natives of Albino, Italy.
From: robertskelton-ga on 14 Apr 2003 22:00 PDT
 
I couldn't find anything on the name of the town, however
dictionary.com has this on tbhe word "albino":

The term was originally applied by the Portuguese to negroes met with
on the coast of Africa, who were mottled with white spots.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=albino
Subject: Re: Natives of Albino, Italy.
From: angy-ga on 15 Apr 2003 23:01 PDT
 
Leli-ga is quite right on the probable Celtic origin of the placename.

But you might also like to know that there was a Saint Albino after
whom the Italian village of Sant'Albino in Tuscany was named bishop of
Angers (in France) He died in 560 and became very popular throughout
Europe

A short history of the saint, in Italian, by Charles LeFebvre, can be
found on a webpage of Santa Beati at:

http://www.santiebeati.it/patronati/T/more3.html

He seems to have been opposed to incestuous marriages (then common
among the nobility) and after his death was much followed in Germany.
England and Poland, among other places, becoming one of the most
popular saints for the middle Ages. Apparently you can pray to him if
you need to get rid of a pertussive cough as well as if you want to
avoid being attacked by pirates..

He was also known as St. Aubin and pages on his life and miracles can
be found at:

http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/whitsco/aubin0.htm

Rosemary Hampton's article is particularly good. 


Or just possibly, since I notice that Albino. Sant'Albino, and Monte
Albino (highest point in Italy 15,521 feet high(4,73meters))are all in
skiing areas, the names refers to villages which are white with snow !

Important Disclaimer: Answers and comments provided on Google Answers are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Google does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. Please read carefully the Google Answers Terms of Service.

If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by emailing us at answers-support@google.com with the question ID listed above. Thank you.
Search Google Answers for
Google Answers  


Google Home - Answers FAQ - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy