Italian dialects can be confusing--and adding the American version can double the confusion. My grandfather's last name is spelled: RUGGIERO. Now, in English, it would be pronounced something like: Roo-gear-ee-oh. But, my grandfather pronounced it in Neapolitan: Roo-jer-oh (the r sounds rolling). In northern Italy, I think it is pronounced: Roo-jar-oh. Go figure. No one ever got his name right. He and his family stuck with Roo-jeer-ee-oh since it seemed the easiest to pronounce for Americans.

I think Coreleone in my family's tongue would be COR-LAY-ON. We also say pro-jute for proscuitto and fazool for fagioli!

~~ Lollie