除了語言，義大利人和西班牙人之間有哪些文化差異？

01-12

This question my friend Giuseppe Craparotta have already answer in Quora. http://www.quora.com/Besides-language-what-are-the-cultural-differences-between-Italians-and-Spaniards/answer/Giuseppe-Craparotta

It could be easily said that Spaniards and Italians are culturally very similar people. Among other similarities, the way individuals approach each other is pretty much the same, meaning warm, spontaneous, discursive.
Having said that, one should bear in mind that the two cultures diverge in many ways, based on the fact that the two countries are economically and historically very different.

From a historical point of view, Spain as a political entity exists from many centuries (since the end of 1400), it has kept in time a monarchic form of state and has had in the past a well-established colonial empire.
Italy hasn"t any of this: it is today a Republic, its history is younger and less glorious and consequently Italians take it in less consideration than Spaniards do.
This leads to Spaniards having a sense of solemnity that Italians completely disregard. Even though they are Latin too and therefore warm and extroverted, they probably tend to have a little bit more of self-control and manners than Italians do.
I am Italian myself and I have often noticed how our "I couldn"t care less, I don"t give a damn" attitude would take Spaniards aback.
It seems to me that the way they think and behave is more rational, logical, calmer, while Italians can very often be erratic, moody, unpredictable.

This can make them more fun to be with but their irreverent attitude can be often go to the detriment of their next.
If you are with Spaniards, I guess you can expect more of kindness, respect and consideration.
But if you want to indulge into irreverent gossip, big laughs and perfectly unnecessary drama then hang out with the Italians and you"ll have lots of cheeky fun.
Differences exist also from an economic point of view: even though in current tough economic times Spain and Italy are often associated as both struggling to stay above the threshold of bankruptcy, Italian economy is actually stronger and more prosperous than the Spanish one.
As for the tourism industry, I would say that this is the only relevant income-generating business activity of Spain. It"s probably needless to mention that Italy heavily relies on tourism as well.

The kind of visitors that the two countries receive is however different.
While Spain is seen as the perfect destination for a great fun, summer holiday, Italy attracts more the culturally savvy person going there to check the overwhelming amount of art and culture from the past, spread in at least 10 equally iconic areas such as Florence (city), Venice (city), Rome (city), Naples (city), Verona (city), Costiera Amalfitana (area), Lago di Garda (area), Milan (city) and Sicily (area), without mentioning plenty of other localities less famous but equally if not more significant.
All these places are utterly beautiful - even though plagued by disorganisation - but you will not find there - not even in Milan - the exciting, modern "movida" and nightlife than you find in Barcelona and Madrid or in summer destinations like Ibiza and the Canary Islands.
While Italians might be more fun as individuals - see above - they are often boring, lazy and depressingly moderate when it comes to organising nightlife and creating occasions of hedonism as it is intended today in the other parts of the west.
I think this is mainly due to the fact that the influence of the Vatican ideology is way stronger in Italy that in Spain. The Vatican has a very repressive impact - even though indirect and not explicit - on anything having to do with playing, partying, sex and innovation. Spanish people are way more liberated - see Picasso, Dali and Almodovar as examples of that.

Remember what great opposition from the Vatican Madonna had when she went performing to Italy, which I don"t think she had when she went to Spain.
Going back to economy, Italy is a great creator and exporter, which Spain isn"t.
Fashion and design are well-established industries in North-east Italy and their products are exported and renowned all over the world. The same is true with food products.
It might seem strange that a modern economy can rely so heavily on selling goods produced in small, family-run factories, as opposed to other countries" wealth being mainly created by big corporations.
But you have to consider that all such clothes and foods are sold at very high prices and also that they represent only the glamorous part of the Italian economy, which is also strongly based on mechanics ( production of all sorts of vehicles, street, naval and aerial, weapons, domestic appliances, etc.).

According to very critical commentators, also criminal economy plays a huge role in Italian wealth, but I"m not too sure about it so I"d rather only mention and not analyse this aspect.
Spain can"t rely on such diversity of economic activities.
As a consequence I think Italians see themselves as more work-focused and productive than Spaniards, which are considered more laid back and less ambitious. I think this generates a totally unneeded feeling of self-importance which often leads to misbehaviour.
In conclusion, I think that Italians are more conservative and work-focused than Spaniards, pretentious enough to celebrate their own culture without bothering to combining it with possibly significant influences coming from abroad.
Spaniards are generally less self-absorbed, quicker in synchronising with what happens in the rest of Europe and the world but maybe less genius.
Please consider all that is expressed here as entirely opinable and subjective as I"m not an expert on the matter. I hope it still helps in shaping your opinion about Spaniards and Italians