About the Italian Language
Spoken by Italy's 57 million inhabitants, standard Italian is not just the language of Italy. It is also a minority language in Austria, Switzerland, Somalia, Libya, and Ethiopia, which were Italian colonies at one time. Nonetheless, Italian pronunciation varies greatly depending on which region it's spoken. In fact, regional linguistic traits make it easier to identify a person's hometown. For example, people who speak Italian in Tuscany pronounce "c" like an "h". Therefore, "Coca-Cola con la cannuccia" (Coke with a straw) sounds similar to "Hoha-Hola hon la hannuccia."
The 13th and 14th centuries are when the modern Italian language spoken in Italy today came into its own. Its roots come from Latin and the many dialects of the region, and it was heavily influenced by the literary greats Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch, who wrote mainly in the Florentine dialect. This developed into the so-called "Standard Italian" that is known today as the official language. The only Italian city today that does not have a distinct dialect separate from Standard Italian, is Florence. When visiting all other regions in the country, it's common to hear other regional dialects, particularly among residents who have lived in the same town for generations. These dialects, often not understood by anyone except those born to that area, exist based on the history of Italy's feudal past and the isolation of its numerous regions before unification.
Much Italian vocabulary has been adopted by the English language over time. These include vendetta, broccoli, gondola, regatta, fresco, volcano, stucco, terracotta, basilica, and inferno. Many Italian words are infused into the study of music: concerto, sonata, tempo, aria, allegro, staccato, andante, and lento.
False Friends!
While English speakers can enjoy the ability to learn Italian with relative ease, one thing to watch out for is false cognates. Cognates are tricky, because they are words that have almost the same spelling and meaning in two different languages. Yes, a number of true cognate words in English and Italian do exist, however there are also a handful of Italian vocabulary words that can fool you because they resemble English but contain very different meanings. False cognates are common when one attempts learning Portuguese as well.
Here are some examples: If you use the word morbido to describe a ghastly sight, you are really saying that it is soft. And, the Italian word camera is not a picture taking device; it actually means room. Asking for confetti at a party will get you sugar coated almonds. Above all, don't ask for peperoni on your pizza when you speak Italian - unless you want hot peppers!
Formal and Informal Address
There are two forms of address when speaking Italian, as well as in writing: formal and informal. The formal is used to show respect and should be used when speaking with store clerks, teachers, waiters, bank tellers, and acquaintances. You should address people you don't know well with the formal "lei" form. Friends, family, children, and pets, however, may be addressed with the "tu" form. You will also hear students and young people use the "tu" form when they speak Italian among themselves, even if they are only passing acquaintances. This formal and informal address also occurs in the French or Spanish language.
Italian Grammar and Italian Pronunciation
It is relatively easy to learn Italian pronunciation and spelling because the Italian language is completely phonetic, meaning that every letter corresponds to a specific pronounced sound. Italian is pleasing to the ear, even to those who do not understand a word of the language. Since all words end in a vowel, with the exception of a few articles, prepositions, and foreign words - it has a highly musical quality.
Other aspects of the Italian language are more challenging for non-native speakers who are learning Italian. For example, capitalization rules in Italian differ somewhat from those in English. So, the days of the week and names of months are never capitalized. Additionally, when addressing someone formally in writing, personal pronouns and certain direct object pronouns are capitalized when they appear in the middle of a sentence -- showing respect for the person addressed. Also, the Italian verb conjugation can be complicated, and there are a multitude of irregular Italian verbs and irregular Italian nouns.
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