Overview
of the Italian Language
provided by Transparent Language
The standard Italian language is spoken by Italy's 57 million
residents. It is also a minority language in Austria and Switzerland,
as well as in Libya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, which were once
Italian colonies. However, Italian pronunciation varies greatly
between regions.
The
modern Italian language that is spoken in Italy today developed
in the 13th and 14th centuries. It arose
out of Latin and the numerous dialects of the region, and was
heavily influenced by the works of Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio.
Those literary giants wrote mainly in the Florentine dialect,
which evolved into the so-called "Standard Italian" that is
recognized today as Italy's national language. In fact, Florence
is the only Italian city today that does not have a distinct
dialect separate from Standard Italian. In all other regions,
it is common to hear dialects spoken, particularly among residents
who have lived in the same town for generations. These dialects,
vaguely similar to Italian but often unintelligible to people
not born in the area, are living reminders of Italy's feudal
past and the isolation of its various regions prior to unification.
Italian
vocabulary has contributed many words to the English language
over the years. Some of these words include gondola, regatta,
fresco, vendetta, broccoli, volcano, basilica, stucco, terracotta,
and inferno. In music, one finds numerous Italian terms,
such as concerto, sonata, tempo, aria, allegro, staccato,
andante, and lento.
With
some studying and a good sense of humour, English speakers can
usually learn Italian with relative ease. One thing to watch
out for when you're learning Italian, though, is false cognates.
Cognates are words that have approximately the same spelling
and meaning in two different languages. There are many true
cognate words in English and Italian, but there are also a number
of Italian vocabulary words that can fool you by their false
resemblance to English.
For
example, the Italian word camera is not something you
take pictures with; it actually means room. If you use
the word morbido to describe something gruesome, you
are really saying that it is soft. And if you ask for
confetti at a party, you may be surprised when you are
given sugar coated almonds. Above all, don't ask for peperoni
on your pizza when you speak Italian - unless you want hot
peppers!
When
speaking Italian or writing Italian, there are two forms of
address: formal and informal. The formal is used to show respect
and should be used when speaking Italian with people outside
of your circle of family and friends. For example, when you
speak Italian to shop keepers, waiters, teachers, bank tellers,
and acquaintances you should address them with the formal "lei"
form. Friends, family, children, and pets, on the other hand,
may be addressed with the "tu" form. It is also customary for
students and young people to use the "tu" form when speaking
Italian among themselves, even if they are only passing acquaintances.
The Italian language is pleasing to the ear, even to those who
do not understand a word of it. It has a highly musical quality
that springs from the fact that all words end in a vowel, with
the exception of a few articles, prepositions, and foreign words.
Italian is also completely phonetic, meaning that every letter
corresponds to a specific pronounced sound, making it relatively
easy to learn Italian pronunciation and spelling.
Other
aspects of the Italian language can be more challenging for
non-native speakers who are learning Italian. For example, Italian
verb conjugation can be complicated, and there are a multitude
of irregular Italian verbs and irregular Italian nouns. Additionally,
the rules of capitalization in Italian differ somewhat from
those in English. For example, the days of the week and names
of months are never capitalized. Also, when addressing someone
formally in writing, personal pronouns and certain direct object
pronouns are capitalized when they occur in the middle of a
sentence-- conveying respect for the person addressed.
Regular practice is necessary to learn to speak Italian well.
That's why good Italian software or audio products can
be so useful. It's easier than ever to learn Italian and to
begin to speak Italian with the language resources and Italian
language software from Transparent Language. With software like ItalianNow!, Italian Before You Know It, Italian PDQ, and the Complete Italian Language Learning
Suite, you will speak Italian,
learn Italian vocabulary, conjugate Italian verbs, understand
Italian grammar, and master Italian pronunciation quickly. Plus,
our Italian translation software, EasyTranslator, will help
you translate Italian to English and translate English to Italian.
Best of luck with your Italian language learning!
