Understanding the Italian Language
Brief History of the Italian Language
Documents dating as far back as the 10th century were written in
Italian, although it is believed that some form of Italian language
was used in the 8th century by people who did not understand Latin.
Traders and clergy might have used this language to address the
people of those days.
The Italian language has evolved into many different dialects and
languages throughout the centuries due to differences in politics,
lack of communications and mobility, and also various culture gaps
as people of different origins migrated to Italy.
Differences in Dialects
There is a standard Italian language, which is taught in schools
of all regions. The standard language was derived from Medieval
Tuscan dialect. The dialects each have their own characteristics
so even tourists can tell a difference when visiting more than one
region.
The Neapolitan dialect, for example, is often used in popular songs.
This language is called Napoletano. Speakers of this language change
articles into single vowels. "Il" might be shortened to 'O. The
Roman dialect called Romanesco is where the speaker replaces the
letter "l" with the "r" sound. Toscana is a dialect used by the
Tuscans where the letter "c" is often pronounced as "ch" combined.
Rare Italian Dialects
In remote areas of Italy there are rare dialects that are in danger
of extinction. These often combine two languages or several dialects
to form their own distinct language.
The Judeo-Italian dialect is called Italkian. It is a minority
language that was spoken by people living in urban areas of Rome
or in central and northern Italy between the 10th and 17th centuries.
The language was very popular in Livorno. It's a blend of Italian
and Hebrew, and only around 4,000 people actually use it as their
primary language today.
Yiddish is another rare language that blends Hebrew and German.
Ladino is a language that blends Spanish and Hebrew.
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Jews who Speak Italian
At the beginning of the 20th century, Jews in Italy were fluent
with their own language as well as standard Italian. They also had
a dialect called Judeo-Italian, which differed by region and city.
Judeo-Italian dialects were often used in Jewish rituals and the
Passover Haggadah, and they were also written in Hebrew.
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Italian Language for the Traveller
Travellers to Italy will benefit tremendously if they learn key
Italian words and phrases before their trip. Eating at restaurants,
visiting attractions or villages, and touring local sites will be
much easier for the tourist who knows what to ask and how to ask
in Italian! Courses to help learn Italian phrases as well as culture
and traditions in various regions are available online.
Just like any other nation, the dialect one hears
will depend on where he visits. The language and dialects make each
area unique, and tourists can discover something new everywhere
they go in Italy.
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John Dulaney, born Dec. 11th, 1946, married with children. Living
most years since 1969 outside the USA and working in motion pictures
since 1965 I started QuantumStar.com with my wife, Jojo, in March
of 1994 in San Francisco, Ca. I've lived in or been to approximately
36 countries and have lived under Democracies, Socialism, Communism,
dictatorships, kingdoms and others. There is nothing like home.
I participated at Channel Four in Manila, Philippines during the
"People Power Revolution" and stood, with my wife's brother, along
with half a million others against the threat of tank attack. I
have witnessed the ruinous effects of Socialism /Communism /Dictatorship
in dozens of countries and today enjoy the remains of our freedoms
and protections of the Constitution in the USA here in California.
Working in front of and behind the camera films around the world
we removed to the suburbs and a quiet life, for a few years. We
still have property in Umbria, Italy, some is for sale. After all
is said and done I count my children, wife Jojo and my friends as
my only real treasure.
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