Italian Language
The Italian language (italiano) is a Romance language descended from Vulgar Latin. It is primarily spoken in Italy, but also has official status in several other regions and countries. With approximately 68 to 85 million speakers worldwide, it is a significant European language.
Official Status and Distribution
Italian is the official language of Italy, San Marino, and Vatican City. It holds co-official status in parts of Switzerland, particularly in the cantons of Ticino and Graubünden (also known as Grisons). Additionally, it is recognized as a minority language in Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and six municipalities in Brazil.
Italian in Switzerland
In Switzerland, Italian is one of the four national languages, alongside German, French, and Romansh. The Italian spoken in Switzerland, known as Swiss Italian, is similar to Standard Italian but incorporates regional variations.
Dialects and Regional Variations
Italian boasts a rich variety of dialects and languages, many of which predate the unified standard language. These include:
- Neapolitan: Predominantly spoken in Southern Italy, including areas around Naples.
- Sicilian: Spoken in Sicily and parts of southern Italy.
- Gallo-Italic languages: Found in Northern Italy, including dialects like Piedmontese and Lombard.
Italian Language in the European Union
Italian is one of the official languages of the European Union and plays a significant role in European institutions. It is the third most widely spoken native language in the EU, following German and French. Approximately 13% of the EU population speaks Italian as their mother tongue, with an additional 13 million people using it as a second language.
Italian Language in South America
The Italian language has a notable presence in Argentina due to the significant number of Italian immigrants during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, creating a substantial community known as Italian Argentines. This diaspora has helped maintain Italian language and culture abroad.
Judeo-Italian Dialects
Among the many dialects of Italian are the Judeo-Italian dialects, which are a subgroup of the Judeo-Romance languages. These languages are spoken by a small number of Jewish communities in Italy and are part of the rich tapestry of Italian linguistic diversity.