The Italian Language Today

Italian as a national spoken language is a new experience for Italians; until very recently it was normal for a majority of people to speak in a dialect and Italian was a literary language used only by a minority. The Italian Language Todayconcentrates on contemporary usage of the language and will enable the reader to understand and use appropriately a wide range of expressions, characterized where necessary according to their level of formality or their regional nature. This work not only describes contemporary Italian, but examines some aspects of its history which have often led people to wonder whether an "Italian" language really exists. The first section of the book provides an outline history of the language and a sketch of its dialects. The authors also describe the formation of the modern standard in its varieties--regional, social and occupational. Part Two is a reference grammar of contemporary educated Italian, presented according to the way it is actuallyused, rather than to traditional prescription. The illuminating combination of historical perspective and contemporary grammar makes this a unique contribution to Italian linguistics and an invaluable reference book for all students and scholars in the field of Italian. The second edition has been revised throughout to bring it completely up to date.