The Italian language is a Romance language that is spoken by Italians. It is quite close to Latin and spoken in several countries such as Switzerland, Vatican, and San Marino. If you are contemplating learning the Italian language you have made a good decision. Here are some interesting facts that you may not be aware of regarding the Italian languages.
It is also one of the most frequent languages spoken in Argentina and the US.
It Contains 21 Letters
Whereas the English language contains 26 letters, the Italian language has just 21 letters. The letters J, K, W, X, and Y are not there because they are not Italian. But, sometimes, you may see them in Italian words that have been taken from English or Spanish.
Initial Adoption was Slow
When Italy became a unified country in 1861, just around 2.5% of the population could speak the Italian language. Writers Dante and Petrarch were at that time the chief supporters of making the Italian language the national language of Italy.
One Language, Several Dialects
Prior to the unification of Italy and the declaration of Italian as a national language, Italians spoke several versions of the language, which have been adequately developed over centuries. For this reason, the Italian language has several dialects.
Standard in Music
In whichever part you are living, if you are learning or knows music, you certainly have heard words such as forte, alto, soprano, crescendo, and tempo. All of them are derived from the Italian language, making it a true musical language.
Volt Belongs to Italy
The unit used while measuring electricity, Volt, is an Italian word. It has been named after the Italian inventor, Alessandro Volta. His invention is the cause, why the world has stable lightbulbs today.
The Longest Word has 29 Letters
Several languages use long words, but the Italian language might simply beat everyone to the trophy. The longest word in the language is esofagodermatodigiunoplastica, and it contains 29 letters. It describes a constructive surgery that is linked with the removal of the stomach.
It’s Been Around Since the 900s
Just as every romance language, Italian is derived from Latin. For a quite long time, the people spoke it. But it was not until the time of Dante Alighieri, and the launch of his book “divine comedy” that the language became of interest to various people.
Dante is the Father of the Italian Language
During Dante’s, time most writers pen down their work only in Latin. Only Dante decided to write his work in the Italian language. This elevated him as one of the most popular Italian writers of all time. The Italian language is very beautiful to speak and listen to. It is also the official language of classical music, and it provides several great opportunities to understand such a vast and highly regarded language.
5th Most Learned Language in the United States
For more than one thousand years, people have spoken the Italian language in the US. Several Americans residing in New York and New Jersey speak Italian, and it is the 5th most studied language there.