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In this lesson we are going to examine together the Italian linguistic situation, by making clarity on some topics that fascinate both the Italians and foreign students, but that might create some some difficulties when addressed, namely: what is meant by standard Italian (and how it opposes the various dialects), what is the pure accent and where they're used and who use them.
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First of all, let's clarify what we mean by:
The Standard Language and the Linguistic Norm
Generally, in linguistic, the concept of standard, refers to a language which is subjected by a normative codification, that is used as a reference model for the correct use and for teaching in schools.
Linguistic Norms, instead, according to the Italian linguist Claudio Giovanardi, can be defined as:
«un insieme di regole che riguardano tutti i livelli della lingua (fonologia, morfologia, sintassi lessico, testualità), accettato da una comunità di parlanti e scriventi (o perlomeno dalla stragrande maggioranza) in un determinato periodo e contesto storico-culturale». (A set of rules which cover all language levels (phonology, morphology, syntax, vocabulary, textuality), that is accepted by a community of speakers and writers (or at least by a vast majority) in a definite period and historical-cultural context)
Standard language and Italian Dialects
After the introduction we've made on standard language, we must add that this concept is opposed to the the concept of dialect.
In Italy, there are thousands and thousands of dialects which are the richest and most diverse Italian linguistic heritage in Europe.
It is worth mentioning that in the history of several languages, one of the dialects in which a certain linguistic space was articulated, became the standard language.
That's the case of Italy, in which the Tuscan Florentine dialect, that was one of the many Vulgar dialects that were spoken in Italy, through its classification as "standard", allowed the other vernacular languages to evolve into dialects.
Note: "Lingua volgare" is an expression that is used to indicate the languages that were spoken by people in the Middle Age, in Western Europe and that came from Latin, since Classic Latin started to evolve into different forms, from region to region, after the the fall of the Western Roman Empire and a subsequent reduction of communication.
The Origin of Standard Italian and how it's pronounced
The standard variety of the Italian language is based on Florentine vulgar tongue of the 14th century, that, thanks to the literary prestige brought by Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca and Giovanni Boccaccio and also thanks to the economic and cultural supremacy achieved by Florence, acquired the status of literary language with the necessary requirements to respond the need of a suitable single language fitting the cultural renewal of the Renaissance.
In the first half of the 16th century, with the early language's grammars spreading the Florentine style throughout Italy and making it a literary language, several norms of Italian language were established, codifying it as a standard language.
The release of some works particularly affected the the standardization of Italian language, namely:
- "Prose della volgar lingua", written by Pietro Bembo, released in Venice in 1525,
- "La Grammatichetta vaticana" written by Leon Battista Alberti
- the first edition of the "Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca", released in 1612 (followed by several revised and enlarged edition over time)
However, standard Italian has never totally coincided with the Florentine style, actually, since the 17th century it has started to welcome innovation of various origins, distancing itself even further from the Florentine style after the Italian Unification.
As regards the standard pronunciation, things get a little complicated.
In fact, as stated by Gian Luigi Beccaria:
“l’italiano di pronuncia standard è una realtà linguistica in buona parte astratta, comunque nettamente minoritaria nell'uso effettivo posseduto solo dal l’1% della popolazione italiana”. (Italian standard pronunciation is an abstract linguistic reality, however significantly of a minor usage , owned by only 1% of Italian population)
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