O NASTANKU ITALIJANSKOG JEZIKA I SPECIFIČNOSTIMA ODNOSA STANDARDNI JEZIK – DIJALEKTI
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE AND SPECIFICITIES OF THE RELATION BETWEEN THE STANDARD LANGUAGE AND DIALECTS

Summary/Abstract: The subject of this paper is the relation of the standard Italian language to the dialects present on the territory of Italy. In the first part of the paper, we will focus on the basic concepts such as the difference between the standard language and dialects, on the prestige it has in comparison to dialects, as well as on linguistic varieties. Since the issue of language is often related to socio-historical aspects, in the second part of the paper we will look at the development of the Italian language and its role in raising awareness of national identity. We will then explain the concept of dialect and see that, specifically on Italian soil, dialectal differences can as considerable as to prevent communication within the same language. We will briefly look at some Italian dialects, such as Venetian, Sardinian and Neapolitan, and the status they enjoy. We will also mention contemporary attitudes about the use of dialects in Italy and some of the tendencies of the modern Italian language.

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