The Italian Language Today

by Lepschy,Anna Laura

• ISBN13: 9780415078627
• ISBN10: 0415078628
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1989-04-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

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.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Second Edition Preface

The Linguistic Situation in Italy Italian Today

A Historical View Italian Dialects Varieties of Italian

The Grammar of Italian V

An Outline Phonology Spelling***

The Article Prepositions with the Article Conjunctions Nouns and Adjectives Comparatives and Superlatives Adverbs

Personal Pronouns

Possessives Interrogatives and Relatives Negatives

Demonstratives

Indefinites Numerals

Verbs VI

Sixteen Points of Syntax

Some Notes on Word Order

The Use of the Article

Evaluative Suffixes Compund and Juxtaposed Nouns

Position of Adjectives Agreement of Adjectives Position of Adverbs

Some Constructions with/without Prepostions Agreement of Past

Participles Clitic Clusters Constructions with causative and perception predicates

The use of si

The use of indicative past tenses

The use of the subjunctive Sequence of tenses

The use of the conditional Short Bibliography

Table of main symbols used

Index

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