Italienska

Italienska, or Italian, is a Romance language spoken primarily in Italy and in parts of Switzerland, as well as in San Marino and Vatican City, and by Italian communities around the world. The term can also refer more generally to things relating to Italy.

Classified within the Italo-Dalmatian branch of Romance languages, Italian developed from Vulgar Latin on the Italian Peninsula. Standard Italian is largely based on the Florentine dialect of the 14th century, and it was disseminated through schooling, literature and mass media.

Geographic and official status: Italian is the official language of Italy and San Marino, and one of the four national languages of Switzerland (co-official in several cantons). Italian is also widely used in Vatican City and in Italian communities abroad.

Linguistic characteristics: Italian uses the Latin alphabet. It features gendered nouns and adjectives, a system of verb conjugations with three main groups (-are, -ere, -ire), and a distinction between tenses formed with auxiliary verbs avere and essere. The subjunctive mood remains common in formal and literary contexts, while clitic pronouns are used in many constructions.

Varieties: Beyond standard Italian, regional dialects such as Neapolitan, Sicilian, Venetian and Lombard are still spoken and can differ markedly in pronunciation, vocabulary and syntax. Most speakers are bilingual in standard Italian for formal contexts, education, media, and writing.

See also: Italian language; Romance languages; Italo-Dalmatian.