Italians are often thought to be one of the most superstitious populations in Europe. While I cannot assert the absolute certainty of this, there’s no denying our affinity for gesti scaramantici, those curious little gestures believed to influence fate. And of course, the Italian vocabulary itself boasts quite a few expressions, some of which might raise an …
Intercomprehension between languages is a fascinating phenomenon that occurs when speakers of two different languages can understand each other. This phenomenon is particularly evident among Romance languages. Italian and Spanish, which share a common Latin origin, are perhaps the most prominent example of this. Despite grammatical and lexical differences, Italians can often understand Spanish even …
Whether you are a beginner or have already mastered the pillars of the Italian language, there’s always room to move to the next level. This is true not only for advanced dialogues, but also simple conversations, such as the process of introducing yourself in Italian. It is during this meeting with a native speaker that …
Do you feel extremely nervous when you have to converse with native Italian speakers? I know I do. Despite having studied the language for over ten years, I still experience sweaty palms and a lump in my throat whenever I find myself speaking to someone new. Today, we will be exploring a language learning app …
Sicilian is an Italian regional dialect that has a long history. It is renowned for being one of the first languages in the Peninsula to be used for literary purposes. The Sicilian Vernacular had its heyday during the XIII century when it achieved great success. The success of Sicilian poetry was so widespread that Tuscan …
No two cultures are entirely the same. While most Western cultures are fairly similar, there are still minor differences that make each culture beautifully unique. Sometimes these differences seem strange or even counter-intuitive to foreigners. For example, Italians struggle to understand why Americans insist on building everything “bigger” in hopes of making it “better.” Americans, …