Italo-Australian dialect

Italo-Australian[1] is an Australian-based dialect of Italian that is spoken by Australians of Italian descent.[2]

Italo-Australian dialect
Native toAustralia
EthnicityItalian Australians
Early forms
Italian alphabet
Language codes
ISO 639-3
IETFit-AU
People with Italian ancestry as a percentage of the population in Australia divided geographically by statistical local area, as of the 2011 census.

Characteristics

The exact number of speakers is unknown, but it is highly speculated that the language is mainly spoken by the younger generations, passed on by the elder ancestors, who created the language.[3] Some researchers[who?] think that the dialect might have been spoken by nearly 900,000 Italian Australians in 2012.

Origin

The foundation of this dialect is modern Italian, which was brought to Australia following the Italian diaspora in the post World War I era. It wasn't until the years after the second diaspora after World War II that the dialect came into note.[according to whom?]

The language was simply created with modern Italian words being influenced by the vocabulary of the English language, to create Italian/English words. Some words follow the rules of Italian spelling, changing to an English one only with a few character changes to make it sound Italian.[4] Italian linguist Tullio De Mauro has noted the dialect in his famous book 'Storia Della Lingua' as "developing dialect that is still enduring the modern influences of English".

De Mauro also claims the language is growing with the vocabulary being passed onto the younger generations of Italian Australians.

Example words

[citation needed]

EnglishItalo-AustralianItalian
CarCarru[5]Macchina
CakeCheccaTorta
MarketMarchettaMercato
FarmFarmaFattoria
BackyardBecchiardaCortile
FenceFensaRecinto
To ParkParcareParcheggiare
To PushPusciareSpingere
To StopStoppareFermare
To StartStardareCominciare
BusBassuAutobus
CupCuppaCoppa
ShedScedda / ScellaCapanno
ShowerSceaDoccia
FridgeFriggiaFrigorifero
ChipsCipiPatate Fritte
Washing MachineGuasci MascinaLavatrice
SpraySpraiaSpruzzo
To SmashSmesciareSfasciare
To PickPiccareRaccogliere
BagBegaBorsa
BoyfriendBoifrendiFidanzato
GirlfriendGellafrendaFidanzata
To SpraySpraiareSpruzzare
LaundryGuasciousLavanderia
SwitchSuicciaInterruttore
GirlGellaRagazza
RubbishRobbisciImmondizia
GarageGaraciBox Auto
MelbourneMelbuniMelbourne
SydneySiddeniSydney
DarwinDarvinuDarwin
QueenslandQuinslandaQueensland
HolidayFoludaiVacanza
To ShiftSciftareSpostare
HeaterHitaStufa
Air ConditionerU FridduAria Condizionata
BinBinnuCestino
PleasePlissPer Favore
Thank youTenchiùGrazie
BreakfastBrecfestaColazione
To DriveDrivareGuidare
JobGiobbaLavoro
The NewsI NiusiLe Notizie
StreetStrittuVia
BillBilluConto
InsuranceInsciuransaAssicurazione
Driver's LicenceLicensaPatente Di Guida
Cheque BookCiecbucuLibro Degli Assegni
ChequeCiecaAssegno
ShopScioppuNegozio
FreezerFrisaCongelatore
To WorryGuariarePreoccupare
BoxBocsaScatola
CheapCippEconomico
GasGassuGas
PetrolPetroliuBenzina
ElectricityIlectricuElettricità
VietnameseVietenamissVietnamiti
MuslimsMuri / MussoliniMusulmani
Anthony AlbaneseL' ArbanisiAnthony Albanese
BabyBabyBambino / a
DrinkDrinkBevanda
ColesColessColes
WoolworthsSaffuguaiWoolworths
Discount Variety StoreI CinesiNegozio Di Sconti

See also

References