Neapolitan (napulitano)
Neapolitan is a Romance language spoken by about seven or eight million
people in southern Italy, especially in the city of Naples
(Nàpule/Napoli) and in Campania and southern Lazio. Neapolitan
is part of a continuum of dialects spoken in most of southern Italy,
though many would only use the term “Neapolitan” only to refer to the
dialects spoken in and around Naples.
Neapolitan developed from Vulgar Latin, like most of the other
languages and dialects spoken in Italy, and also contains some
influences from Oscan and Greek.
Today Neapolitan is used mainly as a spoken language, though it has
been used in literature since the 15th century. It has no official
status and is not used in education, but is often used in popular songs.
Neapolitan alphabet
Neapolitan pronunciation
Sample text in Neapolitan (Lord’s Prayer)
Pate nuoste ca staje ‘ncielo,
santificammo ‘o nomme tuojo
faje vení ‘o regno tuojo,
sempe c’ ‘a vuluntà toja,
accussí ‘ncielo e ‘nterra.
Fance avé ‘o ppane tutt’ ‘e juorne
lièvace ‘e dièbbete
comme nuje ‘e llevamme a ll’ate,
nun ‘nce fa spantecà,
e llievace ‘o mmale ‘a tuorno.
Ammèn.
Links
Information about the Neapolitan language/dialect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neapolitan_language
http://www.napoletanita.it
Online Neapolitan lessons and information about Neapolitan
http://www.duesicilie.eu
Neapolitan Proverbs and Idioms
http://www.fieri-boston.org/language_napoli.htm