an introduction to the ROMAN DIALECT

IN THIS PAGE 3 - diphthongs and triphthongs 4 - how to pronounce clusters "ce" and "ci" 5 - changes of letters and clusters	~ 2 ~ other pages | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |	last updating July 2002

3. DIPHTHONGS AND TRIPHTHONGS
   
   Three vowels within one same syllable are not compatible with the roman pronounciation, whose rhytmic pace tends towards regular sounds. Therefore, diphthongs and triphthongs are shortened, in accordance with the dialect's trend:

   my / mine your / yours his / her / hers your books my relatives

   miei tuoi suoi i libri tuoi i miei parenti

   mia  or  mii tua  or  tui sua  or  sui li libbri tua (or  li libbri tui) li parenti mia

   
   Sometimes this rule also applies to the plural pronouns nostri (our, ours) and vostri (your, yours), mostly due to a phonetic resemblance with the previous ones rather than because they are not easy to pronounce:

   your money our friends

   i soldi vostri i nostri amici

   li sordi vostra, but often also  li sordi vostri l'amichi nostra, and more often  l'amichi nostri

   
   Other words containing three-vowel syllables, or simply the diphthong ...uo..., are often shortened by dropping the vowel immediately before the one carrying the stress:

   flower-bed you can thunder

   aiuola puoi tuoni

   aiòla pòi tòni

   
   Note how in these cases the roman spelling uses an "ò", with grave accent.
   
   In other cases, the word is partially modified:

   ox, oxen

   bue, buoi

   bove, bovi

   
   Sometimes other diphthongs too are broken up, if the sound of the vowels they are made of makes an evident contrast (for instance, the diphthongs "...au...", "...io...", etc.); this is done by inserting a consonant between them.

   fear peg Paul

   paura piòlo Paolo

   pavura piròlo Pavolo

   
   Lastly, in some cases the vowel not carrying the stress is dropped from the diphthong:

   honey

   miele

   mèle

   
   However, the aforesaid change does not occur often, and many other words, such as piede (foot), bianco (white), fiato (breath), etc., remain unchanged (see also CHANGE OF I INTO R)
   
   
   

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4. HOW TO PRONOUNCE CLUSTERS "CE" AND "CI"
   
   In pronouncing the two clusters ce and ci, the sound of "c", which in Italian is similar to English "ch", in roman sounds more like "sh".
   In some texts, even the spelling of these clusters is changed into sce and sci, which is the closest rendering of these sounds in standard Italian.

   dinner vinegar pleasure

   cena aceto piacere

   sometimes spelt  scena, always pronounced  "sheh-nah" sometimes spelt  asceto, always pronounced  "ah-sheh-toh" sometimes spelt  piascere, always pronounced  "pyah-sheh-reh"

   
   Also in the cluster ci letter "c" has a similar "sh" sound, compared to the standard Italian one, but it is never spelt sci:

   fast (plural) acid onion

   veloci acido cipolla

   veloci,  pronounced "veh-loh-shyh" acido,  pronounced "ah-shyh-doh" cipolla,  pronounced "shyh-pol-lah"

   
   When ci is used as a pronoun, it turns into ce, but it has a less "slippery" sound than in the previous cases, i.e. it sounds as English "cheh", and it is never spelt "sce".
   
   

   he sees us but cannot hear us it takes courage I don't believe this

   ci vede ma non ci sente ci vuole coraggio non ci credo

   ce vede ma nun ce sente ce vo' ccoraggio nun ce credo

   
   Another case in which clusters ce and ci never have a "sh" sound is when due to the roman pronounciation the "c" is doubled:

   to go there tell us if we come (there) why are you asking us?

   andarci dicci se ci veniamo perché ce lo chiedete?

   annacce dicce si cce venìmo perché cce lo chiedete?

   
   
   

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5. CHANGES OF LETTERS AND CLUSTERS
   
   In many words a change of letter occurs, when their sound does not suit the roman pronounciation standards.
   
   
   • CHANGE OF L INTO R
     In words where "l" comes before a consonant, the former turns into "r" (always pronounced with a strong and rolled sound):

     football at least sickle tall / high

     calcio almeno falce alto

     carcio arméno farce arto

     
     This is also true for monosyllabic words ending with "l":

     the to the that with the

     il al quel col

     er ar quer cor

     
     In certain cases "l" changes into "r" also when a consonant comes before it, either single or double:

     parcel self-control application

     plico flemma applicazione

     prico fremma appricazzione

     
     This change never occurs when the "l" is double: words such as palla (ball), collo (neck), ballo (dance), etc., remain unchanged.
     
     The word altro (other) is an exception, because it changes into antro, using "n" as a replacement, although in modern roman an alternative form, artro, also exists.
     Its feminine and plural forns change accordingly:

     other  (masc. singular) other  (fem. singular) other  (masc. plural) other  (fem. plural)

     altro altra altri altre

     antro antra antri antre

     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF CLUSTER ND INTO NN, AND OF LD INTO LL
     These clusters change for an easier pronounciation:

     when gone I send to take

     quando andato mando prendere

     quanno annato manno prènne

     
     In a similar way, caldo (hot) usually turns into callo (but due to the aforesaid change of "l" into "r" it could seldom become cardo ). The change also takes place in other compound words that contain "caldo" or "calda":

     bed-warmer warmed up cauldron cooked chestnuts

     scaldaletto riscaldato caldaio caldarroste

     scallaletto riscallato or ariscallato callaro  (see also CHANGE OF I INTO R) callarroste  (also called callalésse)

     
     In other words, instead, the clusters "ld" turns into "rd", according to the rule previously discussed:

     flap; layer money

     falda soldi

     farda sòrdi

     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF I INTO E  (AND VICE-VERSA)
     In many monosyllabic words the vowel "i" turns into "e":

     the (masc. singular) of to you to us

     il di ti ci

     er  (and "l" turns into "r",  as previously said) de te ce

     The words dito, dita (finger, fingers) in roman change into deto, deta.
     
     The vowel "i" changes into "e" also in the following pronoun particles:

     me / to me you / to you him / to him us / to us you / to you

     mi ti gli ci vi

     me te je  (see CHANGE OF GL INTO J) ce  (as already said) ve

     
     Also si (it), used as a reflexive pronoun, turns into se.
     Instead the conjunction se (if, whether) changes into si:

     if they turn round they are sold do you know whether he's coming?

     se si girano si vendono sai se viene?

     si se ggireno se vvénneno sai si vviene?

     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF S INTO Z
     When a word begins with "s" + vowel, the "s" sounds more emphatic and turns into "z" (always pronounced as "ts") if the previous word ends with a consonant (likely "n" or "r", such as er, in, cor, sur, per, etc.):

     the soldier the donkey in the sitting-room with the sauce

     il soldato il somaro nel salotto cor sugo

     er zordato er zomaro ner zalotto cor zugo

     
     Such change of "s" into "z" (whose sound is always "ts", never "ds") corresponds to the strengthening of the first consonant of the word obtained by doubling it, as described in the following paragraph.
     It should be noted that in modern times the use of spelling "z" instead of "s" has become an obsolete custom, and is now almost extinct, although in the spoken language its emphatic pronounciation has remained unchanged.
     
     The same change often takes place also inside the word:

     to cheer up peach to think

     consolare pesca pensare

     conzolà perzica  (i.e.  persica,  with "s" turned into "z") penzà

     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF GLI AND LI INTO J
     For the sake of an easier pronounciation, the cluster "gli" turns into "j" (which is always pronounced as "y" in yolk, yell, yawn, etc., i.e. with a rather "slippery" sound). This occurs in other central Italian dialects, as well.

     daughter hay garlic cut advice him/to him ~ her/to her ~ it/to it

     figlia paglia aglio taglio consiglio gli

     fija paja ajo tajo consijo, or conzijo  (see previous change) je  (see above, CHANGE OF I INTO E)

     
     In a limited number of words, also cluster "li" followed by a vowel ("lia", "lio", etc.) changes into "j" when its original sound is rather close to that of "glia", "glio" etc.:

     oil Italian

     olio italiano

     ojo itajano (often, but not always)

     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF I INTO R
     In the following Italian clusters "...aio", "...aia", "...aie", "...ai" (more correctly "...aii", or "...aî"), the roman dialect changes "i" into "r". Such suffixes are often used to indicate a working activity:

     a pair spoon butcher newsagent baker flower-seller

     un paio cucchiaio macellaio giornalaio fornaio fioraio

     un paro cucchiaro (see also the DIPHTHONGS paragraph) macellaro giornalaro fornaro fioraro

     
     However, there are some exceptions; for instance, guaio (mishap) does not change at all, the same for buio (dark), noia (boredom), etc.
     
     Also in the case of Italian clusters such as ...iolo, ...iola, ...ioli, ...iole, the "i" turns into "r", but only in words expressing a job or work: for instance vinaiolo (wine-maker) becomes vinarolo. This change does not occur in other cases: for instance, paiolo (cauldron) remains unchaged.
     
     In roman, such ending ...rolo, ...rola, etc., is commonly used for words expressing a working category also if the equivalent Italian word does not end with ...iolo, ...iola, etc.:

     greengrocer (feminine) fishmongers rag-and-bone man poultry-seller

     fruttivendola pescivendoli straccivendolo pollivendolo

     fruttarola  (as to say "fruttaiola") pesciaroli  (as to say "pesciaioli") stracciarolo  (as to say "stracciaiolo") pollarolo  (as to say "pollaiolo")

     
     The suffix ...olo is also taken by some adjectives which describe a person who does a certain action: for instance, cagnarolo is he who makes a loud and disturbing noise (which in roman is called cagnara), whereas no equivalent form (such as "cagnaiolo") exists in Italian.
     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF CLUSTERS GIO - GIA INTO CIO - GIO OR GGIO - GGIA
     When the clusters gio and gia follow a vowel they are sometimes replaced by cio and cia (both pronounced with the aforesaid "sh" sound).
     In other cases, instead, gio and gia double their first letter, thus turning into ggio and ggia.
     The form with double "g" may also be used as an alternative in cases where gio and gia are turned into cio and cia, although the latter would sound more traditional.
     

     bean slowly, carefully Ambrose lie

     fagiolo adagio Ambrogio bugìa

     faciòlo  (pronounced "fah-shòh-loh"), or  faggiolo adacio  (pronounced "ah-dah-shoh"), or  adaggio Ambròcio  (pronounced "Ahm-bròh-shoh"), or  Ambroggio bucìa  (pronounced "boo-shýh-ah"), or  buggìa

     
     

     frieze prison royal grey

     fregio prigione regio grigio

     freggio priggione reggio griggio

     
     It is interesting how the etymology of the word fròcio, which in Rome (and in most other parts of Italy) has the meaning of "queer", according to various scholars sprung from frogia, an archaic term for "nostril", following the aforesaid phonetic corruption. The reason for such curious anatomical relation dates back to the times when Rome's police was the papal Swiss Guard. Nicknamed giannizzeri or sguizzeri by the common people (whose feeling towards them was not too friendly), these soldiers often had wider nostrils than the Mediterranean standard, and sexual preferences that the local plebs reputed ...unusual.
     
     If the "g" of clusters gio and gia is double, they are not replaced by cio and cia, as in maggio (May), coraggio (courage), formaggio (cheese), etc., all of which remain unchanged.
     Instead, when the same clusters follow consonant "n" (i.e. ...ngio, ...ngia ), they change according to the rule described in the next paragraph.
     
     
     
   • INVERSION OF CLUSTER NG
     The cluster ng followed by "i" or by "e" is often inverted into gn, sometimes strengthened, thus spelt ggn:

     he / she cries he /she / it pushed squeeze / clasp (imperative plural)

     piange spingeva stringete

     piagne (or piaggne) spigneva (or spiggneva) strignete (or striggnete)

     
     If ng is followed by "i" or "hi", due to the inversion the latter are dropped:

     eaten (fem. singular) squeeze / clasp (imperative plural) finger-nails

     mangiata stringi unghie

     magnata  (or maggnata) strigni  (or striggni) uggne  (but also oggne)

     
     Instead, if the cluster gn is followed by other vowels or by other clusters, it remains unchaged: vanga (spade) remains as it is, lungo (long) may change into longo or remain as in Italian, while Ungheria (Hungary) turns into Ungaria: in any case, the cluster ng is not inverted.
     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF UO INTO O
     The cluster uo is contracted into o. This sound is too... uncomfortable for the roman pronounciation, and it is shortened:

     heart good egg empty

     cuore buono uovo vuoto

     core bono ovo vòto

     
     The real reason of this change, though, is the Latin reminiscence of Rome's dialect (some of the aforesaid words in Latin are cor, bonus, ovum, without a "u").
     
     All these words are pronounced with a very open-sounded "o", whose grave accent is usually noted. In this way they can be easily told from other words spelt in an identical way, but with an acute "o", thus with a different meaning, such as vòto (empty) and vóto (vote; vow).
     
     The aforesaid contraction does not occur in monosyllabic words, such as tuo (your, yours) and suo (his, her, hers), which remain unchaged (but only if they are not followed by the object possessed, see the paragraph ELISIONS).
     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF O INTO U (AND VICE-VERSA)
     In a certain number of cases, an "o" with a very closed sound in Italian turns into "u" in roman:

     not (local wine measure) to play

     non foglietta giocare

     nun fujetta  (note the change of "gl" into "j") giucà  (nowadays giocà is more common)

     
     In other cases the opposite change occurs:

     mushroom finger-nail

     fungo unghia

     fongo ogna , or oggna  (see also INVERSION OF NG)

     
     
     
   • CHANGE OF R INTO A DOUBLE CONSONANT
     When "r" is the last letter of the infinitive tense of a verb, followed by the pronoun suffixes -mi, -ti, -lo, -la, -ci, -vi, -li, -le, or by the reflexive suffix -si, it usually changes into the same first consonant of the suffix, thus doubled. Also remember that all final vowels "i" turn into "e", as previously said.

     to see you to carry him / it to wash oneself to build for us

     vederti portarlo lavarsi costruirci

     vedette  (-ti becomes -te) portallo lavasse  (-si becomes -se) costruicce  (-ci becomes -ce)

     
     Only when the pronoun suffix is -gli, -le or the full pronoun loro (for all of these, the roman form is je), the "j" is not graphically repeated, but its sound is stronger, as if it had been actually doubled:

     to build for him to carry her / for her to keep for them to give him to give them

     costruirgli portarle tenere loro dargli dare loro

     costruije  (pronounced as costruijje) portaje  (pronounced as portajje) teneje  (pronounced as tenejje) daje  (pronounced as dajje) daje  (same as above)

     
     Another change concerns the verbs of the second conjugation whose stress is carried by the antepenultimate syllable, such as prèndere (to take), spìngere (to push), cuòcere (to cook), strìngere (to squeeze), crédere (to believe), pèrdere (to lose), etc. etc.
     All these verbs simply drop the "r", without doubling the following consonant:

     to take / fetch me to ask you for to believe in it to lose oneself to sell them (feminine) to move it

     prendermi chiederti crederci perdersi venderle muoverlo

     prendeme chiedete credece perdese vénnele mòvelo  (see also CHANGE OF UO INTO O)

     
     
   
   
   SUMMARY OF THE MAIN CHANGES
   
   

   substitution L into R salto sarto I into E vi ve S into Z penso penzo ND into NN mandato mannato GLI or LI into J quaglia quaja I into R carbonaio carbonaro GIO - GIA into CIO - CIA fagiolo faciòlo GIO - GIA into GGIO - GGIA fagiano faggiano NG into GN attinge attigne UO into O cuoco còco O into U (and vice-versa) non nun R into a double consonant lavarle lavalle

   
   
   
   

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   an introduction to the ROMAN DIALECT
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