Because it can be fun. Because it helps you make new friends from all over the world. Because as you travel around the world you can express any need and.

Because it can be fun.

Because it helps you make new friends from all over the world.

Because as you travel around the world you can express any need and understand what’s going

on.

Because when you study a foreign language you get to know your own language better.

Because when you study a language you discover new civilizations and understand more

about your own.

Because it can help you find an exciting job

Why should I learn another language?

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples High School

Why should you not feel intimidated by learning

Italian? • You know and use

more Italian words than you realize ...

• many words of the language you speak every day are Italian or derive from Latin/Italian!

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

For example…what does “nome dello studente”

mean?• Nome = Name

• Studente = Student • Class = classe• Television =

televisione• Station = stazione

• Professor = professore• Poet = poeta • Rose = rosa • Train = treno

• Aspirin = aspirina• Music = musica• School = scuola

• Animal = animale• Study = studiare

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Cognates

There are words in a language that are very similar to their

corresponding words in another language and you can tell they are related. These words are

called COGNATES. There are more cognates in English/Italian

than you probably think. Word Language 1

ex. studente

Word language 2,slightly changed

ex. “student”

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ImmagineCitta’

MarinaScienzeDottore

TolleranteMercatoGentile

Governo

Now you guess…What do these Italian words mean? Palazzo

LicenzaPassare

PreferenzaServizioVulcanoFarmaciaCinemaRitardo

RadioBancaAttore

GiornaleNazioneLibertà

ArteEducazione

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Besides cognates, there are also words that are exactly the same in two languages: sometimes a language “takes, borrows”

words from another language and integrates them in its own dictionary.

These words (exactly similar in spelling, meaning and pronunciation) are called

BORROWINGS. English and Italian borrowed words from each other, too.

Let’s take a look at some of these words.

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Examples of Borrowings:

• Robot• Rock’n’roll, Jazz• Blues, Rap• Stereo• Boy Scout• Computer • Software/

Hardware• Yacht• Shampoo

English Italian

• Shampoo• Weekend• Sport (Jogging,

Hockey, Surf, Snowboard)

• Junior/Senior• Shock• Goal!!• Poster• Pic-nic

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Examples of Borrowings:

• Maestro• Bravo• Aria, Soprano• Broccoli,

Zucchini, pizza• Spaghetti• Fiasco• Piano• Prima donna

EnglishItalian

• Propaganda• Lava• Duo/Trio• Tempo• Cameo• Cappuccino• Espresso• Studio

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

The point is…

Italian and English are closerthan you think!!!

English is full of Latin/Italian rooted words, so learning

Italian could be easier than you believe. So, don’t hesitate to

try and practice the language!

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

One more thing…..

Not only does English have a lot of Latin-based words, but

they are very sophisticated! Don’t you believe it? Look

at the following examples….

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Latin-rooted words in English

freedom liberty liberta’

danger peril pericolo

luck fortune fortuna

childish immature immaturo

feeling sentiment sentimento

deep profound profondo

shallow superficial superficiale

English 1 English 2 Italiano

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Latin-rooted words in English

enough sufficient sufficiente

amount quantity quantita’end (v) finish (v) finire

fish tank aquarium acquario

kind (n) type tipo

kind (a) gentle gentile

English 1 English 2 Italiano

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Before 1066

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Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS

Roberta Pennasilico, Naples HS