{"id":21633,"date":"2024-08-20T16:38:12","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T15:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/?p=21633"},"modified":"2024-10-06T13:42:45","modified_gmt":"2024-10-06T12:42:45","slug":"neapolitan-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/neapolitan-language","title":{"rendered":"Napoli or Napule? Unveiling the Fascinating Secrets of the Neapolitan Language"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p>\u201cNaples is not Italy.\u201d This is something you\u2019ll hear from Neapolitans and Italians alike. Neapolitans are not afraid to declare their cultural uniqueness, and that extends to their city\u2019s language. The <strong>Neapolitan language<\/strong>, called <em>Nnapulitano, <\/em>is so strong in the region that it has its own sub-regional dialects.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13305\" src=\"https:\/\/www.takewalks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/danilo-d-agostino-NjhHTNPkEDQ-unsplashres-1024x571.jpg\" alt=\"A view of the city of Naples, Italy\" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">More than just pizza, Naples is a place full of charm, wonder, and an amazing language. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/NjhHTNPkEDQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Danilo D&#8217;Agostino<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\r\n\r\n<\/h2>\r\n<p>Although <em>Nnapulitano <\/em>has always been spoken in Naples, there\u2019s been a recent interest in systematically preserving, documenting, and studying the little-known Neapolitan language. Read on to discover its influences and where you\u2019ll find it in the city, from traditional food names to the common idioms you&#8217;ll hear while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.takewalks.com\/blog\/what-is-naples-italy-known-for\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">visiting Naples.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/neapolitan-language\/#Whats_the_difference_between_Italian_and_Neapolitan_language_anyway\" >What\u2019s the difference between Italian and Neapolitan language, anyway?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/neapolitan-language\/#Where_did_the_Neapolitan_language_come_from\" >Where did the Neapolitan language come from?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/neapolitan-language\/#Cultural_importance\" >Cultural importance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/neapolitan-language\/#Navigating_a_Neapolitan_menu\" >Navigating a Neapolitan menu<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/neapolitan-language\/#Famous_Neapolitan_language_expressions\" >Famous Neapolitan language expressions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_the_difference_between_Italian_and_Neapolitan_language_anyway\"><\/span>What\u2019s the difference between Italian and Neapolitan language, anyway?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>While Italian and Neapolitan are both romance languages, they are distinct: even fluent or native Italian speakers have great difficulty understanding the <a href=\"https:\/\/termcoord.eu\/2014\/07\/neapolitan-great-cultural-heritage\/#:~:text=Neapolitan%20originally%20derived%20from%20Latin,1st%20and%20early%202nd%20century.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neapolitan language<\/a>. Let\u2019s start with the name of the city, for example.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In the Neapolitan language, Napoli is Napule (Nah-puu-luh). While Italian words end with a vowel, Neapolitans usually cut the vowel off the end, and don\u2019t distinguish as much between the final \u201ca\u201d or \u201co\u201d, opting instead for a neutral \u201cuh\u201d sound. You\u2019ll hear a lot of \u201csh\u201d sounds because the \u201cs\u201d sound often becomes \u201csh\u201d.<\/p>\r\n<p>The Neapolitan language also sounds more choppy than Italian when spoken and, ironically, might sound more stereotypical to a non Italian speaker. In fact, many of the stereotypes foreigners have about Italy are actually based on Neapolitan culture.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13653\" src=\"https:\/\/www.takewalks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/21068626445_323306723f_bres-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"Many buildings along a big street called Spaccanapoli dividing it in Naples, Italy\" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When exploring the bustling city of Naples, you can hear both Italian and Neapolitan. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/pavelcab\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pablo Cabezos<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_did_the_Neapolitan_language_come_from\"><\/span>Where did the Neapolitan language come from?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Like the other Romance languages, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elalliance.org\/languages\/neapolitan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Neapolitan language <\/a>has its origins in Latin. This language can trace its roots back to before the Roman empire, to the Ancient Greek that was spoken in Italy in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. South Italy and Naples have been subject to various invasions and rules over the centuries, which has influenced the language.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18453\" src=\"https:\/\/www.takewalks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/pisciavinolo-1024x658.jpg\" alt=\"old song sheet in Neapolitan \" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Postcard with lyrics of Neapolitan song &#8220;&#8216;O pisciavinolo&#8221; (&#8220;Fishmonger&#8221;). Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neapolitan_language#\/media\/File:Maria_Flora_nella_canzone_&#039;O_pisciavinolo_-_1895.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>From the 16th until the 18th century, there were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Kingdom-of-Naples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">alternating periods of French and Spanish rule<\/a> over the city (with a brief period of Austrian rule), which meant that Naples became a melting pot for languages. It has a heavy Spanish and French influence in its vocabulary. More recently, the language was shaped by the presence of Americans in the city from WWII onward, leading to anglicized words like <em>sciusci\u00e0 <\/em>(shoeshine).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cultural_importance\"><\/span>Cultural importance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><em>Nnapulitano<\/em> is alive and well on the streets and in the pop culture of Naples. While most people don\u2019t speak fully in Neapolitan, it\u2019s common to hear a mix of Italian and Neapolitan used in daily life. There\u2019s a thriving Neapolitan music scene, with current artists like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/liberato1926\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Liberato<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nu_genea\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nu Genea<\/a> gaining national popularity. Neapolitan rap has been evolving for decades, with artists and groups like <a href=\"https:\/\/novenove.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">99 Posse<\/a> and Co\u2019Sang leading the way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In terms of other media, there are several internationally-known TV shows like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbo.com\/my-brilliant-friend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">My Brilliant Friend<\/a>, Mare Fuori, and Gommora. My Brilliant Friend was based on a book trilogy by Elena Ferrante that\u2019s become popular among English and Italian speakers alike: we definitely recommend it for some culturally relevant reading on the plane!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18449\" src=\"https:\/\/www.takewalks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Elena-Ferrante-1024x650.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The book trilogy by Elena Ferrante really is a great read. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wolfgangkuhnle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wolf Gang<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Walking around Naples, you might see proverbs and idioms hung on signs around the historical center and the Quartieri Spagnoli, and you\u2019ll definitely see some traditional food names. Head to the next sections to discover some of the places you\u2019ll encounter the historical language.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Navigating_a_Neapolitan_menu\"><\/span>Navigating a Neapolitan menu<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A local language is everywhere, from the culture to music to literature. And that extends to the food, too! In Naples, most menus have their dishes written in Italian, but some Neapolitan words you might encounter are <em>o\u2019 rrau<\/em> (<a href=\"https:\/\/devourtours.com\/blog\/pasta-from-naples\/#O_Rrau_or_Ragu_Napoletano\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neapolitan rag\u00f9<\/a>), <em>past\u2019 e patan<\/em> (<a href=\"https:\/\/devourtours.com\/blog\/pasta-from-naples\/#Pasta_Patate_e_Provola\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pasta e patate<\/a>), <em>a\u2019 pummarola<\/em> (Neapolitan word for tomato, used in many dishes), <em>o\u2019 cuoppo<\/em> (<a href=\"https:\/\/devourtours.com\/blog\/street-food-naples\/#O_Cuopp_Fritto_Cup_of_Fried_Food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cup of fried food<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In Naples, rag\u00f9 isn\u2019t made from ground meat, but rather a tender braised beef falling off the bone. <em>Pasta e patate<\/em> is a simple but delicious dish of pasta, provola cheese and potato cubes. It\u2019s a creamy, cheesy delight. <em>O\u2019 cuoppo<\/em> is a type of street food you\u2019ll commonly encounter of various fried foods served in a paper cup. You can usually choose between \u201cmare\u201d, which includes fried fish, and \u201cterra\u201d, which includes things like <em>crocch\u00e9 <\/em>(fried potato puree) and <em>frittatine<\/em> (fried pasta balls).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.takewalks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/o-rrau-1024x804.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Known as\u00a0<em>\u2018o rra\u00f9<\/em> in the local dialect, <em>rag\u00f9 napoletano<\/em> is the quintessential Sunday family meal. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Paccheri_rigati_al_rag%C3%B9_Napoletano.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cristiano May<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Famous_Neapolitan_language_expressions\"><\/span>Famous Neapolitan language expressions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>There are hundreds of idioms in the Neapolitan language, but here are five phrases you might see when in Naples.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong><em>Vide Napule e po&#8217; muore<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; Literally \u201csee Naples, then die\u201d, this idiom is used to mean that once you\u2019ve seen the beauty of Naples, you can die happy.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong><em>Staje senza pensier\u2019<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; Don\u2019t worry about it.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong><em>C\u2019a\u2019 maronn t\u2019accumpagn<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; May Mother Mary be with you (basically, good luck).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong><em>Adda pass\u00e0 \u2018a nuttata <\/em><\/strong>&#8211; Literally \u201cThe night has to pass\u201d, it means that night needs to pass before you can see the day.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong><em>\u00d2gne scarraf\u00f3ne \u00e8 bb\u00e8llo \u2018a m\u00e0mma s\u00f3ia<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; This hilarious idiom means \u201cevery cockroach is beautiful to its mother\u201d. It\u2019s used when someone is exaggerating another\u2019s beauty.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong><em>Cc\u00e0 nisciuno \u00e8 fesso<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; Here, no one\u2019s stupid. It means people in Naples know how to get around and to not get tricked.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>All Neapolitans have their own favorites, though. If you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.takewalks.com\/naples-tours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tour guide in Naples<\/a>, don\u2019t be afraid to ask them about the proverbs they love.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The Neapolitan language, <em>o\u2019 nnapulitano<\/em>, has a rich history that\u2019s been sparking curiosity in recent times for the study and preservation of the language. Before traveling there, check out some of the Neapolitan music, TV shows, or books like Elena Ferrante\u2019s trilogy to get in the cultural mood. Plus, learning a few phrases and the history of Neapolitan will help you have a richer experience in the chaotic, beautiful, unique city. <em>C\u2019a\u2019 maronn t\u2019accumpagn!<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cNaples is not Italy.\u201d This is something you\u2019ll hear from Neapolitans and Italians alike. Neapolitans are not afraid to declare their cultural uniqueness, and that extends to their city\u2019s language. The Neapolitan language, called Nnapulitano, is so strong in the region that it has its own sub-regional dialects. Although Nnapulitano has always been spoken in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":20282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[71,260,261],"ppma_author":[177],"class_list":["post-21633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-naples","tag-naples-language","tag-neopolitian-language"],"authors":[{"term_id":177,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"chelsea-newman","display_name":"Chelsea Newman","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ChelseaNewmanBioPhotoDevour-1.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ChelseaNewmanBioPhotoDevour-1.jpg"},"user_url":"","last_name":"Newman","first_name":"Chelsea","job_title":"","description":"Chelsea has lived in Naples for five years and is deeply embedded in the community, volunteering frequently with local groups to improve the city they call home. Chelsea speaks some Neapolitan as well as fluent Italian. (Yes, Naples has its own language!) They have a deep appreciation for the simple pleasures of the city \u2013 a strong espresso in the morning, chaotic open air markets, the smell of the seaside, and, of course, a fantastic pizza."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21633"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21633"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21778,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21633\/revisions\/21778"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21633"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=21633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}