Editing Neapolitan language

{{Short description|Italo-Romance language spoken in Italy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Refimprove|date=August 2015}}
{{Expert needed|Italy|ex2=languages|reason=Verification and expansion are needed, especially using sources that may not be well-known to non-experts|date=September 2019}}
{{split|Neapolitan language|Southern Italian dialects|Neapolitan dialect|date=December 2020|discuss=Talk:Neapolitan language#A bit confusing}}
{{Expand Italian|Lingua napoletana|topic=cult|date=October 2024}}
}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Neapolitan
| nativename       = {{langx|nap|napulitano|label=none}}
| states           = [[Italy]]
| region           = [[Campania]]
| ethnicity        = ''[[Mezzogiorno]]'' [[Italians]]
| speakers         = 5.7 million
| date             = 2002
| ref              = e18
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Italic languages|Italic]]
| fam3             = [[Latino-Faliscan languages|Latino-Faliscan]]
| fam4             = [[Latin]]ic
| fam5             = [[Romance languages|Romance]]
| fam6             = [[Italo-Western languages|Italo-Western]]
| fam7             = [[Italo-Dalmatian languages|Italo-Dalmatian]]
| fam8             = [[Italo-Dalmatian languages#Italo-Romance|Italo-Romance]]
| fam9             = [[Italo-Dalmatian languages#Southern Italo-Romance|Intermediate Southern Italian]]
| dia1             = [[Arianese dialect|Arianese]]
| dia2             = [[Barese dialect|Barese]]
| dia3             = [[Benevento dialect|Benevento]]
| dia4             = [[Cilentan dialect|Cilentan]]
| dia5             = [[Irpinian dialect|Irpinian]]
| dia6             = [[Molisan]]
| dia7             = [[Tarantino dialect|Tarantino]]
| dia8             = [[Southern Latian dialect|Southern Latian]]
| dia9             = [[Vastese]]
| dia10            = [[Castelmezzano dialect|Castelmezzano]]
| dia11            = [[Languages of Calabria#Northern Calabrian (Cosentian)|Cosentian]]
| iso2             = nap
| iso3             = nap
| glotto           = neap1235
| glottorefname    = Continental Southern Italian
| glottoname       = Continental Southern Italian
| glotto2          = sout3126
| glottorefname2   = South Lucanian
| glottoname2      = South Lucanian = <code>(Vd)</code> Lausberg
| map              = Neapolitan_languages-it.svg
| mapcaption       = Southern Italo-Romance languages
| map2             = Romance_languages.png
| mapcaption2      = Neapolitan as part of the European Romance languages{{image reference needed|date=November 2022}}
}}

'''Neapolitan''' ([[Exonym and endonym|autonym]]: {{lang|nap|('o n)napulitano}} {{IPA|nap|(o n)napuliˈtɑːnə|}}; {{langx|it|napoletano}}) is a [[Romance language]] of the [[Italo-Romance languages|Italo-Romance group]] spoken in most of continental [[Southern Italy]]. It is named after the [[Kingdom of Naples]], which once covered most of the area, and the city of [[Naples]] was its capital. On 14 October 2008, a law by the Region of [[Campania]] stated that Neapolitan was to be protected.<ref name=denaro>[http://www.denaro.it/VisArticolo.aspx?IdArt=548026 "Tutela del dialetto, primo via libera al Ddl campano"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727043316/http://www.denaro.it/VisArticolo.aspx?IdArt=548026 |date=27 July 2011 }} ("Bill to protect dialect green-lighted") from ''Il Denaro'', economic journal of South Italy, 15 October 2008 Re Franceschiello. L'ultimo sovrano delle Due Sicilie</ref>

While the language group is native to much of continental Southern Italy or the former Kingdom of Naples, the terms  ''Neapolitan'', ''napulitano'' or ''napoletano'' may also instead refer more narrowly to the specific [[variety (linguistics)|variety]] spoken natively in the city of Naples and the immediately surrounding [[Naples metropolitan area]] and Campania region. The present article mostly deals with this variety, which enjoys a certain degree of [[prestige (linguistics)|prestige]] and has historically wide written attestations.<ref>Ledgeway, Adam. 2009. ''Grammatica diacronica del napoletano''. Tübingen: Max Niemeyer Verlag, pp. 3, 13-15</ref><ref>Radtke, Edgar. 1997. ''I dialetti della Campania''. Roma: Il Calamo. pp. 39ff</ref>

== Distribution ==
[[File:WIKITONGUES- Foffo speaking Neapolitan.webm|thumb|A Neapolitan speaker, recorded in [[Italy]]]]
[[File:Maria_Flora_nella_canzone_%27O_pisciavinolo_-_1895.jpg|thumb|1895 song in Neapolitan.]]
Largely due to massive Southern Italian migration in the late 19th century and 20th century, there are also a number of Neapolitan speakers in [[Italian diaspora]] communities in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[Brazil]], [[Argentina]], [[Uruguay]], [[Mexico]], and [[Venezuela]]{{Citation needed|date=September 2023|reason=no inline citation}}. However, in the United States, traditional Neapolitan has had considerable contact with [[English language|English]] and the [[Sicilian language]]s spoken by Sicilian and Calabrian immigrants living alongside Neapolitan-speaking immigrants and so the Neapolitan in the US is now significantly different from the contemporary Neapolitan spoken in [[Naples]]{{Citation needed|date=September 2023|reason=no inline citation}}. English words are often used in place of Neapolitan words, especially among second-generation speakers{{Citation needed|date=September 2023|reason=no inline citation}}. On the other hand, the effect of [[Standard Italian]] on Neapolitan in Italy has been similar because of the increasing displacement of Neapolitan by Standard Italian in daily speech{{Citation needed|date=September 2023|reason=no inline citation}}.

== Classification ==
[[File:Giambattista Basile.jpg|thumb|[[Giambattista Basile]] (1566–1632), author of a [[Pentamerone|collection of fairy tales]] in Neapolitan that includes the earliest known versions of ''[[Rapunzel]]'' and ''[[Cinderella]]'']]
Neapolitan is a [[Romance language]] and is considered as part of Southern Italo-Romance. There are notable differences among the various dialects, but they are all generally mutually intelligible.

[[Italian language|Italian]] and Neapolitan are of variable mutual comprehensibility, depending on affective and linguistic factors. There are notable grammatical differences, such as Neapolitan having nouns in the neuter form and a unique plural formation, as well as historical phonological developments, which often obscure the cognacy of lexical items.

Its evolution has been similar to that of Italian and other Romance languages from their roots in [[Vulgar Latin]]. It may reflect a pre-Latin [[Oscan language|Oscan]] [[Stratum (linguistics)#Substratum|substratum]], as in the pronunciation of the ''d'' sound as an ''r'' sound ([[rhotacism (sound change)|rhotacism]]) at the beginning of a word or between two vowels: e.g. ''doje'' (feminine) or ''duje'' (masculine), meaning "two", is pronounced, and often spelled, as ''roje''/''ruje''; ''vedé'' ("to see") as ''veré'', and often spelled so; also ''cadé''/''caré'' ("to fall") and ''[[Mary, mother of Jesus|Madonna]]''/''Maronna''.<ref name="sornicola">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Campania |encyclopedia=The dialects of Italy |year=2006 |last=Sornicola |first=Rosanna |author-link=Rosanna Sornicola |editor1-last=Maiden |editor1-first=Martin |editor2-last=Parry |editor2-first=Mair |publisher=Routledge |location=London |url=http://wpage.unina.it/sornicol/Articoli/Campania.pdf |access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref> Another purported Oscan influence is the historical assimilation of the consonant cluster {{IPA|/nd/}} as {{IPA|/nn/}}, pronounced {{IPA|[nː]}} (this is generally reflected in spelling more consistently: {{Wikt-lang|nap|munno}} vs Italian {{Wikt-lang|it|mondo}} "world"; {{Wikt-lang|nap|quanno}} vs Italian {{Wikt-lang|it|quando}} "when"), along with the development of {{IPA|/mb/}} as {{IPA|/mm/}}~{{IPA|[mː]}} ({{Wikt-lang|nap|tammuro}} vs Italian {{Wikt-lang|it|tamburo}} "drum"), also consistently reflected in spelling. Other effects of the Oscan [[Substrata (linguistics)|substratum]] are postulated, but substratum claims are highly controversial. As in many other languages in the [[Italian Peninsula]], Neapolitan has an [[Stratum (linguistics)#Adstratum|adstratum]] greatly influenced by other [[Romance languages]] ([[Catalan language|Catalan]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[Franco-Provençal]] above all), [[Germanic languages]] and [[Greek language|Greek]] (both ancient and modern). The language had never been standardised, and the word for ''tree'' has three different spellings: {{Wikt-lang|nap|arbero}}, {{Wikt-lang|nap|arvero}} and {{Wikt-lang|nap|àvaro}}.

Neapolitan has enjoyed a rich literary, [[Neapolitan music|musical]] and theatrical history (notably [[Giambattista Basile]], [[Eduardo Scarpetta]], his son [[Eduardo De Filippo]], [[Salvatore Di Giacomo]] and [[Totò]]). Thanks to this heritage and the musical work of [[Renato Carosone]] in the 1950s, Neapolitan is still in use in popular music, even gaining national popularity in the songs of [[Pino Daniele]] and the [[Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare]].

The language has no official status within Italy and is not taught in schools. The [[University of Naples Federico II]] offers (from 2003) courses in Campanian Dialectology at the faculty of Sociology, whose actual aim is not to teach students to speak the language but to study its history, usage, literature and social role. There are also ongoing legislative attempts at the national level to have it recognized as an official [[minority language]] of Italy. It is a recognized [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]] 639 Joint Advisory Committee language with the [[ISO 639-3]] language code of ''nap''.

Here is the [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] pronunciation of the Neapolitan spoken in the city of Naples:

{| class="wikitable"
! [[The Lord's Prayer#English versions|English]]
! Neapolitan (standard)
! Neapolitan (diacritics){{efn|name=diaeresis}}
! IPA

|-
| Our Father who art in heaven,
| {{lang|nap|Pate nuoste ca staje 'n cielo,}}
| {{lang|nap|Patë nuóstë ca stajë 'n ciélö,}}
| {{IPA|nap|ˈpɑːtə ˈnwostə ka ˈstɑːjə nˈdʒjeːlə|}}
|-
| hallowed be thy name
| {{lang|nap|santificammo 'o nomme tuojo.}}
| {{lang|nap|santificammö 'o nommë tuójö.}}
| {{IPA|nap|sandifiˈkamm(ə) o ˈnommə ˈtwoːjə|}}
|-
| Thy kingdom come,
| {{lang|nap|Faje veni' 'o regno tuojo,}}
| {{lang|nap|Fajë vëni' 'o régnö tuójö,}}
| {{IPA|nap|ˈfɑːjə vəˈni o ˈrɛɲɲə ˈtwoːjə|}}
|-
| Thy will be done,
| {{lang|nap|sempe c'a vuluntà toja,}}
| {{lang|nap|sèmpë c'a vuluntà tójä,}}
| {{IPA|nap|ˈsɛmbə ˈkɑ: vulunˈda (t)ˈtɔːjə|}}
|-
| on earth as it is in heaven.
| {{lang|nap|accussì 'n cielo, accussì 'n terra.}}
| {{lang|nap|accussì 'n ciélö, accussì 'n terrä.}}
| {{IPA|nap|akkusˈsi nˈdʒjeːlə akkusˈsi nˈdɛrrə|}}
|-
| Give us this day our daily bread
| {{lang|nap|Fance ave' 'o pane tutte 'e juorne,}}
| {{lang|nap|Fancë ave' 'o panë tuttë 'e juórnë,}}
| {{IPA|nap|ˈfandʒ aˈve o pˈpɑːnə ˈtutt e ˈjwornə|}}
|-
| and forgive us our trespasses
| {{lang|nap|e liévace 'e riébbete}}
| {{lang|nap|e liéväcë 'e riébbëtë}}
| {{IPA|nap|e lˈljeːvəʃ(ə) e ˈrjebbətə|}}
|-
| as we forgive those who trespass against us,
| {{lang|nap|cumme nuje 'e luvamme all'ate.}}
| {{lang|nap|cummë nujë 'e luvàmmë all'atë.}}
| {{IPA|nap|ˈkummə ˈnuːjə e lluwammə alˈlɑːtə|}}
|-
| and lead us not into temptation,
| {{lang|nap|Nun ce fa' spanteca',}}
| {{lang|nap|Nun cë fa' spantëca',}}
| {{IPA|nap|nun dʒə ˈfa ʃpandəˈka|}}
|-
| but deliver us from evil.
| {{lang|nap|e liévace 'o male 'a tuorno.}}
| {{lang|nap|e liéväcë 'o malë 'a tuórnö.}}
| {{IPA|nap|e lˈljeːvəʃ(ə) o mˈmɑːl(ə) a ˈtwornə|}}
|-
| Amen.
| {{lang|nap|Ammèn.}}
| {{lang|nap|Ammèn.}}
| {{IPA|nap|amˈmɛnn(ə)|}}
|}

== Alphabet and pronunciation ==
Neapolitan orthography consists of 22 [[Latin alphabet|Latin]] letters. Much like [[Italian orthography]], it does not contain ''k,'' ''w,'' ''x,'' or ''y'' even though these letters might be found in some foreign words; unlike Italian, it does contain the letter ''j''. The following English pronunciation guidelines are based on [[General American]] pronunciation, and the values used may not apply to other dialects. (See also: [[International Phonetic Alphabet chart for English dialects]].)

All Romance languages are closely related. Although Neapolitan shares a high degree of its vocabulary with Italian, the official language of Italy, differences in pronunciation can make the connection unrecognizable to those without knowledge of Neapolitan. The most striking{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} phonological difference is the Neapolitan weakening of unstressed vowels into [[schwa]] (''schwa'' is pronounced like the ''a'' in ''about'' or the ''u'' in ''upon'').{{efn|name=diaeresis|In recent studies on Neapolitan variants in Campania, there has been a tendency to mark vowels pronounced as [[schwa]] ⟨ə⟩ with [[diaeresis (diacritic)|diaeresis]] ('''{{serif|{{char|◌̈}}}}'''). While it may help novice speakers, it is not an established trait of the Neapolitan orthography.}} However, it is also possible (and quite common for some Neapolitans) to speak standard Italian with a "Neapolitan accent"; that is, by pronouncing un-stressed vowels as schwa or by pronouncing the letter s as {{IPAblink|ʃ}} (like the ''sh'' in ''ship'') instead of {{IPAblink|s}} (like the ''s'' in ''sea'' or the ''ss'' in ''pass'') when the letter representing {{IPAslink|s}} is in initial position followed by a consonant, but not when it is followed by a dental occlusive {{IPAslink|t̪|t}} or {{IPAslink|d̪|d}} (at least in the purest form of the language) but by otherwise using the vocabulary and grammatical forms of Italian.

Therefore, while pronunciation presents the strongest barrier to comprehension{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}, the grammar of Neapolitan is what sets it apart from Italian. In Neapolitan, for example, the gender and number of a word is expressed by a change in the accented vowel because it no longer distinguishes final unstressed {{IPAslink|a}}, {{IPAslink|e}} and {{IPAslink|o}} (e.g. ''l'''uo'''ngo'' {{IPA|nap|ˈlwoŋɡə|}}, ''l'''o'''nga'' {{IPA|nap|ˈloŋɡə|}}; Italian ''lung'''o''''', ''lung'''a'''''; masc. "long", fem. "long"), whereas in Italian it is expressed by a change in the final vowel. These and other morpho-syntactic differences distinguish the Neapolitan language from the Italian language and the Neapolitan accent.

Neapolitan has had a significant influence on the intonation of [[Rioplatense Spanish]] spoken in [[Buenos Aires]] and the [[Buenos Aires Province|surrounding region]] of [[Argentina]] and in the entire country of [[Uruguay]].<ref>Colantoni, Laura, and Jorge Gurlekian.[http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=43F6CF4CEB6223AA2ED40C7926999F70.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=236145 "Convergence and intonation: historical evidence from Buenos Aires Spanish"], ''Bilingualism: Language and Cognition'', Volume 7, Issue 02, August 2004, pp. 107–119, Cambridge Journals Online</ref>

=== Vowels ===
While there are only five graphic vowels in Neapolitan, phonemically, there are eight. Stressed vowels {{lang|nap|e}} and {{lang|nap|o}} can be either "[[Close vowel|closed]]" or "[[Open vowel|open]]" and the pronunciation is different for the two. The grave accent ({{lang|nap|à}}, {{lang|nap|è}}, {{lang|nap|ò}}) is used to denote open vowels, and the acute accent ({{lang|nap|é}}, {{lang|nap|í}}, {{lang|nap|ó}}, {{lang|nap|ú}}) is used to denote closed vowels, with alternative {{lang|nap|ì}} and {{lang|nap|ù}}. However, accent marks are not commonly used in the actual spelling of words except when they occur on the final syllable of a word, such as {{lang|nap|Totò}}, {{lang|nap|arrivà}}, or {{lang|nap|pecché}}, and when they appear here in other positions, it is only to demonstrate where the stress, or accent, falls in some words. Also, the [[circumflex]] is used to mark a long vowel where it would not normally occur (e.g. {{lang|nap|sî}} "you are").
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Vowels
!
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
! [[Central vowel|Central]]
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[High vowel|High]]
| {{IPA link|i}}
|
| {{IPA link|u}}
|-
! [[High-mid]]
| {{IPA link|e}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA link|ə}}
| {{IPA link|o}}
|-
! [[Low-mid]]
| {{IPA link|ɛ}}
| {{IPA link|ɔ}}
|-
! [[Low vowel|Low]]
|
| colspan="2" |{{IPA link|a}}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Letter
! [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
! Pronunciation guide
|-
| {{lang|nap|a}}
| {{IPAslink|ä|a}}~{{IPAblink|ɑ}}<br />{{IPAslink|ə}}
| ''a'' is usually [[Open vowel|open]] and is pronounced like the ''a'' in ''father''<br />when it is the final, unstressed vowel, its pronunciation is indistinct and approaches the sound of the ''schwa''
|-
| {{lang|nap|e}}
| {{IPAslink|ɛ}}<br />{{IPAslink|e}}<br />{{IPA|/ə/}}
| stressed, open ''e'' is pronounced like the ''e'' in ''bet''<br />stressed, closed ''e'' is pronounced like the ''a'' in ''fame'' except that it does not die off into ''ee''<br />unstressed ''e'' is pronounced as a ''schwa''
|-
| {{lang|nap|o}}
| {{IPAslink|ɔ}}<br />{{IPAslink|o}}<br />{{IPA|/ə/}}
| stressed, open ''o'' is pronounced like the ''o'' in ''often''<br />stressed, closed ''o'' is pronounced like the ''o'' in ''closed'' except that it does not die off into ''oo''<br />unstressed ''o'' is pronounced as a ''schwa''
|-
| {{lang|nap|i}}
| {{IPAslink|i}}<br />{{IPAslink|j}}
| ''i'' is always closed and is pronounced like the ''ee'' in ''meet''<br />when it is initial, or preceding another vowel
|-
| {{lang|nap|u}}
| {{IPAslink|u}}<br />{{IPAslink|w}}
| ''u'' is always closed and is pronounced like the ''oo'' in ''boot''<br />when it is initial, or preceding another vowel
|}

=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" | [[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! colspan="2" |[[Dental consonant|Dental]]/[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! rowspan="2" | [[Postalveolar consonant|Post-<br />alveolar]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! rowspan="2" | [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
! {{Small|central}}
! {{Small|[[sibilant]]}}
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n}}
|
|
| {{IPA link|ɲ}}
| ({{IPA link|ŋ}})
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Stop consonant|Plosive]]/<br />[[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
! {{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
| {{IPA link|p}}
| {{IPA link|t}}
| {{IPA link|t͡s}}
| {{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}
|
| {{IPA link|k}}
|-
! {{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
| {{IPA link|b}}
| {{IPA link|d}}
| ({{IPA link|d͡z}})
| {{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}
|
| {{IPA link|ɡ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
! {{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
| {{IPA link|f}}
|
| {{IPA link|s}}
| {{IPA link|ʃ}}
|
|
|-
! {{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
| {{IPA link|v}}
|
| ({{IPA link|z}})|| ({{IPA link|ʒ}})
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA link|ʎ}}||
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
|
| {{IPA link|l}}
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
| {{IPA link|w}}
|
|
|
| {{IPA link|j}}
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Trill consonant|Trill]]/[[Tap consonant|Tap]]
|
| {{IPA link|r}} ~ {{IPA link|ɾ}}
|
|
|
|
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Letter
! [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
! Pronunciation guide
|-
| ''p''
| {{IPAslink|p}}<br />{{IPA|[b]}}
| pronounced the same as the ''p'' in English ''spill'' (not as the ''p'' in ''pill'', which is aspirated)<br />voiced after ''m''
|-
| ''b''
| {{IPAslink|b}}
| pronounced the same as in English, always [[gemination|geminated]] when preceded by another vowel
|-
| ''t''
| {{IPAslink|t̪|t}}<br />{{IPA|[d]}}
| dental version of the English ''t'' as in ''state'' (not as the ''t'' in ''tool'', which is aspirated)<br />voiced after ''n''
|-
| ''d''
| {{IPAslink|d̪|d}}
| [[Dental consonant|dental]] version of the English ''d''
|-
| ''c''
| {{IPAslink|t͡ʃ}}~{{IPAblink|ʃ}}<br />{{IPAblink|d͡ʒ}}<br />{{IPAslink|k}}<br />{{IPAblink|ɡ}}
| when followed by ''e'' or ''i'' the pronunciation is somewhere between the ''sh'' in ''share'' and the ''ch'' in ''chore'', especially after a vowel<br />otherwise it is like the ''k'' in ''skip'' (not like the ''c'' in ''call'', which is [[Aspiration (phonetics)|aspirated]])<br />in both cases [[voiced consonant|voiced]] after ''n''
|-
| ''g''
| {{IPA|/d͡ʒ/}},<br />{{IPA|/ɡ/}}
| when followed by ''e'' or ''i'' the pronunciation is like the ''g'' of ''German'', always geminated when preceded by another vowel<br />otherwise it is like the ''g'' in ''gum''
|-
| ''f''
| {{IPAslink|f}}
| pronounced the same as in English
|-
| ''v''
| {{IPAslink|v}}
| pronounced the same as in English
|-
| rowspan="2" | ''s''
| {{IPAslink|s}}<br />{{IPAblink|d͡z}}<br />{{IPAblink|z}}
| pronounced the same as in English ''sound'' unless it comes before a consonant other than {{IPA|/t d n r l/}}<br />pronounced as ''ds'' in ''lads'' after ''n''<br />pronounced as English ''z'' before ''d'' or after ''n''
|-
| {{IPA|/ʃ/}}<br />{{IPAblink|ʒ}}<ref name="MdF">{{Citation |first=Luciano |last=Canepari |author-link=Luciano Canepari |series=Manuale di fonetica |title=Italia |year=2005 |pages=282–283 |publisher=Lincom Europa |isbn=3-89586-456-0 |url=http://venus.unive.it/canipa/pdf/MFo_16_Italia.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606222954/http://venus.unive.it/canipa/pdf/MFo_16_Italia.pdf |archive-date=6 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }} (in [[Italian language|Italian]])</ref>
| pronounced ''sh'' when followed by a voiceless consonant (except {{IPA|/t/}})<br />''zh'' when followed by a voiced consonant (except {{IPA|/n d r l/}})
|-
| ''z''
| {{IPAslink|t͡s}}<br />{{IPA|[d͡z]}}
| unvoiced ''z'' (not occurring after ''n'') is pronounced like the ''ts'' in ''jetsam''<br />voiced ''z'' is pronounced like the ''ds'' in ''lads'' after ''n''
|-
| ''j''
| {{IPAslink|j}}
| referred to as a [[semi-consonant]], is pronounced like English ''y'' as in ''yet''
|-
| ''l''
| {{IPAslink|l}}
| pronounced the same as in English
|-
| ''m''
| {{IPAslink|m}}
| pronounced the same as in English
|-
| ''n''
| {{IPAslink|n}}
| pronounced the same as in English; if followed by a consonant, it variously changes its [[point of articulation]]
|-
| ''r''
| {{IPAslink|r}}~{{IPAblink|ɾ}}
| when between two vowels it sounds very much like the American ''tt'' in ''butter'' but in reality it is a single tic of a trilled ''r''<br />when at the beginning of a word or when preceded by or followed by another consonant, it is trilled
|-
| ''q''
| {{IPA|/k{{IPAplink|ʷ}}/}}
| represented by orthographic ''qu'', pronounced the same as in English
|-
| ''h''
|
| ''h'' is always silent and is only used to differentiate words pronounced the same and otherwise spelled alike (e.g. ''a'', ''ha''; ''anno'', ''hanno'')<br />and after ''g'' or ''c'' to preserve the hard sound when ''e'' or ''i'' follows (e.g. ''ce'', ''che''; ''gi'', ''ghi'')
|-
| ''x''
| {{IPA|/k(ə)s/}}
| pronounced like the ''cks'' in ''backs'' or like the ''cchus'' in ''[[Bacchus]]''; this consonant sequence does not occur in native Neapolitan or Italian words
|}

=== Digraphs and trigraphs ===
The following clusters are always [[gemination|geminated]] if vowel-following.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Letter
! [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
! Pronunciation Guide
|-
| ''gn''
| {{IPAslink|ɲ}}
| [[Palatal consonant|palatal]] version of the ''ni'' in the English ''onion''
|-
| ''gl(i)''
| {{IPAslink|ʎ}}~{{IPAblink|ʝ}}
| palatal version of the ''lli'' in the English ''million'', most commonly realized like a strong version of ''y'' in the English ''yes''.
|-
| ''sc''
| {{IPAslink|ʃ}}
| when followed by ''e'' or ''i'' it is pronounced as the ''sh'' in the English ''ship''
|}

== Grammar ==
[[File:Carnevale_Scampia_01.jpg|thumb|Neapolitan text at the Scampìa Carnival; note the definite article {{lang|nap|'o}}.]]

=== Definite articles ===
The Neapolitan classical [[definite article]]s (corresponding to the English word "the") are {{lang|nap|’a}} (feminine singular), {{lang|nap|’o}} (masculine singular) and {{lang|nap|’e}} (plural for both). They are traditionally spelled with the apostrophe to signify the elided sound {{lang|nap|l}}.

Before a word beginning with a consonant:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! Singular
! Plural
|-
| '''Masculine'''
| {{lang|nap|’o}}
| {{lang|nap|’e}}
|-
| '''Feminine'''
| {{lang|nap|’a}}
| {{lang|nap|’e}} C:
|-
| '''Neuter'''
| {{lang|nap|’o}} C:
| ∅
|}
"C:" = the initial consonant of the following word is [[Gemination|geminated]] if followed by a vowel.

These definite articles are always pronounced distinctly.

Before a word beginning with a vowel, {{lang|nap|l’}} or {{lang|nap|ll’}} are used 
for both masculine and feminine, singular and plural. Although both forms can be found, the {{lang|nap|ll’}} form is by far the most common.

In Neapolitan, the [[Grammatical gender|gender]] of a noun is not easily determined by the article, so other means must be used.  In the case of {{lang|nap|’o}}, which can be either masculine singular or neuter singular (there is no neuter plural in Neapolitan), the initial consonant of the noun is doubled when it is neuter.  For example, the name of a language in Neapolitan is always neuter, so if we see {{lang|nap|’o nnapulitano}} we know it refers to the Neapolitan language, whereas {{lang|nap|’o napulitano}} would refer to a Neapolitan man.

Likewise, since {{lang|nap|’e}} can be either masculine or feminine plural, when it is feminine plural, the initial consonant of the noun is doubled.  For example, consider {{lang|nap|’a lista}}, which in Neapolitan is feminine singular, meaning "the list".  In the plural, it becomes {{lang|nap|’e lliste}}.

There can also be problems with nouns whose singular form ends in {{lang|nap|e}}.  Since plural nouns usually end in {{lang|nap|e}} whether masculine or feminine, the masculine plural is often signaled orthographically, that is, by altering the spelling.  As an example, consider the word {{lang|nap|guaglione}}, which means "boy" or (in the feminine form) "girl":

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! Singular
! Plural
|-
| '''Masculine'''
| {{lang|nap|’o guaglione}}
| {{lang|nap|’e guagliune}}
|-
| '''Feminine'''
| {{lang|nap|’a guagliona}}
| {{lang|nap|’e gguaglione}}
|}

More will be said about these orthographically changing nouns in the section on Neapolitan nouns.

A couple of notes about consonant doubling:

*Doubling is a function of the article (and certain other words), and these same words may be seen in other contexts without the consonant doubled.  More will be said about this in the section on consonant doubling.
*Doubling only occurs when a vowel follows the consonant.  No doubling occurs if it is followed by another consonant, such as in the word ''spagnuolo (Spanish)''.

=== Indefinite articles ===
The Neapolitan indefinite articles, corresponding to the English ''a'' or ''an'', are presented in the following table:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! Masculine
! Feminine
|-
| '''Before words beginning with a consonant'''
| {{lang|nap|nu}}
| {{lang|nap|na}}
|-
| '''Before words beginning with a vowel'''
| colspan="2" | {{lang|nap|n’}}
|}

=== Verbal conjugation ===
In Neapolitan there are four finite moods: [[indicative mood|indicative]], [[subjunctive mood|subjunctive]], [[conditional mood|conditional]] and [[imperative mood|imperative]], and three non-finite modes: [[infinitive]], [[gerund]] and [[participle]]. Each mood has an [[active voice|active]] and a [[passive voice|passive]] form. The only auxiliary verbs used in the active form is {{Wikt-lang|nap|avé|(h)avé}} (Eng. "to have", It. {{lang|it|avere}}), which contrasts with Italian, in which the intransitive and reflexive verbs take {{lang|nap|èssere}} for their auxiliary. For example, we have:

;Neapolitan
{{interlinear|lang1=nap|
|Aggio stato a Napule ajere.
|AUX.have.1SG.PRES be.PTCP.PAST in Naples yesterday
|I was in Naples yesterday.}}

;Italian
{{interlinear|lang=it
|Sono stato a Napoli ieri.
|AUX.be.1S.PRES be.PTCP.PAST in Naples yesterday
|I was in Naples yesterday.}}

=== Doubled initial consonants ===
In Neapolitan, many times the initial consonant of a word is doubled.  This is called [[syntactic gemination]] (''[[raddoppiamento sintattico]]'' in Italian). This linguistic phenomenon occurs also in Italian and in Finnish.
* All feminine plural nouns, preceded by the feminine plural definite article, {{lang|nap|’e}}, or any feminine plural adjective, have their initial consonant doubled.
* All neuter singular nouns, when preceded by the neuter singular definite article, {{lang|nap|’o}}, or by a neuter singular adjective, have their initial consonant doubled.
* In addition, other words also trigger this doubling. Below is a list of words that trigger the doubling of the initial consonant of the following word.
However, when there is a pause after the "trigger" word, the phonological doubling does not occur (e.g. {{lang|nap|tu sî (g)guaglione}}, "You are a boy", where {{lang|nap|sî}} is a "trigger" word causing doubling of the initial consonant in {{lang|nap|guaglione}}, but in the phrase {{lang|nap|’e do sî, guaglió?}} "Where are you from, boy?", no doubling occurs. Neither does doubling occur when the initial consonant is followed by another consonant (other than {{lang|nap|l}} or {{lang|nap|r}}), e.g. {{lang|nap|’o ttaliano}} "the Italian language", but {{lang|nap|’o spagnuolo}} "the Spanish language", where {{lang|nap|’o}} is the neuter definite article).
This doubling phenomenon happens phonologically (in pronunciation), and the doubling is not always represented in spelling. However, many Neapolitan-language editions do represent syntactic gemination in writing, resulting in many words spelled with initial double consonants. So, {{lang|nap|je so’ pazzo}} ("I am crazy") may also be spelled {{lang|nap|je so’ ppazzo}} (regardless of the spelling, it is pronounced with syntactic gemination). In Italian and Finnish, syntactic gemination is not reflected in writing.

==== Words that trigger doubling in pronunciation ====
[[File:Viola Carofalo.jpg|thumb|[[Viola Carofalo]] wearing a T-shirt with Neapolitan {{lang|nap|je so’ pazzo}} ("I am crazy.")]]

* The conjunctions '''{{lang|nap|e}}''' and '''{{lang|nap|né}}''' but not '''{{lang|nap|o}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|pane e (c)caso}}; {{lang|nap|né (p)pane né (c)caso}}; but {{lang|nap|pane o caso}})
* The prepositions '''{{lang|nap|a}}''', '''{{lang|nap|pe}}''', '''{{lang|nap|cu}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|a (m)me}}; {{lang|nap|pe (t)te}}; {{lang|nap|cu (v)vuje}})
* The negation '''{{lang|nap|nu}}''', short for {{lang|nap|nun}} (e.g. {{lang|nap|nu ddicere niente}})
* The indefinites '''{{lang|nap|ogne}}''', '''{{lang|nap|cocche}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|ogne (c)casa}}; {{lang|nap|cocche (c)cosa}})
* Interrogative '''{{lang|nap|che}}''' and relative '''{{lang|nap|che}}''' but not '''{{lang|nap|ca}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|che (p)piense?}} {{lang|nap|che (f)femmena!}} {{lang|nap|che (c)capa!}})
* '''{{lang|nap|accussí}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|accussí (b)bello}})
* From the verb "{{lang|nap|essere}}", '''{{lang|nap|so’}}'''; '''{{lang|nap|sî}}'''; '''{{lang|nap|è}}''' but not '''{{lang|nap|songo}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|je so’ (p)pazzo}}; {{lang|nap|tu sî (f)fesso}}; {{lang|nap|chella è (M)Maria}}; {{lang|nap|chilli so’ (c)cafune}} but {{lang|nap|chilli songo cafune}})
* '''{{lang|nap|chiú}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|chiú (p)poco}})
* The number '''{{lang|nap|tre}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|tre (s)segge}})
* The neuter definite article '''{{lang|nap|’o}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|’o (p)pane}}, but {{lang|nap|nu poco ’e pane}})
* The neuter pronoun '''{{lang|nap|’o}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|’o (t)tiene ’o (p)pane?}})
* Demonstrative adjectives '''{{lang|nap|chistu}}''' and '''{{lang|nap|chillu}}''' which refer to neuter nouns in indefinite quantities (e.g. {{lang|nap|chistu (f)fierro}}; {{lang|nap|chillu (p)pane}}) but not in definite quantities (e.g. {{lang|nap|Chistu fierro}}; {{lang|nap|chillu pane}})
* The feminine plural definite article '''{{lang|nap|’e}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|’e (s)segge}}; {{lang|nap|’e (g)guaglione}})
* The plural feminine pronoun '''{{lang|nap|’e}}''', e.g., {{lang|nap|’e (g)guaglione ’e (c)chiamme tu? "}}
* The plural masculine pronoun '''{{lang|nap|’e}}''' preceding a verb, but not when '''{{lang|nap|’e}}''' is an article; in {{lang|nap|’e guagliune ’e (c)chiamme tu?}}, the first {{lang|nap|'e}} is an article, so it does not trigger doubling; the second {{lang|nap|'e}} does trigger doubling because it is a masculine plural pronoun.
* The locative '''{{lang|nap|lloco}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|lloco (s)sotto}})
* From the verb {{lang|nap|stà}}: '''{{lang|nap|sto’}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|sto’ (p)parlanno}})
* From the verb {{lang|nap|puté}}: '''{{lang|nap|può}}'''; '''{{lang|nap|pô}}''' (e.g. {{lang|nap|isso pô (s)sapé}})
* Special case '''{{lang|nap|[[holy Spirit|Spiritu (S)Santo]]}}'''

== See also ==
{{Portal|Languages|Italy}}
* [[Languages of Italy]]
* [[Oscan language]]
* [[Sicilian language]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Additional sources ==
* {{cite book |last1=Iandolo |first1=Carlo |title=A lengua 'e Pulecenella: Grammatica napoletana |date=2001 |publisher=Franco Di Mauro |location=Sorrento |isbn=978-8885263710 |language=it}}
* {{cite book |last1=De Blasi |first1=Nicola |last2=Imperatore |first2=Luigi |title=Il napoletano parlato e scritto: Con note di grammatica storica |date=2001 |publisher=Dante & Descartes |location=Napoli |isbn=978-8888142050 |edition=2nd |language=it |trans-title=Written and Spoken Neapolitan: With Notes on Historic Grammar}}
* {{cite web |last1=Del Vecchio |first1=Emilano |title=Neapolitan: A Great Cultural Heritage |url=https://termcoord.eu/2014/07/neapolitan-great-cultural-heritage/ |publisher=[[Terminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament|TermCoord]] |date=3 July 2014}}
* {{cite web |last1=Verde |first1=Massimiliano |title=Consegnato il primo Certificato Europeo di Lingua Napoletana |url=https://www.napolitoday.it/eventi/consegnato-primo-certificato-europeo-lingua-napoletana.html |trans-title=Granted the first European Certificate of the Neapolitan language |website=NapoliToday |language=it |date=17 June 2017}} First Course of Neapolitan Language according to the QCER CEFR with the Patronage of City of Naples realized by Dr.Massimiliano Verde "Corso di Lingua e Cultura Napoletana" with a document of study in Neapolitan Language by Dr.Verde 
First public document in Neapolitan Language of the XXI century according to a text of Dr.Verde; the touristic Map of the III Municipality of Naples in Neapolitan Language:
* {{cite news |last1=Palmieri |first1=Paola |title=Napoli per turisti: arriva la prima mappa con info in napoletano e italiano! |url=https://grandenapoli.it/napoli-arriva-la-mappa-turistica-info-napoletano-italiano/ |work=Grandenapoli |date=22 June 2017 |language=it |trans-title=Naples for tourists: Released the first map with text in Neapolitan and Italian!}}
* {{cite news |title=A Napoli nasce la prima mappa turistica con info in italiano e napoletano |url=https://www.vesuviolive.it/ultime-notizie/202855-napoli-nasce-la-mappa-turistica-info-italiano-napoletano/ |work=Vesuvio Live |date=21 June 2017 |language=it}}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links|auto=1|d=Q33845|wikt=Neapolitan|b=Neapolitan|s=nap:Main Page|iw=nap}}
*[http://www.napoli.com/viewarticolo.php?articolo=34942 Neapolitan recognized by UNESCO] {{in lang|it}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080621074948/http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/translation/Neapolitan/ Websters Online Dictionary Neapolitan–English]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051107211735/http://www.italica.rai.it/principali/lingua/bruni/mappe/mappe/f_dialetti.htm Interactive Map of languages in Italy]
*[http://www.sorrentoradio.com/ Neapolitan on-line radio station]
*[[wikt:it:Categoria:Parole in napoletano|Neapolitan glossary on Wiktionary]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20011006092632/http://www.lastoriadinapoli.it/vocab.asp Italian-Neapolitan searchable online dictionary]
*[http://starling.rinet.ru/cgi-bin/response.cgi?root=new100&morpho=0&basename=new100\ier\rom&first=0 Neapolitan basic lexicon at the Global Lexicostatistical Database]
*{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20121205043117/http://www.torreomnia.com/Testi/argenziano/dizionario/presentazione.htm Grammar primer and extensive vocabulary for the Neapolitan dialect of Torre del Greco]}}
*[https://www.napoletanita.it/ Neapolitan language and culture] {{in lang|it}}
*[https://langsci-press.org/catalog/book/16 Prosodic detail in Neapolitan Italian] by Francesco Cangemi. Berlin: Language Science Press. pp.&nbsp;187 Free download.
*[https://www.napolitoday.it/eventi/consegnato-primo-certificato-europeo-lingua-napoletana.html Consegnato il primo Certificato Europeo di Lingua Napoletana] {{in lang|it}}
*[https://www.vesuvioweb.com/it/wp-content/uploads/Salvatore-Argenziano-Grafia-e-Grammatica-Napoletana-vesuvioweb-2020.pdf Salvatore Argenziano. Il Dialetto Napoletano- Appunti di Grafia e Grammatica] {{in lang|it}}
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[[Category:Neapolitan language| ]]
[[Category:Languages of Campania]]
[[Category:Languages of Abruzzo]]
[[Category:Languages of Calabria]]
[[Category:Languages of Basilicata]]
[[Category:Languages of Lazio]]
[[Category:Languages of Apulia]]
[[Category:Languages of Molise]]