Neapolitan, also known as Intermediate Southern Italian, is a Romance language of the Italo-Dalmatian branch spoken in most of continental Southern Italy. It takes its name from the Kingdom of Naples, which once covered most of the area, and from the city of Naples, its capital. On 14 October 2008 a law by the Region of Campania recognized Neapolitan for protection. Within this atlas it is treated as a regional dialect and variety of Italian, though many linguists classify it as a separate Romance language in its own right.
Facts
Regionis a Romance language of the Italo-Dalmatian branch spoken in most of continental Southern Italy. 1 Speaker Communitythere are also a number of Neapolitan speakers in Italian diaspora communities in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, and Venezuela. 1 Distinguishing FeaturesThere 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. 1 Classification
Variety Kind Connections
Descends From
Neapolitan is a Southern Italo-Romance language that evolved from Vulgar Latin in parallel with Italian, not as a dialect derived from Italian itself.
Source Wikipedia: Neapolitan Language
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Neapolitan Language
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, opening definition clause
is a Romance language of the Italo-Dalmatian branch spoken in most of continental Southern Italy.
Distribution section, diaspora sentence
there are also a number of Neapolitan speakers in Italian diaspora communities in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, and Venezuela.
Classification section, grammatical-differences sentence
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.
Variety kind, Neapolitan entity page
Within this atlas it is treated as a regional dialect and variety of Italian, though many linguists classify it as a separate Romance language in its own right.
Descends From: Latin, Classification section
Its evolution has been similar to that of Italian and other Romance languages from their roots in Vulgar Latin.
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