29 letters: longest Italian word
52% Italian words contain between 7-12 letters
20% increase in length, from 19th century

A statistical analysis of 114,000 Italian words from several dictionaries revealed a new record for length–the 29-letter tongue twister is "esofagodermatodigiunoplastica."
Sounds as bad as it looks, referring to the complex surgery required after a patient’s esophagus and stomach have been removed. Probably won’t crop up in everyday conversation, but the 22-letter "internazionalizzazione" just might.
Egidio del Boca, from the Center for Lexicographic Studies in Vercelli, noted an increase in common word length compared to the 1800s, mostly due to new inventions. Among these are everyday items like the vacuum cleaner (aspirapolvere) the hair dryer (asciugacapelli) and farm equipment like the combine harvester (mietitrebbiatrice).
Superlatives were left out of the study, which is why the famous "precipitevolissimevolmente" (very hurriedly) doesn’t crop up.

Related resources:
Pronouce It Perfectly in Italian…
Get your stress on the right syllable & your diphthongs in order–with this book & audio pronunciation guide…

In a recent pr frenzy, Italians have been cleaning up their cities by changing the names to, well, clean them up. While most sound innocuous to all but non-native Italian speakers, no Bel Paese residents apparently want to declare they’re from a place that implies something about butts, bald people, loose women or excrement.On the left, the “offensive” monikers, on the right the new versions. Interesting to note the last two were considered so offensive the towns were simply incorporated into surrounding districts. The trend has led a number of several other cities to consider a name change: Amatrice (woman lover), Calvi (bald men), Fumaiolo (smoker), Testa di Gemella Occidentale (western twin head) and Troia (whore).

Corneto (sounds like ‘cuckhold’)= Tarquinia

Culagna (sounds like ‘butt’) Collagna

Merdago= (sounds like ‘shit’)Verdeg?

Cacavero (sounds like ‘true shit’)=Campoverde

Petescia (sounds like ‘fart’)=Turania

Porcile (lit. pig sty)= Belfiore

Scrofano (lit. sow, also derogative term meaning whore)=Sacrofano

Pidocchio (lit. flea)=Osteria del Gallo

Brusaporco (the pig part is eq. to ‘dirty old man’)=Castelminio

Merdassero (lit. if they were to shit, also imprecation something like ‘shit on them!’)= disappeared entirely

Merde=disappeared entirely

Understanding Italy’s real-estate culture can ease frustration while hunting for an apartment or vacation rental.
Our primer is by no means exhaustive, but should be helpful even if the search is conducted in English–if nothing else understanding why an apartment is considered "furnished" with only a kitchen.

The 2002 version of the authoritative Zingarelli dictionary is about 500 words richer than before–including loads of new expressions taken from English. A fan of live Internet conversations can now officially say “chattare,” while the person next to you on the train hunched over the cell phone typing an SMS is sending a “messaggino.” And the next time you’re in Italy remember you can now, with an appropriate rolling out of the vowels, use these terms without translating: FAQ, doggy-bag, lap dance, bipartisan, provider, video poker and aquagym.An unusual addition to Italy’s most widely-sold dictionary–the adjective “fantozziano” after film icon Ugo Fantozzi, symbol of the unlucky office worker. Fantozzi, played by actor Paolo Villaggio, is overworked, underpaid constantly humiliated by the Mega President and always thwarted in attempts to make good with the office sex pot.

For more on current Italian speak, try this reader-recommended book:
Dictionary of Italian Slang

While we heartily recommend memorizing verb tables and wine-filled conversation exchanges, there comes a time for good clean fun. Staffers have waded through the muck to pick some of the best plays on the Internet.

What you’ll need: a recent version of Flash, a speedy connection and a bit of patience to register.

www.paroleincrociate.it/cruciverba_5.htm
Advanced students will find this crossword in java a worthy test–but it does offer “cheat” functions by hitting the “letter” or “word” button. A new puzzle weekly, no registration required.

www.bandadellozecchino.rai.it/gioco/frame_giochi.htm
Mascot Furio leads players through a series of nature-related games aimed at kids, suitable for beginners/intermediate Italian students. Short registration required.

www.aenigmatica.it
Weekly current events quiz, jokes, and riddles. No registration required.

Trivia: As Seen on TV
On line versions of popular quiz shows.

www.quizshow.it
Current events/trivia quiz. Lengthy registration (with password emailed) and some bugs, but overall worthwhile.

www.passaparola.com
Hard to get past the “artistic cast” profiles (e.g. the scantily-clad starlets that make the show so popular) but hit the “gioca” button, get past the registration form to play this word game.

Related resources:
www.romacivica.net/girotondo/giochi_enigmistica.html
www.lasfinge.org
www.intelligiochi-com
www.mensa.it

A company in Gela (Caltanissetta) made headlines after spending a year trying to find a secretary able to speak and write standard Italian. Meic Service, a methane gas provider, placed ads in local papers but despite numerous candidates, none were able to meet the requirement. Exasperated director Maurizio Melfa asked the city government to lend a hand–through the local youth training program he hopes to find a suitable hire. Maybe dialects aren’t on the endangered list..

Related resources:
www.italiannetwork.it/lingua/manisto.htm
Appeal to save the Italian language, from the Associazione La Bella Lingua

“What you teach your son, you teach your grandson,” recites a Milanese proverb on a new site dedicated to keeping alive the local dialect.
Instead of despairing about the disappearing dialect and traditions, the site offers handy tools–sayings, proverbs and a partial translation of Alessandro Manzoni’s classic “Betrothed.” For a daily dose of “milanesity” in a global world, users can download a free calendar which site authors encourage to diffuse “outside the Spanish walls, before night comes.”
Going one step further are numerous translations of Windows, “Finester” in Milanese, where the mouse becomes “el rattin” and so on.

Related resources:
www.elsitmilanes.it

http://digilander.iol.it/Fabiotto/download/divertenti.htm

http://erewhon.ticonuno.it/riv/storia/briosca/osteria1.htm
Stroll through history,with story of a family-run osteria in old Milan

http://www.melegnano.net/dialetto.htm
orgins, vocab and verbs.

An Italian court in Trento ruled recently that even calling someone”meridionale” (Southerner) can be considered an insult. The case, which sounds a bit like a bad joke, involves a transplantedSicilian who went to the city administration offices–to inquire about howto pay garbage tax.Upon taking his leave, the Sicilian said, Thanks, Illbe back tomorrow to pay and the clerk replied, Today, tomorrow, its allthe same since you southerners dont pay anyway. The insults flew (forwhich the Sicilian was found guilty) but the appeals court ruled that he wasmerely reacting to an insult.

A recent decision by Italy’s Supreme Court got one hot-headed neighbor out of trouble, ruling that a common insult does not harm the “decorum” of the person it’s hurled at. Alfred L., found guilty in Florence district lower courts for damages, refused to let the matter end there. His condominium had suffered too long from the continuous problems brought about by that one, complaining inhabitant. The invective in question: “ball breaker” (rompicoglioni)–judges described the insult is an “inelegant but everyday term.” If you’re learning Italian, we recommend you stay away from using bad words (see our article on gaffe-free substitues) but it’s good to know where the line is drawn.

The joke about everyone being a “Dr.” in Italy may soon change, but probably won’t have much effect on everyday courtesy titles. University reformers made national news recently after proposing to end rampant use of “doctor” title. Currently, all university graduates can brandish the title of “Dr., ” without a Ph.D. or medical degree. If law 509/99 passes, however, everyone previously awarded a degree can still expect to be called “Dottore” or “Dottoressa, ” while later classes will simply be known as graduates (“laureati.”)Titles are an everyday part of Italian life: newspapers regularly refer to Gianni Agnelli as simply “The Lawyer” (L’Avvocato), Silvio Berlusconi as “The Knight” (Il Cavaliere) and Carlo De Benedetti as “The Engineer” (L’Ingegnere). Our armchair opinion: in the lengthy list of titles used to denote distinction or profession, Dr. will probably remain the most generic way to show respect.