Language

Everything sounds better in Italian.

he welcoming warmth of the Italian people can be felt through the sing-song rhythm of their words and phrases. There is a reason it is the language of love.

Today the language is spoken by a total of 85 million people worldwide. Although many dialects existed (and still do), what we consider spoken Italian today was born in Florence and in the vernacular poetry of Dante. This 14th century language was known as “Florentine.” Thanks to the Divine Comedy’s great success and the language’s adoption into Renaissance court culture, “Florentine” became the foundation of what we know today as Italian. As any Florentine will tell you, here in Florence you are speaking the real mother tongue (perhaps a slight overestimation, but we’ll give it to them).

While it is not mandatory for Select Study Abroad students to have prior Italian knowledge or to take Italian language courses during the program, we highly recommend taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity to learn one of the most beautiful romance languages. In addition to assisting in basic communication, learning Italian is one of the best ways to fully appreciate Italian culture.

All of your Select Study Abroad Directors speak Italian fluently and are more than happy to be of assistance. We can also arrange for conversation exchanges for those students who would like to make the Italian language their main focus. Before you know it you will be conversing with your favorite barista like a pro!