There are almost 7,000 words to learn or revisit in the Roman dialect. From 'ammollàjela' (to assert oneself in something) to 'branda' (tall and thick person), from 'ciafròcca' (very wide and thick nose) to 'dritto pe' dritto' (always straight), from 'imbrilloccasse' (to adorn oneself with jewels) to 'lòcco lòcco' (slowly), from 'rosicà(re)' (to gnaw with envy) to 'zagajà(re)' (to stammer). These are the contents of Claudio Giovanardi and Paolo D'Achille's book, "Vocabolario del romanesco contemporaneo. The words of the dialect and Italian of Rome" (Newton Compton Editori) were given in Rome yesterday. Dialects, like languages, are continually evolving, particularly the vocabulary, which is impacted by the national language and subject to renewal advocated by younger generations. The "Vocabulary of Contemporary Romanesco" seeks to provide as complete a picture as possible of the vocabulary of the Roman dialect and regional Italian as it developed during the twentieth century and the first decades of the new millennium. Based on strict scientific principles, it gives a finely balanced mix of terms from tradition (which have lasted to this day) and new words, primarily from young people's language, but also from specialized lexicons and modern jargons.
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