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University is closed today xp because tomorrow it's national "feast" for the Liberazione (liberation from Germans at the end of WWII)
but I found something, here it is
"Italian dialects and literature : from the Renaissance to the present" edited by Emmanuela Tandello and Diego Zancani. - London : Institute of romance studies, 1996. - XII, 116 p. ; 24 cm.

http://italian.about.com/od/dialects/

http://www.evolpub.com/Italiandialects/ITALdial.html
This is interesting but they made a mistake: the"C"sound in "gorgia toscana" is said only when the C is between two vowels! not in "casa" as it's said rolleyes Then the "C dolce" (pron CH in English) tends to become SC (SH) and the G (as in "pagina") tends to become J (always between 2vowels) especially when pronounced quickly
As soon as I find anything else I'll post it here smile

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Grazie

Don't worry, even Italians make that kind of mistake in everyday talking xp the problem is when they WRITE it, when you're supposed to "ponderate" better! mad I was lucky because I had very good Italian teachers and I read a lot, so grammar and vocabulary come easily to me smile I noticed that I could easily find a job as journalist (for newspapers or magazines) because I know Italian better than a lot of them! rolleyes
Yes, yesterday was the "Liberazione" - it's a quite important celebration because we remember those who fought for freedom and democracy, the end of nazism and fascism's power; but I think it represented the end of several "elements", too: the fascist era, the monarchy (the republic was "born" in 1946), the Germany's oppression, the war...
Bologna's major's speech was interesting and right about a lot of things, even it was quite rhetorical (like every political speech). He talked about the importance to celebrate this day and the people who made it possible - and I discovered that soldiers from almost all around the world came and fought and died in Italy to help the partisans, even from New Zealand eek
He also talked about the importance of the Costituzione and criticized the parties of the "right" (that ruled for 5 years and tried to modify it along with the celebrations of the Liberazione because they say it's a celebration of the "left" parties exclaim exclaim exclaim exclaim ). I have to say, the major Cofferati is a "left"'s politic and was the "chief" of the main ital.'s trade unions, so someone can say he's too "involved", but he is absolutely right. The Costituzione shows and protects at the same time our beliefs, our rights, our identity, and every national celebration has the power to remind us those values, like 25th April and 2nd June, the "festa della Repubblica" (on the 2nd of june 1946 Italians voted -after 20 years of fascist dictatorship- in a referendum to decide if they wanted to maintain the monarchy or if they wanted to create the republic).
I don't like politics because at the end power, making money and fulfilling individual interests prevail on maintaining electoral promises and trying to improve the economy or social situation. but if I had to choose one "side", I'd say I agree with the "left", above all with parties which are more interested in social and environmental problems (in Italy they're called "radicali" and "verdi" - quite self-explanatory), but they didn't get many votes on this elections, only 2,4%, because I think most of the people tended to vote for the main left party to make it win and change the leadership (that was of the "right" for 5 years), like I did. It was too important, I hope that this government will manage to change the situation that's quite problematic now, both socially and economically
But, at the end, Viva la cultura e l'arte italiana! (e il cibo) wink
Wow, what an essay surprised

Yes, I know her, I even liked her when I was 10, but then she became too "sugary" for my tastes - think that now I listen to Radiohead, Creed and similars, Sigur Ros,G. Bregovic...and to an Italian pianist-composer, Ludovico Einaudi xd
I know that L.Pausini and E.Ramazzotti are the most famous Ita. singers abroad, and they sang in Spanish, too - they're definetly pop, so I think that's why they're so "exportable" wink

Thanks for the note! I'm taking Advanced Placement European History next year (it's a tough, college course. I'm intimidated, but I'm diligent enough. Besides, Advanced=no idiots. wink ) so I'll know a lot on Italy! biggrin
I had no idea your country had so much trouble! I thought America was the most screwed up(it is though. there's no denying it. stare ) and that other countries were better off. Hopefully things will adjust and improve. Maybe it will, since your country is not in very "deep" trouble; trouble that keeps getting worse and worse and there's no stopping it.

What do you mean by sugary? Too many love songs, huh? I know what you mean...we have another thing in common then! blaugh I dislike "love song-ballads." I found out about her on iTunes when I was looking for music in Spanish. So I clicked on her name, and found out she sung in Italian naturally....and in English. So I'm thinking to myself, "English, Spanish, and Italian...that's were I wanna be one day!" heart wink