In the early 20th century, the vast conscription of Italian men from all throughout Italy during World War I is credited with facilitating the diffusion of standard Italian among less educated Italian men, as these men from various regions with various regional languages were forced to communicate with each other in a common tongue while serving in the Italian military. With the eventual spread of the radio and television throughout Italy and the establishment of public education, Italians from all regions were increasingly exposed to standard Italian, while literacy rates among all social classes improved. Today, the majority of Italians are able to speak standard Italian, though many Italians still speak their regional language regularly or as their primary day-to-day language, especially at home with family or when communicating with Italians from the same town or region. However, to some Italians, speaking a regional language, especially in a formal setting or outside of one's region, may carry a stigma or negative connotations associated with being lower class, uneducated, boorish, or overly informal. COUNT 5
QSN1 During what war did a large number of Italian men first learn standard Italian? ANS1 World War I QSN2 Along with radio and public education, what invention helped to diffuse standard Italian among the Italian population? ANS2 television QSN3 In modern Italy, what class of people are regional languages sometimes associated with? ANS3 lower QSN4 Along with formal settings, where do some Italians avoid speaking their regional language? ANS4 outside of one's region QSN5 Aside from when they're speaking to Italians from their same town or region, where is a common place where Italians speak their regional language? ANS5 at home with family