How do you pronounce ''car''?

<<nel Nord Italia è di quasi esclusivamente usare il passato prossimo, mentre nel Sud Italia si ha la tendenza ad usare il passato remoto. La ragione per questi usi "regionali" è l'influsso delle parlate dialettali.>>

Sì, lo so. E non importa a nessuno. A volte, desidererei che tutti gli italiani parlassero solo una lingua. Oggi, la maggior parte dei giovani parlano "Standard Italian" e il dialetto della città. A me non importa se tutti usano il passato prossimo o remoto in modo corretto, solo che tutti usino la stessa lingua.

Yes, I know. And no one cares. Sometimes I wish that all Italians would speak one language. Today, most young people speak Standard Italian and their city's dialect. It's not important to me if everyone uses passato prossimo or remoto correctly, just that they all use the same language.

Pete, I'm glad to see you've admitted that it's your problem, not theirs. I don't pretend to know anything about linguistics and if I were to go around telling everybody how they can or cannot speak, it would be insulting. Even if I were a linguist, I'd still find it pompous. You seem like a good guy. I hope you stick around. This forum needs more real members, versus trolls.

<<I don't pretend to know anything about linguistics and if I were to go around telling everybody how they can or cannot speak, it would be insulting.>>

I certainly don't expect everyone to be an expert on linguistics, as biologists or chefs don't expect me to be experts in their respective fields, either (and my knowledge in those areas undoubtedly pales in comparison to what they know). However, this *is* a language forum and when someone states something that's blatantly against how language actually works, I do feel obliged to say something and clarify on the issue. I'm not bothered in the slightest by unfamiliarity with linguistics topics and phenomena, but the difference is great between those who are sincere about it and those who are incorrigibly stubborn and insist on arguing about linguistics-related topics that they are quite clearly uninformed on.

<<You seem like a good guy. I hope you stick around. This forum needs more real members, versus trolls.>>

I agree :) And Pete, if you have any questions about anything I've said, as I mentioned earlier, feel free to ask.

<<Yes, I know. And no one cares. Sometimes I wish that all Italians would speak one language. Today, most young people speak Standard Italian and their city's dialect. It's not important to me if everyone uses passato prossimo or remoto correctly, just that they all use the same language.>>

God, that's true. Italians speak between each other and to foreigners with the Standard Italian you are talking about, but when they talk between locals from a particular place, sometimes I cannot believe they are speaking Italian. However, that's the way it is.

<<but the difference is great between those who are sincere about it and those who are incorrigibly stubborn and insist on arguing about linguistics-related topics that they are quite clearly uninformed on.>>

I am stubborn, but I'm also sincere. When I argue about linguistics, even if I tend to add an ironic quote, I usually put serious thought into my posts. Anyway, I don't want to be regarded as a troll. And Even though people like it or not, I do want to stay on.

<<if you have any questions about anything I've said, as I mentioned earlier, feel free to ask.>>

I will, mate. I certainly will. :)

<<God, that's true. Italians speak between each other and to foreigners with the Standard Italian you are talking about, but when they talk between locals from a particular place, sometimes I cannot believe they are speaking Italian. However, that's the way it is. >>

And to a much less extreme degree (in that it's usually still clearly identifiable as mutually comprehensible to most other speakers) it's the same for English. Considerable natural variation in whatever linguistic domain (whether we're referring to morphology, syntax, phonology, prosody, cliticization, etc.) is to be expected when coming across different varieties of human languages, and English is no exception.

<<I am stubborn, but I'm also sincere.>>

Hehe ;) A good way to put it.

<<When I argue about linguistics, even if I tend to add an ironic quote, I usually put serious thought into my posts. Anyway, I don't want to be regarded as a troll. And Even though people like it or not, I do want to stay on.>>

Yes, you won't be regarded as a troll as long as you put serious thought into your posts and make plausible, relevant arguments which are meant to further the discussion (even if you still disagree strongly with someone) as compared to breaking civil dialog down and pitting people against one another.