Answers
Mar 13, 2013 - 12:00 PM
Not sure if its universal, but certainly common. And based on other resources I've been using, its not just when two vowels come together. For example, in this audio instruction I've listened to, they say the "e" in bicchiere" gets dropped in a phrase such as "bicchiere d'acqua" (so "bicchier d'acqua"). In other instances, a consonant can get added when two of the same vowels come together (so instead of Anna e Emilio, it becomes Anna ed Emilio).
Mar 14, 2013 - 11:55 AM
Thanks for your reply. It looks like it may get harder before it gets easier. Gonna keep working on it. :)
Mar 14, 2013 - 12:51 PM
I'd like to say that it gets easier, but of course it doesn't. There are some frustrating moments along the way, but its so cool to learn a new language! Buona fortuna!
Mar 15, 2013 - 04:23 PM
Being around my fluent Italian family, vowels are often 'swallowed up' when a word ends with a vowel and begins with a vowel. I believe a lot of the romance-latin based languages do this, at least I know in Italian and French it happens. It may seem weird in the beginning but soon you will be doing it and not even think twice about it! :)
Mar 16, 2013 - 04:49 PM
Thanks Vincenzo. I'm catching more and more dropped vowels in the listening exercises. I think I'm getting the idea. I'm through session 11 now and I already feel I'm able to enunciate more quickly. Still a long way to go though. It's a lot of fun nonetheless. Ciao. - Tom