Swiss Italian is the name used for the
variety of the Italian language spoken in the Italian-speaking area of
Switzerland. Swiss Italian is spoken as natively by about 350,000 people in the canton of
Ticino and in the
southern part of Graubünden (Canton Grigioni). Swiss-Italian also refers to the Italian speaking population in this region (southern Switzerland) close to the border with
Italy. Swiss Italian dialects are spoken in emigrant communities around the world, including in
Australia.