Can Modern Italian in Rome understand Ancient Roman Latin?

[Cthulhu.Science]

The short answer is: Yes
But they don't seem to like it.

Can Modern-Day Italians Understand Latin? A Youtuber Puts It to the Test on the Streets of Rome

Of all the Romance languages, none is more Romantic than Italian, at least in the sense that it has changed the least in its long descent from Latin to its current form.

www.openculture.com

 

[hitmouse]

My grandmother, who had a degree in classics, once asked for directions in Rome, in Latin. The response, in English, which has become a (possibly apocryphal) family legend, was: “Madam, we stopped speaking that language 2000 years ago.”

 

[Cthulhu.Science]

A friend of mine who grew up speaking Italian with his grandparents visited Rome. At the first shop he went into he spoke Italian and the proprietor responded in English, "So, what part of Chicago are you from?"

We are all very impressed that American-Italian accents are that distinct.