Sicilian Lesson

Sicilian speakers and scenes from Sicily.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Sicily
• Favignana
• Language
• Sicilian
• Palermo
• Arba Sicula
• Vincenzo Sercia

[tegoblue]

E chi sarebbe Mister Giacchi? Giocchino Cataldo?

[cjs33139]

is Sicilian the same as Italian?  thanks!

[tegoblue]

@cjs33139 No. Some linguists say the Italian language is descended from Sicilian, because Italian was first used in the court of Federico the Second at Palermo. If you speak Italian you can probably figure out 50 to 75 percent of what they are saying in Sicilian. But Sicilian words, pronunciation and meanings change from town to town, and sometimes, as in Palermo, can change from one end of a long boulevard to another. I speak, read and write Italian, but just understand Sicilian.

[cjs33139]

@tegoblue Wow, thanks for the history lesson. I had no idea, but as you explain it, it does apply as well to Spanish, which is my second language. Iam a hispanic american born in NYC (puertorican) and as maybe you have heard, we speak differently on the island than those who were born in the states and to make matters worse, we can understand and communicate with other latinos, say Cubans or Mexicans, but... occasionally, they will throw us off with words that we have never heard of before! :)

[tegoblue]

@cjs33139 you are welcome!

[tegoblue]

@tegoblue And Happy Puerto Rico Day today!

[beddhuboyct]

Compared to the other countries of western Europe, Italy is a baby, created in 1862. Before this, there was the Kindgom of Sardinia, Kingdom of Sicily, Kingdom of Naples, the Republic of Venice, the Papal States, etc. Each spoke its own Romance language descended from Latin. Italy's mountainous geography made for little interaction from town to town, so separate languages and dialects emerged. Even accents change from town to town, every two miles. Nowhere else in Europe is it so drastic!

[beddhuboyct]

When Italy was created in the 1860s it needed a language, and the dialect of Florence, in Tuscany, was chosen. Unfortunately, Italy was very poor, third-world, and agricultural. Until industrialization in the 1950s, children worked on farms or as apprentices and didn't have the opportunity to go to school and learn the new Italian language. Therefore, today much of the older generations don't speak Italian at all. The new generations can, but also speak their original language like Sicilian.

[liparikronos]

Dov'e' Mister Giacchi?

[ojideagu]

@beddhuboyct Of course if you count the UK as one country "Which it technically is" We have multiple languages as well like Italy. Irish, Welsh, English, Scots, Gaelic.

[ojideagu]

@beddhuboyct I'd say England is could rival Italy close in terms of accents, there are different accents in such a tiny country every few miles. Every town has different accents. Cities have multiple accents within themselves too.

[ojideagu]

@cjs33139 Just as Spaniards from Spain will speak differently to American Continent Spanish dialects.

[IHateYouCauseYouSuck]

@blueterrior "sicily is to italy what hawaii is to the us". NO NO NO AND NO. Both italian islands (sicily and sardinia) are WAY closer to the mainland than the hawaii and they were always VERY important in the development of the history of the country, so no, italian islands are WAY MORE than what the "hawaii" are to the US.

[9bahai9]

@tegoblue,

Right! Sicilian is a different language but it is similar to Italian. An Italian frien from north Italy, when he watches "The Godfather" says he can't understand any of it. But some differences are pretty minor, like bedda for bella, i.e. beautiful. They also end many words with "u" instead of "o." The accent is more exaggerated too. Linguists regard it as a different language but, politically, it is lumped as a dialect of Italian.

[blueterrior]

@Stettina81

Sicilian uses words from Italian, but yes, it is derived from Latin. I wouldent disagree either though, that it is a dialect of Italian. Sicilians are Italian, Sicily is a region in Italy. Sicily is to Italy what Hawaii is to the US (roughly). My family is from Sicily, and if some one told me I was not Italian, they would get beat.

[Stettina81]

No, Sicilian is NOT a dialect of Italian. Nor the same language.

Sicilian is derived from Latin NOT Italian. It's a seperate language and the people are not Italian as well.