Sicilian

The sicilian ( sicilianu ) is a Langue pertaining to the group of the Romance Langues of the family of the Indo-European Langues.

In the broad sense, it also includes/understands the Calabrian southernmost and the Salentin (pouillais southernmost).

Surface of distribution

The surface of natural distribution of the sicilian dialects extends on the unit from the Sicily, like on the southernmost part of the Calabria and on the southernmost and Eastern part of the Pouilles: the Salento (more precisely in the “heel” of the “Italian boot”).

Sicilian literature

The literature in sicilian language is one of very first the literature in vulgar language to appear in Italy after the decline of Latin. It is at the 13th century, under the impulse of Frederic II and its made up court well-read men, scientists and philosophers whom this new literature takes his rise. The sicilian grows rich by loans to the Toscan, the Latin and the Provencal. The poets of court will develop a neat lyric poetry and with strong component Scolastique. The Sonnet and the song are the privileged shapes of the poets who exhaltent their lady or discourse on the nature of the love. Among the authors of this time one finds: Giacomo da Lentini, Cielo d' Alcamo, Rinaldo d' Aquino, Giacomino Pugliese or Pierre Of the Vines.

Grammar

Alphabet

The sicilian uses an alternative of the Latin alphabet comprising 22 letters: 5 vowels and 17 consonants.

The sicilian thus does not use the letters k-K, w-W, x-X and there there.

The diacritic more used in sicilian " standard" (that used in Wikipédia in sicilian) is the grave accent (used to mark the tonic accent.

  • Examples of use of the grave accent in sicilian:

" èssiri" (in French: to be)

" fràggili" (in French: frail, fragile)

" òspiti" (in French: host, guest)

" màsculu" (in French: male, boy, individual of male sex)

" òstrica" (in French: oyster)

" crìsciri" (in French: to grow, grow)

" ànima" (in French: heart)

" apòstulu" (in French: apostle)

" ìsula" (in French: island)

But one also uses the circumflex accent to mark the disappearance of a syllable in a word (exactly as in the French words: sure, male, oyster, heart, apostle, island, which is contractions of Latin words).

  • Examples of use of the circumflex accent in sicilian:

" âmu" , contraction of " avemu" (in French: we A)

" malâuriu" , contraction of " malauguriu" (in French: bad forecasts)

" âti" , contraction of " aviti" (in French: you A)

However it should be noted that certain sicilian writers wrote in sicilian by also using other diacritics such as the acute accent to announce the tonic accent (i.e. as in Spanish), and even the " tréma" to announce to them false diphthongs.

  • Examples of use of the " trema" in sicilian:

" castïari" (in French: to punish, punish)

" cuntìnüu" (in French: continuous, continual)

Examples of the written language

Lu Patri Nostru

Patri nostru, chi siti 'N celu,
Sia santificatu read vostru nomu,
Vinissi prestu read vostru regnu,
Sempri sia fatta will vostra it Divina Vuluntati
Comu 'N celu accussì 'N will terra.
Dàtinillu sta jurnata read panuzzu cutiddianu
E pirdunàtini nostri Li piccati
Accussì comu harmed Li rimittemu nostri E nimici
E nun nor lassati cascari ntâ tintazzioni,
my scanzàtini due Mali.
Amen.

Extract of Antonio Veneziano

Celia, Lib. 2

(~ 1600)
Not E xhiamma ordinaria, No, the mia
E xhiamma chi sul' iu tegnu E rizettu,
xhiamma will pura E celesti, ch' ardi 'N mia;
per gran misteriu E Cu stupendu effettu.
Amuri, 'ntentu has fari idulatria,
ha novamenti sazerdoti elettu;
you, sculpita 'will ntra st' alma, sì the dia;
sacrifiziu read cori, macaw stu pettu.

Extract of Giovanni Meli

Gift Chisciotti E Sanciu Panza (Cantu quintu)

(~ 1800)
Stracanciatu di notti soli jiri;
ammuccia will ntra purtuni E cantuneri;
Cu vacabunni Ci will mustra piaciri;
poi read so sbiu sunnu Li sumeri,
Li pruteggi E Li pigghia has Ben vuliri,
Li tratta pri parenti E amici veri;
siccomu will ancura E amicu viraci
di Li bizzari, capricciusi E audaci.

Extract of Nino Martoglio

Brìscula 'N Cumpagni

(~ 1900)
- Càrricu, mancu? Cca cc' E 'N sei di spati! …
- E chi schifiu E, di sta will manera?
Gift Peppi Nnappa, of accussì jucati?

- Misseri E sceccu ccu tutta 'has will tistera,

comu the VI haju has diri, has vastunati,
Ca mancu haju dirtied di will salt!

Another example

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • : LinguaSiciliana.org, site devoted to the sicilian, including a grammar in line or downloadable language on 48 pages (format .doc or .pdf) in nine languages with the choice: sicilian, English, Spanish, Serb, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Rumanian, while waiting for other versions.
  • : LinguaSiciliana.it
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