ItalianLesson 2 of 2 in the course Languages of Italy

Sicilian: Identity, History, Pronunciation, Grammar, and Cultural Use

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Sicilian is a Romance language associated primarily with Sicily and its nearby islands. This lesson introduces its linguistic identity, social status, and regional varieties.

Sicilian, called sicilianu by its speakers and siciliano in Italian, is spoken on the island of Sicily and its satellite islands. It belongs to the Extreme Southern Italian language group, but it is not simply a regional pronunciation of Standard Italian. Ethnologue describes it as distinct enough from Standard Italian to be considered a separate language. UNESCO recognizes it as a minority language, and the Sicilian Region has referred to it as a language in official communication.

All flashcards

How is Sicilian classified?
A Romance language in the Extreme Southern Italian language group.
How is Sicilian’s relationship to Standard Italian described?
Ethnologue considers it distinct enough to be treated as a separate language.
What is Sicilian’s official status in Sicily?
It does not have official status, and it is not included in Italy’s Law No. 482/1999.
Where are Sicilian diaspora communities found?
Among other places, the United States, Canada, Australia, Venezuela, and Argentina.
What was the descriptive orthography developed by the Centro di studi filologici e linguistici siciliani designed to do?
Represent Sicilian sounds in writing.

Quiz questions

  1. What role did the Sicilian School play during Frederick II’s reign?Answer: It fostered poetry written in Sicilian.
  2. Which subject area is especially associated with Arabic influence on Sicilian vocabulary?Answer: Agriculture and irrigation.
  3. What happens in Sicilian syntactic gemination?Answer: A word’s initial consonant is lengthened after certain preceding words.
  4. How can Sicilian express obligation, as in “he or she has to go”?Answer: Use a form of *aviri*, *a*, and an infinitive.
  5. What change had virtually been completed in Sicilian court and parliamentary records by 1543?Answer: Tuscan Italian had largely replaced written Sicilian.

Based on the Wikipedia article Sicilian language, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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