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Gallurese
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| Gallurese | |
|---|---|
| gadduresu | |
| Pronunciation | [ɡaɖːuˈrezu] |
| Native to | Italy |
| Region | Gallura (northern Sardinia) |
| Ethnicity | Corsicans Sardinians |
Native speakers | (100,000 cited 1999)[1] |
| Official status | |
Recognised minority language in | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | sdn |
| Glottolog | gall1276 |
| ELP | Gallurese Sardinian |
| Linguasphere | 51-AAA-pd |
 Languages and dialects of Sardinia | |
Gallurese (gadduresu) is a Romance dialect of the Italo-Dalmatian family spoken in the region of Gallura, northeastern Sardinia. Gallurese is variously described as a distinct southern dialect of Corsican or transitional language of the dialect continuum between Corsican and Sardinian. "Gallurese International Day" (Ciurrata Internaziunali di la Linga Gadduresa) takes place each year in Palau (Sardinia) with the participation of orators from other areas, including Corsica.[5][6][7]
Gallurese is generally considered a southern Corsican dialect,[2] sharing close resemblance in morphology and vocabulary with the dialects of Sartene and Porto-Vecchio on Corsica, whereas its phonology and syntax are similar to those of Sardinian.[8] One third of Gallurese vocabulary is also influenced by Logudorese Sardinian, Catalan, and Spanish.[8]
The Sassarese language, spoken in the area of Sassari, shares similar transitional traits between Tuscan, Corsican and Sardinian but, in comparison with Gallurese, is definitely closer to the Logudorese dialects of Sardinian.
History
[edit]The most ancient literary sources in Gallurese date back to the early 17th century, mainly as poetry and religious odes. Some late Middle Age fragments suggest that the formation of the language could be dated to the early 15th century. The origin and the development of Gallurese are debated. Max Leopold Wagner and Maurice Le Lannou argued that successive migration waves from Southern Corsica, promoted under the Aragonese rule to repopulate an area devastated by famine and pandemics, were crucial in the formation of a transitional language.
Typical constitutional elements of Gallurese
[edit]
- the plural form of nouns in -i (ghjanni or polti 'doors') are like in Corsican and Italian, and not as in -s like in Sardinian (jannas, portas), French, Spanish, Catalan, etc.
- Latin 'll' has become -dd- (like casteddu, coraddu 'castle', 'coral'), the same as in Sardinian, southern Corsican and Sicilian (but castellu, corallu in northern Corsican);
- -r- modified to -l- (poltu 'port', while portu in Corsican and Sardinian);
- -chj- and -ghj- sounds (ghjesgia 'church', occhji 'eyes'), like in Corsican, while Sardinian is cresia, ogros.
- articles lu, la, li, like in ancient Corsican dialects (u, a, i in modern Corsican, su, sa, sos, sas in Sardinian);
Relation to Corsican
[edit]Gallurese is classified by some linguists as a dialect of Corsican,[9][10][11] and by others as a dialect of Sardinian.[12] In any case, a great deal of similarity exists between Southern Corsican dialects and Gallurese, while there is relatively more distance from the neighbouring Sardinian varieties.
Concluding the debate speech, the Sardinian linguist Mauro Maxia stated as follows:
From a historical and geographic point of view, Gallurese might be classed either under Corsican or Sardinian, in light of its presence specific to Sardinia for the last six-seven centuries. From a linguistic point of view, Gallurese might be defined as:
- Predominantly Corsican on a phono-morphological level;
- Predominantly Sardinian on a syntactic level;
- Predominantly Corsican on a lexical level, with a lot of Sardinian, Catalan, and Spanish words, making up around 1/3 of the total vocabulary.
Gallurese is less Corsican than many scholars make it out to be. What makes Gallurese a different language from Corsican, rather than a Corsican dialect, are many grammatical features, especially related to syntax, and the significant number of Sardinian, Catalan and Spanish loanwords.
It can be therefore claimed that, from a grammatical and lexical point of view, Gallurese is a transitional language between Corsican and Sardinian.
— Mauro Maxia, Seminar on the Gallurese language, Palau 2014
The Regional Government of Sardinia has recognized Gallurese, along with Sassarese as separate languages, distinct from Sardinian.[13]
Sample of text
[edit]An excerpt from a hymn dedicated to the Virgin Mary.[14]
| Standard Italian | Southern Corsican | Gallurese | Sassarese | Logudorese Sardinian | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tu sei nata per incanto |
Tù sè nata par incantu |
Tu sei nata par incantu |
Tu sei nadda pà incantu |
Tue ses naschida pro incantu |
You were born of enchantment |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ The grouping of Gallurese is disputed, although it is most commonly considered a dialect of Corsican[2] that is also similar or heavily influenced by Sardinian, Tuscan or standard Italian.
References
[edit]- ^ Gallurese at Ethnologue (19th ed., 2016)
- ^ a b Harris, Martin; Vincent, Nigel (1997). The Romance Languages. London, England: Routledge. p. 314. ISBN 0-415-16417-6.
Also the dialects of Gallura and Sassari (spoken along the northern coast) can be classified as varieties of Italian, though they show some affinities with Sardinian. Gallurese is a variety of Southern Corsican whereas Sassarese is a hybrid dialect which evolved during the Middle Ages as a result of the close contact between the native Sardinian population of Sassari and the maritime powers of Pisa and Genoa.
- ^ "Legge Regionale 15 ottobre 1997, n. 26". Regione autonoma della Sardegna – Regione Autònoma de Sardigna. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
- ^ "Legge Regionale 3 Luglio 2018, n. 22". Regione autonoma della Sardegna – Regione Autònoma de Sardigna. Archived from the original on 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
- ^ "Ciurrati Internaziunali di la Linga Gadduresa 2014" (PDF). (in Gallurese). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2016-07-05.
- ^ "Ciurrata Internaziunali di la Linga Gadduresa 2015" (PDF). (in Gallurese). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-06-25.
- ^ "Ciurrata Internaziunali di la Linga Gadduresa 2017". Archived from the original on 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
- ^ a b "Atti Convegno Lingua Gallurese, Palau 2014" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2016-07-05.
- ^ Blasco Ferrer 1984: 180–186, 200
- ^ Contini 1987: 1°, 500–503
- ^ Dettori 2002
- ^ Loporcaro 2009: 159–167
- ^ Autonomous Region of Sardinia (1997-10-15). "Legge Regionale 15 ottobre 1997, n. 26" (in Italian). pp. Art. 2, paragraph 4. Archived from the original on 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
- ^ "Accademia della lingua gallurese". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
External links
[edit]
For a list of words relating to Gallurese, see the Gallurese language category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Maxia, Mauro. Studi sardo-corsi: Dialettologia e storia della lingua tra le due isole. Accademia della Lingua Gallurese; Istituto di Filologia (2010).
- Elementi di grammatica gallurese, Antoninu Rubattu
- Von Wartburg, Walther. La fragmentation linguistique de la Romania. Paris, Librairie C. Klincksieck, 1967.
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Gallurese
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Gallurese (gadduresu) is a Romance dialect belonging to the Italo-Dalmatian branch, spoken in the Gallura region of northeastern Sardinia, Italy.[1] It developed through waves of migration from Corsica beginning in the 14th century and intensifying in the 18th century under Savoy promotion, when Corsican ranchers settled in Gallura's scattered stazzi homesteads.[2] Due to these origins and linguistic features shaped by geographic proximity to southern Corsica, Gallurese is frequently classified not as a Sardinian variety but as a southern Corsican dialect.[2] The dialect exhibits transitional characteristics, incorporating some influences from Logudorese Sardinian while retaining strong Corsican affinities in phonology, vocabulary, and syntax.[3] Spoken by an estimated 100,000 people as of the late 20th century, Gallurese faces endangerment, with use primarily among adults in ethnic communities but declining transmission to younger generations and absence from formal education.[4][5] Its vitality is further challenged by the dominance of Italian and the broader pressures on Sardinia's minority languages.[6]
Classification and Overview
Linguistic Affiliation
Gallurese is classified as a dialect of Corsican, a Romance language within the Italo-Dalmatian branch, primarily spoken in the Gallura region of northern Sardinia. This affiliation stems from historical migrations of Corsican speakers from southern Corsica to Sardinia between the 14th and 18th centuries, which introduced southern Corsican varieties to the area. Linguists often group Gallurese with the southern Corsican dialectal area, known as the Corso-Gallurian zone, due to shared phonological features such as palatal consonants and vocalism patterns that align more closely with Corsican than with conservative Sardinian dialects like Logudorese or Campidanese.[7][8] Despite this consensus, a minority scholarly view posits Gallurese as a Tuscanized offshoot of Sardinian, reshaped by Pisan-Genoese influences during the late Middle Ages rather than direct Corsican importation. Proponents argue that its phonological and morphological traits, including certain Tuscan alignments, support derivation from an original Sardinian base under external contact, rejecting the migration hypothesis as implausible given the dialects' integration with Sardinian substrates. This perspective emphasizes evidence from Sardinian linguistics research, contrasting with broader classifications that highlight Gallurese's intermediate status between Sardinian and Italo-Romance dialects.[9] The debate underscores Gallurese's transitional nature, with some classifications placing it in an intermediate group linking Sardinian to Tuscan dialects via Corsican Oltramontano influences. Empirical data from dialectal surveys, such as those mapping phonetic and lexical correspondences, generally favor the Corsican affiliation, though substrate effects from pre-existing Sardinian varieties contribute to its hybrid character.[7][9]Sociolinguistic Profile
Gallurese, a Romance variety transitional between Corsican and Sardinian, is spoken primarily in the Gallura region of northeastern Sardinia by an estimated 100,000 individuals, though active speakers number fewer due to widespread bilingualism with Italian.[10][11] Classified as definitely endangered by UNESCO criteria, it faces intergenerational discontinuity, with transmission to younger generations limited as Italian dominates formal education, administration, and urban interactions.[12][5] This status reflects a vitality score indicating vulnerability, where children increasingly adopt Italian as their primary language, eroding fluent proficiency in Gallurese among those under 30.[13] Domains of use remain largely informal and oral: it prevails in familial conversations, rural community events, and traditional storytelling, but is marginal in public spheres. Regional language policies under Sardinia's 1997 statute and subsequent laws (e.g., L.R. 26/2006) recognize Gallurese alongside Sardinian varieties for optional instruction in primary schools, yet implementation is inconsistent, with Italian comprising over 95% of classroom hours and teacher training prioritizing standard Italian.[14][15] Mass media exposure is minimal; local outlets like Radio Gallura broadcast in Italian with occasional Gallurese segments for folklore or news, but no dedicated television programming exists, reinforcing Italian's prestige.[16] Sociolinguistic attitudes blend cultural pride—evident in festivals like the Festa di Santu Lussurgiu where Gallurese features prominently—with pragmatic deference to Italian for socioeconomic mobility. Surveys of Sardinian speakers indicate positive ethnic valuation but low instrumental utility for Gallurese, correlating with emigration and tourism-driven Italianization in coastal areas.[14] Code-switching between Gallurese and Italian is common among middle-aged speakers, signaling hybrid identity, while purist efforts by associations like A Foras promote orthographic standardization to bolster written use, though adoption remains sporadic.[13] These dynamics underscore causal pressures from Italy's unitary linguistic policy and globalization, outpacing revitalization measures.Historical Development
Origins and Early Formation
Gallurese emerged in the Gallura region of northeastern Sardinia through the settlement of Corsican speakers during the late Middle Ages, a period marked by repopulation efforts following depopulation from plagues, wars, and economic decline. This migration, primarily from southern Corsica, introduced dialects akin to those spoken in areas like Sartène, forming the core phonological and lexical substrate of Gallurese as a southern Italo-Dalmatian variety distinct from central and southern Sardinian languages.[17] Genetic analyses corroborate this Corsican influx, revealing admixture patterns in Gallura populations consistent with pastoral migrations of shepherds speaking proto-Gallurese varieties around the 14th to 16th centuries, which solidified the dialect's ties to Corsican rather than indigenous Sardinian substrates.[18] These settlers established pastoral economies, including the characteristic stazzo homesteads, further embedding Corsican cultural and linguistic elements into the region under the shifting influences of Pisan and Aragonese rule.[19] The dialect's early formation involved substrate influences from pre-existing Romance varieties in Sardinia, overlaid by Corsican superstrate features such as specific vowel systems and morphology, though debates persist on the extent of pre-migration indigenous elements versus wholesale import. By the early modern period, Gallurese had coalesced into a stable form, as evidenced by 17th-century texts, but its foundational consolidation likely occurred by the 15th century amid ongoing cross-strait exchanges.[20]Medieval to Modern Influences
During the medieval period, Pisa's maritime expansion into Sardinia from the 11th century onward exerted significant influence on the northern regions, including Gallura, through administrative control, trade networks, and settler populations that introduced Tuscan and Ligurian linguistic elements. This contact is credited with Tuscanizing local varieties, transforming what some linguists argue were originally Sardinian substrates into the transitional forms observed in Gallurese. The conquest of Sardinia by Aragon in 1324 initiated a phase of Catalan and Spanish dominance lasting until the early 18th century, during which administrative and legal documents in these languages permeated the island, yielding lexical incorporations in domains such as governance, agriculture, and daily life across northern dialects like Gallurese. Concurrently, from the 14th century, waves of Corsican migration into depopulated areas of Gallura—driven by economic opportunities in pastoralism—infused southern Corsican phonological and morphological traits, fostering a hybrid structure that interwove with preexisting Sardinian and Italo-Dalmatian layers.[8] In the early modern era, Savoyard rule from 1720 encouraged further Corsican settlement, particularly ranchers establishing stazzi (rural homesteads) in Gallura's interior, which reinforced Corsican lexical and syntactic dominance while the island's granite highlands and coastal geography limited deeper external penetration.[8] This period solidified Gallurese's classification as a southern Corsican variety transitional to Sardinian, though debates persist regarding the primacy of substrate modification versus wholesale importation. [8] The 19th and 20th centuries brought intensified Italianization following unification in 1861, with mandatory schooling, military service, and centralized media in standard Italian eroding vernacular use and accelerating intergenerational transmission loss in Gallurese-speaking communities. These pressures, compounded by urbanization and tourism, have positioned Gallurese among endangered Romance varieties, prompting limited revitalization efforts amid ongoing dialect leveling toward Italian.Geographic and Demographic Context
Speaking Regions
Gallurese is spoken primarily in the Gallura region of northeastern Sardinia, Italy, a historical and geographical area covering roughly the northern tip of the island eastward from the Cuga River to the Strait of Bonifacio.[21] This region includes key municipalities such as Santa Teresa di Gallura, Arzachena, Palau, Tempio Pausania, Olbia, and La Maddalena archipelago.[22][23] The dialect predominates in coastal and interior communities of Gallura, reflecting migrations from Corsica since the 15th century that shaped its linguistic landscape.[3] While Gallurese is the traditional vernacular across most of Gallura, certain inland locales like Luras exhibit stronger Sardinian influences, limiting its uniform distribution. No significant communities outside Sardinia use Gallurese as a primary language, though its Corsican affinities stem from historical cross-strait exchanges rather than current usage in Corsica.[24]Speaker Demographics and Decline
Gallurese is spoken principally by members of the ethnic community in the Gallura region of northeastern Sardinia, Italy, where it functions as a first language among adults but sees inconsistent use among youth.[5] Estimates place the number of speakers at approximately 100,000 as of 1999, though no comprehensive recent census data exists, reflecting its concentration in rural and semi-urban areas of Gallura, which has a total population of around 156,000.[4] [1] Speakers are predominantly older individuals, with proficiency correlating to generational ties to traditional communities rather than formal education or urban migration patterns. The language holds endangered status due to limited intergenerational transmission, with younger speakers increasingly favoring Italian for daily interactions, education, and media consumption.[5] This shift accelerated in the 20th century amid Italy's standardization of Italian in schools and public administration, where Gallurese receives no official curricular support, exacerbating its vulnerability.[5] Emigration from rural Gallura for economic opportunities further erodes speaker bases, as returnees and urban youth prioritize Italian proficiency, resulting in declining daily usage particularly among those under 30.[25] Efforts to document and preserve Gallurese, such as limited Bible translations from the 19th century, have not reversed the trend of reduced vitality.[5]Phonological System
Consonant Inventory
The consonant phonemes of Gallurese align closely with those of Corsican, reflecting its classification as a southern Corsican dialect variety, and feature a typical Italo-Dalmatian Romance inventory expanded by palatal and labialized elements. Stops occur at bilabial, alveolar, palatal, and velar places of articulation, with voiceless-voiced pairs (/p/-/b/, /t/-/d/, /k/-/ɡ/) and additional palatal stops (/c/, /ɟ/). Affricates include alveolar (/ts/, /dz/) and postalveolar (/tʃ/, /dʒ/) series. Fricatives encompass bilabial (/β/), labiodental (/f/, /v/), alveolar (/s/), and postalveolar (/ʃ/, /ʒ/) manners, contributing to the dialect's phonetic distinctiveness from central Sardinian varieties. Nasals are bilabial (/m/), alveolar (/n/), and palatal (/ɲ/, realized in clusters like /ɲj/); laterals include alveolar (/l/) and palatal (/ʎ/, in /ʎj/); and approximants are palatal (/j/) and labiovelar (/w/). A trill /r/ and occasional retroflex stop /ɖ/ appear in some realizations, while labialized velars (/kʷ/, /gʷ/) arise contextually, as in words like guìda [ˈɡwida] 'guide'.[26][27]| Manner/Place | Bilabial | Labiodental | Alveolar | Postalveolar | Palatal | Velar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stops | p, b | t, d (ɖ) | c, ɟ | k, g (kʷ, gʷ) | ||
| Affricates | ts, dz | tʃ, dʒ | ||||
| Fricatives | β | f, v | s | ʃ, ʒ | ||
| Nasals | m | n | ɲ | |||
| Laterals | l | ʎ | ||||
| Trill | r | |||||
| Approximants | j | w |
Vowel System and Prosody
Gallurese features a seven-vowel system comprising the high vowels /i/ and /u/, the mid vowels /e/, /ɛ/, /o/, and /ɔ/, and the low vowel /a/. This inventory distinguishes between close-mid and open-mid front and back vowels, a contrast preserved particularly in stressed syllables, akin to the vowel quality oppositions in standard Italian and Corsican. The system evolved from Vulgar Latin's seven short and long vowels through merger of length distinctions, without developing the phonemic vowel length found in core Sardinian varieties like Logudorese. Unstressed vowels maintain their inherent quality with minimal centralization or reduction to schwa, unlike in some southern Romance languages.| Front unrounded | Central | Back rounded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i | u | |
| Close-mid | e | o | |
| Open-mid | ɛ | ɔ | |
| Open | a |