Thoughts on Language
One of the things I still want to do here is to learn more Sicilian. It is not easy, because in normal conversation on the street, or in homes, and with friends who know I can understand most Italian, I hear only the occasional Sicilian word. True, when Paolo and Ignatzia are talking, they often revert to Sicilian, however that is not all that often. And there are reasons for this.
When Mussolini wanted to unite Italy even more, he knew that one way of doing so was to unite them in language. Regional dialects were banned from the schools and the airwaves. Only 'Italian' was allowed, and 'Italian' according to Mussolini was the dialect of Florence as spoken by people in Rome. And of course Mussolini had a point. If the people shared a common language, they would feel a stronger common bond. Place names were changed. Grigento became Agrigento, and Vigata became Porto Empodecles. Xacca became Sciacca. Everything was Italianized.
It even became a minor crime to speak dialect in the streets, so that people who spoke Sicilian or Sarda or Calabrese or Nepolitano in their village square might have to pay a fine. Dialect became the language of the dinner table at home, but not the language of shopping. Indeed, one young friend referred to someone who was speaking Sicilian loudly in public as being 'ignorant', that is not knowing that they should be speaking Italian in public. Indeed, up until now there has only been one person who has actively tried to teach me some Sicilian, my summer neighbor Angelo.
And by the way, all of the dialects are dialects, but not dialects of Italian. They are dialects of Latin, in the same way that Italian, French and Spanish are. In Sicilian, the Italian words lui, lei, and loro become Idu, Ida, and Idi. (He, She and They). The Sicilian anchovy becomes the Italian acciuga.
What this means today is that there is a definite sign of acceptance if during a gathering, people openly speak Sicilian with you. I am humbled and yet proud to say that I felt very much accepted at the Agape Festa for the women when Sicilian was the language of choice about seventy percent of the time, and when I could not understand a word, the idea was then explained to me in Italian. Thank you for making me a part of your extended family in that way.
When Mussolini wanted to unite Italy even more, he knew that one way of doing so was to unite them in language. Regional dialects were banned from the schools and the airwaves. Only 'Italian' was allowed, and 'Italian' according to Mussolini was the dialect of Florence as spoken by people in Rome. And of course Mussolini had a point. If the people shared a common language, they would feel a stronger common bond. Place names were changed. Grigento became Agrigento, and Vigata became Porto Empodecles. Xacca became Sciacca. Everything was Italianized.
It even became a minor crime to speak dialect in the streets, so that people who spoke Sicilian or Sarda or Calabrese or Nepolitano in their village square might have to pay a fine. Dialect became the language of the dinner table at home, but not the language of shopping. Indeed, one young friend referred to someone who was speaking Sicilian loudly in public as being 'ignorant', that is not knowing that they should be speaking Italian in public. Indeed, up until now there has only been one person who has actively tried to teach me some Sicilian, my summer neighbor Angelo.
And by the way, all of the dialects are dialects, but not dialects of Italian. They are dialects of Latin, in the same way that Italian, French and Spanish are. In Sicilian, the Italian words lui, lei, and loro become Idu, Ida, and Idi. (He, She and They). The Sicilian anchovy becomes the Italian acciuga.
What this means today is that there is a definite sign of acceptance if during a gathering, people openly speak Sicilian with you. I am humbled and yet proud to say that I felt very much accepted at the Agape Festa for the women when Sicilian was the language of choice about seventy percent of the time, and when I could not understand a word, the idea was then explained to me in Italian. Thank you for making me a part of your extended family in that way.
posted by Steve at 9:02 AM
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