Sicilianu

Sicilian

Indo-European (Romance, Italo-Romance)

FamilyIndo-European (Romance, Italo-Romance) Speakers~5M ScriptLatin CountriesItaly (Sicily, southern) Official inNo (recognized minority) Vitalitysafe ISO 639-3scn

Sicilian (sicilianu) is a Romance language with ~5M speakers in Sicily, southern Calabria, and parts of Apulia. UNESCO classifies it as a vulnerable language; it is recognized as a minority language by the Sicilian regional government. Its complex history is reflected in lexical strata from Greek (Magna Graecia), Arabic (Emirate of Sicily 831–1091), Norman French (Norman conquest 1061), Catalan (Aragonese rule), and Spanish (Spanish rule 1516–1713). Notable for its 5-vowel system (unlike Italian's 7) and a literary tradition starting with the Sicilian School of Frederick II (13th c.).

Where it is spoken

20 core words in Sicilian

Water

acqua

/akkwa/

Fire

focu

/fɔku/

Sun

suli

/suli/

Moon

luna

/luna/

Mother

matri

/matri/

Father

patri

/patri/

Eat

manciari

/mantʃari/

Drink

vìviri

/viviri/

Love

amuri

/amuri/

Heart

cori

/kɔri/

Tree

àrbulu

/arbulu/

House

casa

/kasa/

Dog

cani

/kani/

Cat

jattu

/jattu/

Hand

manu

/manu/

Eye

occhiu

/ɔkkju/

Hello

salutamu

/salutamu/

Thank you

grazii

/ɡrattsii/

One

unu

/unu/

Good

bonu

/bɔnu/

Sources

Words compared

Compared with related Indo-European (Romance, Italo-Romance) languages

Meaning SicilianCorsicanInterlinguaSardinianVenetianNeapolitanOld Italian (Dantesque)
Water acqua /akkwa/ acqua /akwa/ aqua /akwa/ abba /abba/ aqua /akwa/ acqua /akkwə/ acqua /ˈakːwa/
Fire focu /fɔku/ focu /fɔku/ foco /fɔko/ fogu /foɣu/ fogo /foɡo/ fuoco /fwɔkə/ foco /ˈfɔko/
Sun suli /suli/ sole /sɔle/ sol /sɔl/ sole /sole/ sol /sol/ sole /solə/ sole /ˈsole/
Moon luna /luna/ luna /luna/ luna /luna/ luna /luna/ łuna /ɫuna/ luna /lunə/ luna /ˈluna/
Mother matri /matri/ mamma /mamma/ matre /matre/ mama /mama/ mare /mare/ mamma /mammə/ madre /ˈmaːdre/
Father patri /patri/ babbu /babːu/ patre /patre/ babbu /babbu/ pare /pare/ pate /patə/ padre /ˈpaːdre/
Eat manciari /mantʃari/ manghjà /manɟa/ manducar /mandukar/ mandigare /mandiɡare/ magnàr /maˈɲar/ mangià /mandʒa/ mangiare /manˈd͡ʒare/
Drink vìviri /viviri/ beie /beje/ biber /biber/ bìere /ˈbiere/ bévar /ˈbevar/ vevere /vevərə/ bevere /ˈbevere/
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Word order compared

Compare with major world languages

Sicilian
Iu vogghiu pruvari un vistitu ca vitti nta na putía di facci a l'hotel
أنا أريد أن أجرب بدلة رأيتها في محل مقابل الفندق
试穿 酒店 对面的 商店 看到的 那套西装
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Ich möchte einen Anzug anprobieren den ich in einem Geschäft gegenüber vom Hotel gesehen habe
मैं होटल के सामने एक दुकान में देखा सूट को पहनकर देखना चाहता हूँ
私は ホテルの 向かいの お店 見た スーツを 試着 したいです
Я хочу примерить костюм который я увидел в магазине напротив отеля

Compare with closely-related languages

Sicilian
Iu vogghiu pruvari un vistitu ca vitti nta na putía di facci a l'hotel
Unë dua ta provoj një kostum pashë një dyqan përballë hotelit
Ես ուզում եմ փորձել կոստում որ տեսա խանութում դիմաց հյուրանոցի
हम होटल के सामने दुकान में देखल सूट पहिन के देखे के चाहत बानी
Аз искам да пробвам костюм който видях в магазин срещу хотела

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