Page 74 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 11(1) (2023)
P. 74
italiano come lingua minoritaria nel territorio sloveno del Litorale dipende da un complesso insieme
di variabili che sono per lo più di natura sociolinguistica. Il patrimonio linguistico e culturale è stato os-
servato nelle singole variazioni linguistiche.
Parole chiave: italiano, lingua minoritaria, patrimonio culturale, caratteristiche di genere, designazione
di genere per le professioni e cariche professionali
studia universitatis her editati, letnik 11 (2023), številk a 1 / volume 11 (2023), number 1 74Introductionlinguists continue to classify Istrian idioms into
the Northern-Italian linguistic sphere. The dif-
hereditatiSince ancient times, Istria has been an area ferent languages that coexisted in the Peninsula
characterised by the presence of different for centuries integrated and blended, thus giving
populations, and therefore different lan- rise to a situation that today appears multiform
guages, which have succeeded one another over and complex, with heterogeneous linguistic
the centuries. The coexistence of Slavic and Ro- groups. In fact, Istria is characterised by the pres-
mance languages in the eastern Adriatic area ence of three standard languages (Italian, Croa-
dates back to the first centuries of the Middle tian and Slovene), as well as a number of dialects,
Ages and was preceded ‘by a complex process of namely Istrian or Istroroman, Istrovenetian, Is-
Romanisation, which in turn covered a compli- trorumeno, Chakavian Croatian dialects, Slo-
cated, and in many ways obscure dialectic be- vene dialects, Montenegrin from Peroj and other
tween Celtic (Gallo-Carnic), Illyrian and “Li- Slavic varieties, although are present in different
burnian” [...], all labels whose real designatum conditions of consistency (Ursini 1983).
remains for the most part inaccessible’ (Zambo-
ni 1976, 12). Following the first romanisation be- Due to historic events in the first half of
tween 221 BC and 129 BC, the Istrian peninsu- the twentieth century, the number of Italian
la was organically included in the 10th Augustan speakers decreased dramatically. At present,
Region of Roman Italy1 in 27 BC (Crevatin 1975). the Italian ethnic group in Slovenia is a histor-
Until the fifth century, Istria remained eco- ic minority and as such protected by the Slo-
nomically prosperous and substantially peace- vene Constitution and legislation, as well as lo-
ful under the Byzantine administration, but in cal regulative documents.2 The Italian national
the sixth century, it suffered the Lombard pres- community in Slovenia is guaranteed the pro-
ence and the Avar-Slavic migrations that weak- tection and fostering of the language and cul-
ened the unity of Istrian Romany. From the en- ture in various areas of human activity, includ-
counter of Romance and Slavic worlds emerged ing education, information, administrative and
istrioto, a pre-Venetian variation of ancient Lat- political administration as well as participation
in, Istroroman in villages below Mount Učka (in in local and national decisional bodies. In infor-
Italian Monte Maggiore) and Istrovenetian, that mal communication the Italian nationals mostly
is today the most widely used Italian dialect in use the Istrovenetian dialect, while the standard
Istria. Dante already listed Istrian and Friulian Italian is the norm in public use, both by Italian
idioms as Italian dialects. Today, Rohlfs (1969), nationals and as L2 by other inhabitants of the
Tekavčić (1972), Rosario (1979) and other Italian Slovene part of Istria.
1 The Augustan Regio X, bounded to the north by the Alps, In language contact, interference is a natu-
to the south by the river Po, to the west by the valley of ral phenomenon. In this article we investigate if
the Oglio, and to the east by the river Arsa, encompassed and to what extent designations for traditional-
a vast area of today’s north-eastern Italy corresponding to
the territory of present-day Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, 2 In Slovenia, the Italian national community lives in the
and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, to which were added to the west four municipalities of the Littoral, namely in Koper, Izo-
a part of today’s eastern Lombardy (provinces of Brescia, la, Piran and Ankaran. In these municipalities Italian is
Cremona, and Mantua) and to the east the peninsula of Is- an official language and a member of the Italian national
tria (today part of Slovenia and Croatia) (Rebecchi et al. community, elected by Italian national community mem-
2004). bers, is appointed as vice-mayor when a mayor themselves/
themself is not a member of the Italian community.
di variabili che sono per lo più di natura sociolinguistica. Il patrimonio linguistico e culturale è stato os-
servato nelle singole variazioni linguistiche.
Parole chiave: italiano, lingua minoritaria, patrimonio culturale, caratteristiche di genere, designazione
di genere per le professioni e cariche professionali
studia universitatis her editati, letnik 11 (2023), številk a 1 / volume 11 (2023), number 1 74Introductionlinguists continue to classify Istrian idioms into
the Northern-Italian linguistic sphere. The dif-
hereditatiSince ancient times, Istria has been an area ferent languages that coexisted in the Peninsula
characterised by the presence of different for centuries integrated and blended, thus giving
populations, and therefore different lan- rise to a situation that today appears multiform
guages, which have succeeded one another over and complex, with heterogeneous linguistic
the centuries. The coexistence of Slavic and Ro- groups. In fact, Istria is characterised by the pres-
mance languages in the eastern Adriatic area ence of three standard languages (Italian, Croa-
dates back to the first centuries of the Middle tian and Slovene), as well as a number of dialects,
Ages and was preceded ‘by a complex process of namely Istrian or Istroroman, Istrovenetian, Is-
Romanisation, which in turn covered a compli- trorumeno, Chakavian Croatian dialects, Slo-
cated, and in many ways obscure dialectic be- vene dialects, Montenegrin from Peroj and other
tween Celtic (Gallo-Carnic), Illyrian and “Li- Slavic varieties, although are present in different
burnian” [...], all labels whose real designatum conditions of consistency (Ursini 1983).
remains for the most part inaccessible’ (Zambo-
ni 1976, 12). Following the first romanisation be- Due to historic events in the first half of
tween 221 BC and 129 BC, the Istrian peninsu- the twentieth century, the number of Italian
la was organically included in the 10th Augustan speakers decreased dramatically. At present,
Region of Roman Italy1 in 27 BC (Crevatin 1975). the Italian ethnic group in Slovenia is a histor-
Until the fifth century, Istria remained eco- ic minority and as such protected by the Slo-
nomically prosperous and substantially peace- vene Constitution and legislation, as well as lo-
ful under the Byzantine administration, but in cal regulative documents.2 The Italian national
the sixth century, it suffered the Lombard pres- community in Slovenia is guaranteed the pro-
ence and the Avar-Slavic migrations that weak- tection and fostering of the language and cul-
ened the unity of Istrian Romany. From the en- ture in various areas of human activity, includ-
counter of Romance and Slavic worlds emerged ing education, information, administrative and
istrioto, a pre-Venetian variation of ancient Lat- political administration as well as participation
in, Istroroman in villages below Mount Učka (in in local and national decisional bodies. In infor-
Italian Monte Maggiore) and Istrovenetian, that mal communication the Italian nationals mostly
is today the most widely used Italian dialect in use the Istrovenetian dialect, while the standard
Istria. Dante already listed Istrian and Friulian Italian is the norm in public use, both by Italian
idioms as Italian dialects. Today, Rohlfs (1969), nationals and as L2 by other inhabitants of the
Tekavčić (1972), Rosario (1979) and other Italian Slovene part of Istria.
1 The Augustan Regio X, bounded to the north by the Alps, In language contact, interference is a natu-
to the south by the river Po, to the west by the valley of ral phenomenon. In this article we investigate if
the Oglio, and to the east by the river Arsa, encompassed and to what extent designations for traditional-
a vast area of today’s north-eastern Italy corresponding to
the territory of present-day Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, 2 In Slovenia, the Italian national community lives in the
and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, to which were added to the west four municipalities of the Littoral, namely in Koper, Izo-
a part of today’s eastern Lombardy (provinces of Brescia, la, Piran and Ankaran. In these municipalities Italian is
Cremona, and Mantua) and to the east the peninsula of Is- an official language and a member of the Italian national
tria (today part of Slovenia and Croatia) (Rebecchi et al. community, elected by Italian national community mem-
2004). bers, is appointed as vice-mayor when a mayor themselves/
themself is not a member of the Italian community.
