23 December 2011

Dialect in Basilicata

Basilicata is another region in South-Italy, surrounded by Puglia, Calabria and Campania. This is one region that has changed the name through the history,before was called Lucania, it's habitants still are called "i lucani".
As all regions in Italy, as well Basilicata have it's own language-dialect lucano. More or less we can tell it is a mix, lucano is influenced more or less by the regions that surround it, cities more near to Campania use the accent more similar to napoletano, those near to Puglia to pugliese, near to Calabria to calabrese. As well can found words that are similar those regions dialects that surround it.
Some proverbs as an example:

*Nun ten pan e vol savcicchia!
Non ha il pane e vuole salsiccia!

Don't have bread, but want sausage!

*Campa cavallo ca l'erba cresc.
Vivi cavallo che l'erba cresce.

Live the horse and grow the grass.

*A lava la capa a lu ciucc s'perd tiemp acqua e sabne.
A lavare la testa all'asino si perde tempo, acqua e sapone.

Washing the head of donkey, is loosing the time, water and soap.

*Si l'invidia foss cuglia, fosse gia arrivat mber' li pere.
Se l'invidia potesse parlare ne raconterebbe delle belle.

If jelousy could talk, it would tell beautiful things.

*Quand s' sciogl a nev venn fuor i strunz.    
Quando si scioglie la neve vengono fuori gli stronzi.

When melts the snow,come out the shit.

*In tiemp di guerra ogni buc e purtus.
In tempo di guerra ogni buco, cioè ogni donna può andare. 

When do not saty more women around you, every woman is good. 

Pronouncing is more or less similar to napoletano, soft and more or less understandable to the foreigner as me.
Written form is understandable for those who speak good italian,some similarities I think is possible to find, or no?  


My source: Monica Messina from Potenza.

PS! My translation is not the best one, but ...better than nothing ;);) 

4 comments:

  1. Very interesting! You helped a bunch on my Italian Class project!

    ReplyDelete
  2. They also speak a strange dialect that sounds French

    ReplyDelete