Calabrian dialect

In Calabria most italians in their homes do not speak italian as we foreigners know it, absolutely no. Most people, specially old ones, do not even speak with you in italian, 'cause they just do not know it. They use their own language-calabrian.

Which is pretty different from italian. Although this "language" is not so much for writing as it is for speaking. It consists some letters that they pronounce very particular way,but in written language is impossible to express.

"Calabrian dialect is for speaking not for writing," told one calabrese.

Calabrian dialect is one of most spoken dialects in all over the world, as throughout history "i calabresi" have emigrated to another countries, as for example Argentina, France, Switzerland, USA, Australia and Germany.

Calabrian dialect, I must mention, is different in every province, there stay them five.Although stay some similarities and they manage to understand each other perfectly. As well in Calabria stay some cities where people still speak as well old greek language, which is very different from the dialect. Old greek is still spoken in some little cities in ionic coast  for example in Bova Marina, Roghudi Nuovo, Bovesìa and Gallicianò.

How is calabrian different from italian language? Some examples as proverbs I have managed to learn.

* Ca l'acqua gugghi e u porcu è ancora nta muntagna.

Qua l'acqua bolle, però il porco è ancora nelle montagne.

 

Here water boils, but the pig is still in the mountains!

*Munti cu munti no si ncuntra, ma frunti cu frunti...  

La montagna con altra non si incontra, ma fronte con fronte... 

One mountain with another do not meet,BUT forehead with another...

*U surici  ncissi a nuci: "Ammi tempu ca ti perciu!"

Il topo dice alla noce: "Dammi il tempo che ti rompo!"

Mouse tell to nut: "Give me time, I break you!"

These are just some examples written in calabrian dialect spoken in province of Reggio Calabria.

My second trip to Calabria !

Calabria, my beloved region. Not that I have seen all Italy, but with Calabria I feel obsession. It's language and people there are just so amazing, for me like another part of the world, it's not "Italy", it is Calabria, it's habitants are not italians are "i calabresi".

This year I had a chance to visit this place another time in august,unfortunately only for nine days, but with this week I managed to do and see pretty much.

For example to visit one of the abandoned cities called Roghudi in the heart of mountain Aspromonte.To reach our destination we started from Taurianova and reached to Ionic coast (link to our trip in google maps). Which was really amazing car ride only for it's view, not ruined, looked like abandoned. So clean water. Really beautiful. I enjoyed so much. Although the road was not so comfortable in some places, specially in the mountains where I really had afraid that this car go down it's own way and our trip finishes there, here I must tell compliments to our driver! Fantastic how he managed to handle the car.

Except of Roghudi we visited Pizzo (Vibo Valentia), and of course Tropea, Palmi, Scilla and Caulonia.
In Caulonia every year in august is held song and dance festival which began in year of 1999, it's called Tarantella.Every year the main "piazza" is full mostly of calabresi who enjoy the folk music and dance. Most famous performer of tarantella music is Mimmo Cavallaro.

In Tropea, Palmi and Tonnara we enjoyed the beautiful weather and fantastic sea.

Although, last year I had one "appointment" with medusa, I had little fear to put my legs again in to this sea, but in the end is impossible to argue with "i calabresi" and I went.

What else did I manage to do with my one week? We visited cascades in Molochio, "mundu" and "galasia". One trip in mountains, which lasted proximately 4 hours. Fantastically fresh air and beautiful surrounding. As well I had fantastic opportunity to do a boat trip in tyrrhenian coast. Which was unbelievably beautiful.We saw one beach where is possible to reach only by boat. Done one bath in this sea. Our guide told us the stories of Odyssey, showed us the place where probably Sirens seduced him. Caves. Sea tomatoes.

Of course one of the "calabresi" ask immediately, if these are possible to eat, they are so similar to little tomatoes.

As well I helped to do tomato paste for the winter, which I first thought to be really hard process, but in the end discovered it to be simple, but little bit annoying work to do. We woke at 6 in the morning and work lasted almost all day! But dinner was made with this tomato paste and was incredibly good.

To describe the beauty of untouched nature in Calabria in world do not exist the words, you must see it all. Breath and feel it! If you have the possibility to visit it,go!