Sassarese (natively ''sassaresu'' or ''turritanu''; sc, tataresu ) is an
Italo-Dalmatian language and transitional variety between
Sardinian and
Corsican.
It is regarded as a
Corso–
Sardinian language because of
Sassari's historic ties with
Tuscany and geographical proximity to
Corsica
Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast o ...
. Despite the robust Sardinian influences (in terms of vocabulary and phonology, as well as syntax), it still keeps its Corsican (and therefore
Tuscan) roots, which closely relate it to
Gallurese
Gallurese () is a Romance language from the Italo-Dalmatian family spoken in the region of Gallura, northeastern Sardinia. It is sometimes considered a dialect of southern Corsican or a transitional language between Corsican and Sardinian. ...
; the latter is linguistically considered a Corsican dialect despite its geographical location, although this claim is a matter of controversy. It has several similarities to the
Italian language, and in particular to the old Italian dialects from
Tuscany.
Sassarese is spoken by approximately 100,000 people, out of a total population of 175,000, in the northwest coastal areas of
Sardinia, Italy. Large Sassarese-speaking communities are present in
Sassari,
Stintino
Stintino ( sdc, Isthintini, sc, Istintìnu) is a coastal ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about northwest of Sassari.
Geography
Stintino is located on the ...
,
Sorso, and
Porto Torres. The Sassarese varieties transitioning to
Gallurese
Gallurese () is a Romance language from the Italo-Dalmatian family spoken in the region of Gallura, northeastern Sardinia. It is sometimes considered a dialect of southern Corsican or a transitional language between Corsican and Sardinian. ...
, known as the ''Castellanesi'' dialects, can be heard in
Castelsardo
Castelsardo ( sdc, Castheddu; sc, Casteddu Sardu) is a town and '' comune'' in Sardinia, Italy, located in the northwest of the island within the Province of Sassari, at the east end of the Gulf of Asinara.
History
Archaeological excavations ...
,
Tergu
Tergu ( sdc, Tzelgu) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about northeast of Sassari in the Anglona
Anglona is a historical region of northern Sardinia ...
, and
Sedini.
Sassarese emerged as an urban ''
lingua franca'' in the late part of the
age of the Judicates (13th–14th century), based on a mixture of different languages – namely Sardinian, Corsican/Tuscan, and
Ligurian. The neighbouring
Logudorese
Logudorese Sardinian ( sc, sardu logudoresu, it, sardo logudorese) is one of the two written standards of the Sardinian language, which is often considered one of the most, if not the most conservative of all Romance languages. The orthography ...
dialects of Sardinian exercised a significant influence on the modern linguistic development, along with some
Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
and
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
vocabulary. There exist many modern and older works both on and in Sassarese, and a number of cultural, social, and theatre events are held regularly in connection with it.
In 1943 the German
linguist
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Lingui ...
Max Leopold Wagner
Max Leopold Wagner (17 September 1880, Munich – 9July 1962, Washington, D.C.) was a German philologist and ethnologist, particularly known for his studies on the Sardinian language. He also carried out pioneering research on the Spanish languag ...
wrote:
Official status
Sassarese is recognized as an official language by the
regional government of Sardinia:
Official Website of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia
/ref>
Text sample:Extract from the Gospel of Matthew, Mat. 10:15-22
240px, Sassarese compared to Sardinian dialects.
See also
* Sardinian, Corsican and Gallurese
Gallurese () is a Romance language from the Italo-Dalmatian family spoken in the region of Gallura, northeastern Sardinia. It is sometimes considered a dialect of southern Corsican or a transitional language between Corsican and Sardinian. ...
languages
* Sardinia, Sassari ( Porto Torres, Sorso, Stintino
Stintino ( sdc, Isthintini, sc, Istintìnu) is a coastal ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about northwest of Sassari.
Geography
Stintino is located on the ...
, Castelsardo
Castelsardo ( sdc, Castheddu; sc, Casteddu Sardu) is a town and '' comune'' in Sardinia, Italy, located in the northwest of the island within the Province of Sassari, at the east end of the Gulf of Asinara.
History
Archaeological excavations ...
, Sedini and Tergu
Tergu ( sdc, Tzelgu) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about northeast of Sassari in the Anglona
Anglona is a historical region of northern Sardinia ...
)
References
External links
A ischora di sassaresu - Sassari.tv
TOGO, Dizionario Italiano-Sassarese
{{Romance languages
Sassari
Languages of Sardinia
Sardinian language
Corsican language
Languages of Italy