How different is Sicilian from Italian? Is it influenced by Arabic?

Question

I mean the Sicilian dialect...

Answer 1

You mean the Sicilian *language*, James! It evolved quite separately from Italian, which is based on the Florentine dialect of the thirteenth century. Sicilian and Italian both descend from (different) vulgar latin dialects. So they are sort of cousins, and it certainly cannot be said that Sicilian is a dialect of Italian ... it is one of the many Romance languages of the geographical and political entity called Italy.

Sicilian is quite different from Italian, although there is a fair degree of mutual comprehensibility. There are significant differences in phonology, in the lexicon and in the grammar too. This is due to the very different linguistic influences in Sicily and Tuscany down the ages, which continue to make their presence felt.

There are a few words in Sicilian of Arabic origin, and "mafia" is widely reputed to be one of them (although this is disputed). But apart from that, I don't think Arabic has left much of a mark on Sicilian. And strangely, the Norman rule of Sicily does not appear to have affected the language that much (unlike the Norman domination in England, which revolutionised the language). But there are many words of Greek origin in Sicilian, and also in Calabrese, which is a dialect of the Sicilian language. Sicilian is also spoken in the Salento, the southern part of the Puglian peninsula. The Greek influence on Sicilian stems from the age when Sicily, Calabria and other parts of Southern Italy were colonised by the Greeks. And the centuries of Spanish domination left noticeable traces too.

In summary, I think the main reason for the differences between Sicilian and Italian is "substrate" rather than "adstrate" ... the differences originate in the different languages spoken prior to latin (which were not Indo-European languages), which then would have strongly influenced the different regional varieties of spoken ("vulgar") latin. Namely, Etruscan (in Tuscany) and the languages of the Siculi and Sicani (in Sicily), as well as (later) Phoenician and Greek (the first Indo-European substrate of Sicily).

If you are interested in Sicilian, here are a couple of recommendations:

the Sicilian language website,
www.linguasiciliana.org

an excellent English-language grammar of Sicilian, written by an American,
"An Introduction to the Sicilian Language"
by J "Kirk" Bonner - a real enthusiast!
I worked through his book myself and really recommend it.

Answer 2

It has a lot of Arabic words in it, but also a lot of words that are of Norman French origin. It's too different from Italian to be considered the same thing, only a moron would think it's the same. You have to learn Sicilian just like you would any other language if you speak, read and write standard Italian. So many words are different, and grammar isn't that similar. I learned both, and Sicilian is harder because of the heavy Arabic influence and the fact it has no future tense.

Just because some land-hungry nation decides to take over an island doesn't automatically make it theirs culturally. Unless you sold out, like the rainbow gal above and her family did and became one of the privileged class.

Answer 3

I'm Sicilian. In my dialect there are a lot of words which derive from French and Spanish. And not only from them. In Sicilian and Italian there are words that are totally different. You have to know that Italian is not a sintetic language. When I say "sintetic" I mean the possibility to explain a very large concept in only one word. English language is sintetic, and Sicilian language is sintetic.

Answer 4

Sicilian is very different from standard Italian.
It is influenced by other languages (spanish,french) and by Arab too (mainly in the dialect spoken in Pantelleria Island the "pantesco" dialect)
Here's a Wikipedia page for more details
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_language

Answer 5

A lot words related to agriculture are borrowed from arabic, but the common vocabulary is largely based on latin.

As regards its pronunciation, sicilian and arabic have little in common, arabic is full of aspirations and harsh sounds, sicilian is not.

Answer 6

That's kind of like asking how different is Spanish from Mexican. Big difference. First, they are two completely different areas. Many similaries, yes but practices, ways, food, culture all different. Same language but many dialects. And no influence by Arabic.

Answer 7

Totally. Two different ethnic groups,completely different language. Today Sicily is Italian,but only because the indigenous population came over here. They probably are semitic,originating in the area around Tunis,Algeria.

Answer 8

Havent you seen True Romance?? Dennis Hopper pretty much explains it.

Answer 9

sicily used to be spanish so it is influenced from there. but also, spanish is influenced from arabic. so it is somewhat related. but it sounds like italian and spanish mixed up.

Answer 10

nope there are alike but italian is not influenced by Arabic.