Bergamasque
Encyclopedia
The Bergamasque is the western variant of the Eastern Lombard group of the Lombard language. It is mainly spoken in the province of Bergamo
and in the area around Crema
, in central Lombardy
.
In Italian-speaking contexts, Bergamasque is often generically called a "dialect
". This is often incorrectly understood as to mean a dialect of Italian, which actually is not the case. Bergamasque and Italian
are not mutually intelligible, although today almost all Bergamasque speakers are also Italian speakers.
As per today, Bergamasque does not have any official status either in Lombardy
or anywhere else: the only official language
in Lombardy is Italian
.
Its position on the language family puts in evidence that it is genetically closer to Occitan, Catalan
, French
, etc. than to Italian
.
and in the area around Crema
, in central Lombardy
.
Bergamasque is generally mutually intelligible for speakers of Eastern Lombard's variants of neighbouring areas (i.e. from Brescia
) but this is not always true for distant peripheric areas, especially in alpine valleys. Differences include either lexical, grammatical and phonetic aspects.
, and their command of each of the two languages varies according to their geographical
position as well as their socio
-economic
situation, the most reliable predictor being the speakers' age.
Province of Bergamo
The Province of Bergamo is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. It has a population of 1,098,740 , an area of 2,722.86 square km, and contains 244 comuni...
and in the area around Crema
Crema, Italy
Crema is a town and comune in the province of Cremona, in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is built along the river Serio at 43 km from Cremona. It is also the seat of a Catholic Bishop, who gave to Crema the title of city...
, in central Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
.
In Italian-speaking contexts, Bergamasque is often generically called a "dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
". This is often incorrectly understood as to mean a dialect of Italian, which actually is not the case. Bergamasque and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
are not mutually intelligible, although today almost all Bergamasque speakers are also Italian speakers.
As per today, Bergamasque does not have any official status either in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
or anywhere else: the only official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
in Lombardy is Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
Classification
Bergamasque is a Romance language and belongs to the Gallo-Italic branch.Its position on the language family puts in evidence that it is genetically closer to Occitan, Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, etc. than to Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
Geographic distribution
Eastern Lombard is primarily spoken in the province of BergamoBergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
and in the area around Crema
Crema, Italy
Crema is a town and comune in the province of Cremona, in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is built along the river Serio at 43 km from Cremona. It is also the seat of a Catholic Bishop, who gave to Crema the title of city...
, in central Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
.
Bergamasque is generally mutually intelligible for speakers of Eastern Lombard's variants of neighbouring areas (i.e. from Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
) but this is not always true for distant peripheric areas, especially in alpine valleys. Differences include either lexical, grammatical and phonetic aspects.
Speakers
Monolingua Bergamasque speakers are now virtually non-existent. All Lombard speakers also speak ItalianItalian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and their command of each of the two languages varies according to their geographical
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
position as well as their socio
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
-economic
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
situation, the most reliable predictor being the speakers' age.
Samples of literary works in Bergamasque
External links
- Orbilat - An interesting site more for western lombard, but the map of the distribution of the two main varieties is noteworthy.
- Italian/Bergamasque Dictionary - Carmelo Francia, Emanuele Gambarini - Ducato di piazza Pontida
- Ducato di piazza Pontida (folkloristical and linguistic association)
- Difficult phrases in Bergamasque
- A collection of comedies in Bergamasque
- a Casiratese-Italian vocabulary, a dictionary for the Bergamasque variety of Casirate d'AddaCasirate d'AddaCasirate d'Adda is a comune in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 30 km east of Milan and about 25 km southwest of Bergamo....
village, in Italian.