Intemelio
Encyclopedia
Intemelio is a Ligurian dialect spoken historically from the Principality of Monaco
to the Italian
province of Imperia
.
the Ligurian language
was spoken in all the territories of the Republic of Genoa
: in the western area of this republic one of its groups (spoken mainly on the coast between Monaco and Sanremo
) was called Intermelio and was centered around Ventimiglia
Indeed, Monaco and Menton
(then called "Mentone") were part of the Republic of Genoa
, of which were the extreme western point on the mediterranean coast.: the dialect spoken in this area in those centuries and until the 19th century was ligurian
, mainly on the coast (with some influences from occitan).
Only after 1861 the french language
has started to influence the Monegasque
and Mentonasc dialect (actually the scholar Werner Forner believes Mentonasc is part of a ligurian dialect called Intemelio).
In the actual Italian area of Ventimiglia
there it is the most renowned Intemelio: the "Ventimigliese", that stretches from the coast until Piedmont
.
The Brigasc
dialect is connected to the "Ventimigliese", as a mountanous version of the intemelio that has some occitan influences. This Brigasc dialect has reduced its area in the last centuries, but was present in the hinterland of Nice
from La Turbie
up to Escragnolles
during the late Middle ages
.
In Sanremo
the local intemelio dialect is heavily influenced by the genoese dialect
.
of the province of Imperia
, but other 40,000 are able to understand it and speak a few sentences of this dialect in western Liguria
.
A few thousands speak fluently the local variants of intemelio in France
: Monegasque
, Mentonasc and Brigasc
.
speaks the "ventimigliese" dialect Intermelio and the so called Principality of Seborga
considered the possibility to use this dialect as official language.
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
to the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
province of Imperia
Imperia
Imperia may be:* Imperia , an Italian city* Province of Imperia, the Italian province of the above city of Imperia* IMPERIA, a vodka produced by Russian Standard* Imperia , a statue in Constance, Germany...
.
History
Since before the RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
the Ligurian language
Ligurian language (Romance)
Ligurian is a Gallo-Romance language spoken in Liguria in Northern Italy, parts of the Mediterranean coastal zone of France, Monaco and in the villages of Carloforte and Calasetta in Sardinia. Genoese , spoken in Genoa, the capital of Liguria, is its most important dialect...
was spoken in all the territories of the Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
: in the western area of this republic one of its groups (spoken mainly on the coast between Monaco and Sanremo
Sanremo
Sanremo or San Remo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. Founded in Roman times, the city is best known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. It hosts numerous cultural events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival...
) was called Intermelio and was centered around Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia is a city and comune in Liguria, northern Italy, in the province of Imperia. It is located southwest of Genoa by rail, and 7 km from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia River, which divides the town into two parts...
Indeed, Monaco and Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
(then called "Mentone") were part of the Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
, of which were the extreme western point on the mediterranean coast.: the dialect spoken in this area in those centuries and until the 19th century was ligurian
Ligurian language (Romance)
Ligurian is a Gallo-Romance language spoken in Liguria in Northern Italy, parts of the Mediterranean coastal zone of France, Monaco and in the villages of Carloforte and Calasetta in Sardinia. Genoese , spoken in Genoa, the capital of Liguria, is its most important dialect...
, mainly on the coast (with some influences from occitan).
Only after 1861 the french language
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...
has started to influence the Monegasque
Monégasque language
Monégasque is a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, spoken in Monaco.- Language family :Forming a part of the Western Romance dialect continuum, Monégasque shares many features with the variety of Ligurian spoken in Genoa, but differs from its neighboring dialects Intemelio and Mentonasc. It...
and Mentonasc dialect (actually the scholar Werner Forner believes Mentonasc is part of a ligurian dialect called Intemelio).
In the actual Italian area of Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia is a city and comune in Liguria, northern Italy, in the province of Imperia. It is located southwest of Genoa by rail, and 7 km from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia River, which divides the town into two parts...
there it is the most renowned Intemelio: the "Ventimigliese", that stretches from the coast until Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
.
The Brigasc
Brigasc
Brigasc is a dialect of the Ligurian language. It is spoken in Italy and France.-Area of use:The Brigasc dialects are Roya, Tanaro, and Argentina, named respectively after the rivers Roya, Tanaro and Argentina. Roya is spoken in the French department of Alpes-Maritimes. Tanaro is spoken in the...
dialect is connected to the "Ventimigliese", as a mountanous version of the intemelio that has some occitan influences. This Brigasc dialect has reduced its area in the last centuries, but was present in the hinterland of Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
from La Turbie
La Turbie
La Turbie is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.-History:...
up to Escragnolles
Escragnolles
Escragnolles is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
during the late Middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
In Sanremo
Sanremo
Sanremo or San Remo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. Founded in Roman times, the city is best known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. It hosts numerous cultural events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival...
the local intemelio dialect is heavily influenced by the genoese dialect
Genoese dialect
Genoese is a dialect of the Ligurian language, the one spoken in Genoa .Ligurian is listed by Ethnologue as a language in its own right, of the Romance branch, and not to be confused with the ancient Ligurian language...
.
Actual use
Intemelio is used by nearly 10,000 people in the area of VentimigliaVentimiglia
Ventimiglia is a city and comune in Liguria, northern Italy, in the province of Imperia. It is located southwest of Genoa by rail, and 7 km from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia River, which divides the town into two parts...
of the province of Imperia
Province of Imperia
The Province of Imperia is a mountainous and hilly province, in the Liguria region of Italy, situated between the Maritime Alps to the north and the Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea to the south...
, but other 40,000 are able to understand it and speak a few sentences of this dialect in western Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
.
A few thousands speak fluently the local variants of intemelio in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
: Monegasque
Monégasque language
Monégasque is a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, spoken in Monaco.- Language family :Forming a part of the Western Romance dialect continuum, Monégasque shares many features with the variety of Ligurian spoken in Genoa, but differs from its neighboring dialects Intemelio and Mentonasc. It...
, Mentonasc and Brigasc
Brigasc
Brigasc is a dialect of the Ligurian language. It is spoken in Italy and France.-Area of use:The Brigasc dialects are Roya, Tanaro, and Argentina, named respectively after the rivers Roya, Tanaro and Argentina. Roya is spoken in the French department of Alpes-Maritimes. Tanaro is spoken in the...
.
Anecdote
The ligurian area of SeborgaSeborga
The Principality of Seborga is a micronation located in the northwestern Italian Province of Imperia in Liguria, near the French border, and in sight of Monaco....
speaks the "ventimigliese" dialect Intermelio and the so called Principality of Seborga
Principality of Seborga
The Principality of Seborga is a micronation located in the northwestern Italian Province of Imperia in Liguria, near the French border, and in sight of Monaco....
considered the possibility to use this dialect as official language.
See also
- Mentonasc
- MonegasqueMonégasqueMonégasque may refer to:* Monégasque dialect, the local Ligurian dialect of Monaco* Something of, from, or related to Monaco, a small sovereign city-state located in southwestern Europe...
- Ligurian dialect
- BrigascBrigascBrigasc is a dialect of the Ligurian language. It is spoken in Italy and France.-Area of use:The Brigasc dialects are Roya, Tanaro, and Argentina, named respectively after the rivers Roya, Tanaro and Argentina. Roya is spoken in the French department of Alpes-Maritimes. Tanaro is spoken in the...
- Occitan
- Italian irredentism in Nice