Languages of Italy

Sicilian–Calabrian Group

Regions: Sicily, Southern Calabria

The Sicilian–Calabrian dialects, also called Extreme Southern Italian dialects, are a distinct branch of Romance languages spoken in Sicily and southern Calabria. Sicilian, in particular, has a long literary history and exhibits features influenced by Greek, Arabic, Norman, and Catalan due to the island's multicultural past.

History and Classification

Sicilian is not a dialect of Italian but a separate Romance language in the Italo-Romance group. It developed independently from Latin and is closely related to Calabrian dialects. It was the language of the Sicilian School of poetry and is recognized by UNESCO as a minority language. Calabrian dialects form a continuum with Sicilian in the south and Neapolitan in the north.

Examples

Sicilian (Palermo):

Unn'haiu nenti chiù a diri.
Standard Italian: Non ho più niente da dire.
English: I have nothing more to say.

Calabrian (Reggio):

Ehi, chi faci? Veni ccà!
Standard Italian: Ehi, che fai? Vieni qui!
English: Hey, what are you doing? Come here!
Map of Sicilian and Calabrian dialects

Dialects and Variants

  • Sicilian (Western, Central, Eastern) – Main variants spoken in Sicily.
  • Calabrian (Southern Calabrese) – Close to Sicilian in structure and phonology.
  • Gallurese and Sassarese – In Sardinia but influenced by southern dialects.

Audio Samples

Current Status

Both Sicilian and Calabrian remain widely spoken in informal contexts, though Standard Italian dominates in formal settings. Sicilian is more standardized and preserved in writing and cultural production, while Calabrian is more fragmented and oral. Efforts are underway to preserve both through education and media.