Culture > The Piedmontese Language

The Piedmontese Language

Langa dialect is the Piedmontese language. Probably it is not the dialect but the official language, for the Piedmontese speaking is more common than the Italian one. This “dialect-language” changes according to the place. It is not difficult to find out that the same word is pronounced with a different accent (or changes radically) in places distant only 10 km from each other. Nonetheless, all these dialects refer certainly to a common one: the Piedmontese. It is a very ancient and fascinating language which must be saved.

People identity consists of their knowledge and expresses itself through their natural language.

The natural language is the highest expression of people identity; it is people’s soul essence. Life for an ethnic group continues until their language exists and it is spoken. If their language dies, the people have no chances for their existence. Piedmontese language is the expression of the Piedmontese people identity. 

How was this language born?

Since II° millennium B.C. the whole Western Po area (then Piedmont) is inhabited by Ligurians. They are Pre-Indo-European people who settled in this place after several migrations from the Iberian Peninsula. The term “Ligurian” is not related to the modern Liguria. It has to be considered in a wider meaning. Some names of places, which end by the suffix “asco-a” (i.e. Beinasco, Revigliasco, Grugliasco, Airasca, etc.), are the remaining of the Ligurians and their language. According to some historians, the city name “Asti” comes form the ancient Ligurian “ast”, which meant “hill”. The ancient name of the river Po “Bodincus” is also tipically Ligurian.
The migrations of the Celts (Indo-European people as well) date back to VII-VI century B.C. They join the Ligurians in a sort of symbiosis. They melt their customs, religions and languages with no struggles. 
Ancient historians call these new people “Celtic-Ligurians”.
There are several words which come from the Celtic, which are still present in the modern Piedmontese language:

Drugia (manure), which comes from the Celtic “Dru” (fertile);
Balma (cavern), from the Celtic “Beal” (watercourse);
Bealera, from the Celtic “Beal” (hill);
Brich (cold wind) from “Bis” (bitting);

Celtic-Ligurians meet the Latin civilization in III century B.C. (when the Roman legions arrive in Piedmont). The Roman occupation destroys some tribes (Sallassi) while some others survive. Several legionaries settle down in Piedmont. The Latin language meets the Celtic-Ligurian idiom. A new language was born. It will receive more influences in the next centuries, for Piedmont is subjected to many barbarian invasions. 
Longobards come in VI century.
Suffixes “engo” of several modern toponyms derive from the Longobard language (i.e. Murisengo, Verolengo).
The Piedmontese word “masca” (witch or sorceress) derives from the Longobard “masco”. 

“Barba” (uncle) derives from “bas” (maternal uncle).
“S-cianchè” (tearing) from “claquer”.
“Matòt” (boy) from “mad” (child).

 Saracens move throughout and raid the Piedmontese area in X century. They leave Piedmonteses some words:

 “Armassin”             (plum);
“Cossa”                 (pumpkin);
“Coefa”                 (veil)          from           Keifa;
“Fàudal”                (apron)       from      fodhal      (womb);
“Fardel                  (bundle)     from      farad      (camel load). 

From XI to XVII century French, Spanish, and Prussian invasions succeed to each other.
 The coming of the French is very evident in Piedmontese lexicon and syntax. In fact, Piedmontese and French are two twin Romance languages: the first was formed on the basis of a Celtic-Ligurian nucleus, on this side of the Alps; the second one on a Celt-Gallic nucleus, on the other side of the Alps.
Spanish people leave some words as well:

“Creada”               (maidservant);
“Borich”                 (donkey);
“Lunes/Martes/Mèrcol”      (Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday);
“Dësmora”             (toy);
“Gnògne”      from “nono”      (old, buffoon).

Prussians introduce other words which are still used:

 “Magon” (affliction) from “Magen” (stomachache);
“Trafen” (noise) from “Brand” (firebrand);
“Asil” (vinegar) from “Essil”;
“Cassul” from “Kessel”;
“Ciòca” from “Kloka”;
“Rupì” from “Ruppen”, etc.

What has been said demonstrates clearly that Piedmontese language consists of a Celtic-Ligurian substratum, on which the Latin language was grafted; later, several European words were also introduced. Thus it is an autochthonous language. It is a language and not a dialect, for (as it will be shown) it has a written literature and follows precise grammatical rules.
Next to the official Unitarian language consecrated by the writers (the so-called common Unitarian Koinè), there are oral speakings which are different phonetic expressions. However, they follow the same grammatical rules (if written).
The written language is not in contrast with the local speakings but enriched by them. The relation between the koinè and the local speakings is similar to that between the written Italian language and the Italian language local variants.
Briefly, Piedmontese is a real language and not a dialect. Specifically, it is not a dialect from the Italian language (as some people daresay)! There are several examples which confirm this thesis: 
Dante Alighieri stated in his work “Vulgari Eloquentia” that the language used in the lands “beyond Alessandria” (westward from Alessandria) was a “turpidissimum eloquium (vulgari) incomprehensible to him.
The most ancient literary document written in the Italian language is the song “Contrasto” by Cielo D’Alcamo (about 1250). Here are four verses from this “song”:

“Molte sono le femine
che hanno dura la testa
e l’uomo con parabole
le dimina e ammonesta”.

 Let us compare them with the most ancient document written in the Piedmontese language (1550, Sub Alpine Sermons): 

“La mia meisun
si est meisun d’orassion
ma vos en aven fait
balma de lairuns!”.

 What a linguistic abyss there is between these two quotations!
 It has been told about “written grammatical rules”. In fact, the first grammar book of the Piedmontese language dates back to 1783. It is due to Maurizio Pipino, who was the first to name the writing.
 The “modern Piedmontese” (so called by the founder of the “Compagnia di Brandè”, Pinin Pacòt) writing is inspired by it.         

MICHELA GROSSO 

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