Genoese Dialect

Genoese, locally called or (), is the prestige dialect of Ligurian, spoken in and around the Italian city of Genoa, the capital of Liguria.

A majority of remaining speakers of Genoese are elderly. Several associations are dedicated to keeping the dialect alive, examples of which are in Genoa and in Chiavari.

Written literature has been produced in Genoese since the 13th century, and the orthography has evolved in-step with the language. There are currently two spelling systems in common use, with varying degrees of standardisation. One, proposed in 2008 by the cultural association ''A Compagna'', attempts to closely match in writing the pronunciation of the now-extinct variant of Genoese which used to be spoken in the '' Portoria'' neighbourhood of Genoa. Another spelling system was proposed by a group of writers, journalists and academics by standardising the traditional orthography of 19th- and 20th-century Genoese newspapers. This is the spelling used, amongst others, by the academic world as well as by Il Secolo XIX, the largest print newspaper in the region.

Genoese has had an influence on the Llanito vernacular of Gibraltar.

Phonology

Genoese phonology includes a number of similarities with French, one being the heavily nasalized vowels before nasal consonants (in VN(C) sequences), also occurring when Genoese speakers speak standard Italian. There used to be an alveolar approximant (English-like) opposed to an alveolar trill (using the 18th century spelling: "dear" vs. "cart"), but it is no longer heard in the city. It may still survive in some rural areas of Liguria, such as Calizzano and Sassello. By far the most widespread type of today is the alveolar tap (very similar, or identical, to unstressed Standard Italian ). There are several distinctive local accents of Genoese: those of Nervi, Quinto and Quarto to the east of Genoa, Voltri, Pra', Pegli and Sestri to the west. There are also accents of the central Polcevera Valley and Bisagno.

Genoese has eight vowels, twenty consonants, and three semivowels.

;Vowels

* as in ''barba'' ("uncle"; "beard")
* as in ''tésta'' ("head")
* as in ''ægoa'' ("water")
* as in ''bibin'' ("turkey")
* as in ''cöse'' ("what?")
* as in ''anchêu'' ("today")
* as in ''comme'' ("how?")
* as in ''fugassa'' (focaccia, a kind of Italian bread)

Orthography

* ^ is a circumflex accent placed above a vowel and doubles its length.
* ao is read as the Italian “au” or the genovese “ou” or a long Italian “o”.
* è is read as a brief open e. The symbol ''æ'', made up of vowels ''a'' ed ''e'', is read as an open long "e"; in groups ''ænn-a'' and ''æn'' it is read as an open short “e”.
* e and é are read as a closed short “e”; ê is read as a long closed “e”.
* eu is read as if it were read in French: in ''eu'' and ''éu'' the sound is short in êu the sound is long.
* j is used infrequently and indicates that ''i'' should be heard in words such as: ''gjêmo'' (giriamo), ''mangjâ'' (mangerà), ''cacjæ'' (getterei), ''lascjâ'' (lascerà), ''socjêtæ'' (società).
* o, ó and ô are read as an Italian ''u'' like in the word ''muso''; the length of ô is double the length of o and ó.
* ò and ö are read as ''o'' in Italian like in the word ''cosa''; the length of ''ö'' is double ''ò''.
* u is read as a French ''u'' with the exception in groups qu, òu and ou where the ''u'' is read as the ''u'' in the Italian word ''guida''.
* ç always has a voiceless sound () like ''s'' in the Italian word ''sacco''.
* Word-final n and groups ''nn-'' , ''n-'' (written with a hyphen) indicate a velar n (, such as the ''n'' in the Italian word ''vengo'') and are therefore pronounced nasally. The same goes for when ''n'' precedes a consonant (including ''b'' and ''p'').
* s followed by a vowel, ''s'' followed by a voiceless consonant, and ''s'' between vowels is always a voiceless , sound like the ''s'' in the Italian word sacco. ''s'' followed by a voiced consonant becomes voiced , as in Italian.
* scc is pronounced , like ''sc'' of the Italian word ''scena'' followed sonorously by ''c'' of the Italian word ''cilindro''.
* x is read like the French ''j'' (e.g. ''jambon, jeton, joli'').
* z, even when it is doubled as ''zz'', is always pronounced as the ''s'' in the Italian word ''rosa''.

Grammar

Article

Although the spelling is the same for the article ''un'', the numeral adjective and the pronoun, the pronunciation differs: the article is pronounced ŋ while the numeral pronoun and adjective are pronounced �yŋ Meanwhile, the feminine indefinite article is ''unna'' ˈ)inˑaand the pronoun and numeral adjective ''uña'' �yŋˑa

Orthographic rules

Partitive

The plural of the articles ''un, unna'', does not exist. Instead, the partitive is used, consisting of the articulated forms of the preposition ''de'', or the adjective ''doî/doe'' (''alcuni/alcune'') “some”:

Example:
* accattâ di pesci = comprare dei pesci
* se n’é sentio de belle = se ne sono sentite delle belle
* inte di paixi gh’é ancon a monarchia = in certi paesi c’è ancora la monarchia
* son anæto a-o mercou pe accattâ doe cöse = sono andato al mercato a comprare alcune cose

Preposition

Combination with articles

The preposition ''in'' becomes ''inte'' before definite articles, partitive ''de'', demonstrative adjectives, cardinal numerals, indefinites, and interrogatives. For example:
* semmo anæte into bòsco. = siamo andate nel bosco.
* son cheito inte l’ægua. = sono caduto nell’acqua.
* inte di paixi gh’é ancon a monarchia. = in certi paesi c’è ancora la monarchia.
* inte sti caxi, l’é megio no fâ ninte. = in questi casi, è meglio non fare nulla.
* ghe ô conto inte doe poule. = glielo racconto in due parole.
* no stâ à parlâ inte nisciun caxo. = no parlare in nessun caso.
* inte che borsa ti l’æ misso? = in che borsa l’hai messo?

Preposition Usage

A. Motion from a place

B. Motion through/ by a place

C. State in place

For the complement of state in place with the names of cities, towns and localities, ''à'' is generally used, but there are some specific toponyms that require ''in'', in an unpredictable way.

D. Motion towards place

As with the complement of state in place, for the complement of motion in place with names of cities, towns and localities mainly ''à'' is used, but there are some specific toponyms that require ''in'', in an unpredictable way.

E. Action through/ between something

F. Matter of time

G. Object Relation

Pronoun

Personal Pronoun

General rules:
* Genoese dialect, similar to Italian is a pro-drop language.
* Genoese dialect has no tonic forms (forma tonica), therefore the nominative is used instead.
* The gender of 3rd person singular pronouns are solely distinguished by the verbal pronoun (''o/a'').
* If the verb succeeding the 3SG verbal pronoun (''o/a'') starts with a vowel, an extra ''l’'' is added.
* The verbal pronoun ''ti'' and all accusative-dative pronouns with the exception of ''ô/â/î/ê'' can elide before words starting with a vowel.

Rules regarding 3rd person accusative pronouns:

For the singular, ''l’'' is used before a verb starting with a vowel:
* ghe ô pòrto mi = glielo porto io.
* ghe l’accatto mi = glielo compro io.

If placed after an imperative, gerund, or infinitive verb, the form ''-lo, -la, -li, -le'' are used.
* cantilo torna, pe piaxei! = cantalo di nuovo, per favore!
* ti veu accattâtela tutta? = vuoi comprartela tutta?

In some varieties spoken along the Riviera and the Hinterland, the invariable 3PL clitic pronoun ''i'' can be found:
* i mæ amixi i l’en za anæti. = i miei amici sono già andati.

Comparison with Italian

Formal Pronoun

Formal pronouns are used to replace 2nd person pronoun to indicate politeness or courtesy. In Genoese there are two forms of polite address, ''voscià'' and ''voî''. Both can be used regardless of gender.

Of the two, ''voscià'' expresses greater deference and is traditionally used towards people of high social standing. The form ''voscià'' is therefore used between people of the same social status, or by people of a lower social status towards people of higher status.

''Voî'' is used between people of medium-low social standing, or by a person of higher social standing towards someone of lower social standing. The form ''voî'', once typical of rural areas, can be seen today as distant or even offensive. It can also be used to deliberately mark a hierarchical distance, revealing a belief of superiority towards the target, denying the use of the more respectful ''voscià''.

* ou, voî, no poei miga intrâ into tiatro vestio à sta mainea! = ehi, lei, non può mica entrare a teatro vestito in questo modo!
* a prescidente a m’à dito ch’a ghe saià… e voscià? = la presidente mi ha detto che ci sarà… e Lei?
* scià l’intre voscià pe-o primmo, sciô Reboa! = entri prima Lei, signor Rebora!
* voscià sci che scià l’é un amigo! = lei sì che è un amico!

Demonstrative Pronoun and Adjective

In Genoese, ''sto'' is the most widespread variant both in speech and writing as opposed to ''questo''. It is not to be considered a truncated form of questo, therefore it must be written without an apostrophe.

The Genoese adjective and demonstrative pronoun ''questo'' can be emphasized by the adverb ''chì''. Similarly, the form ''sto'' allows for such strengthening, and requires it when it performs a pronominal function. Likewise, in Genoese the adjective and demonstrative pronoun ''quello'' can be emphasized by the adverbs lì and là.

1. (''chì'') near the speaker
* ma sta chì a l’é unn’atra stöia = ma questa qui è un’altra storia
* a l’é sta chì, ciù che tutto, a vea raxon = è questa, soprattutto, la vera ragione

2. (''lì'') further away from the speaker, often near the listener
* na, damme quello lie, vexin a-a bottiggia = no, dammi quello lì, vicino alla bottiglia

3. (''là'') even further away from the speaker and the listener
* quello là o l’é delongo o primmo à lagnâse = quello là è sempre il primo a lamentarsi

Locative

''ghe''
* gh’é stæto un ch’o m’à saluou pe-a stradda = c’è uno che mi ha salutato per strada
* gh’é sciuscianta menuti inte unn’oa - ci sono sessanta minuti in un’ora
* gh’ea tanta neive pe-e stradde da çittæ = c’era molta neve per le strade della città
* no gh’é nisciun ch’o l’agge visto = non c’è persona che l’abbia visto
* lì no ghe n’ea, ma chì ghe n’é ben ben = lì non ce n’era, ma qui ce n’è tanto
* inte sta stöia gh’é unn’eröiña = in questa storia c’è un’eroina
* inte doî euro gh’é duxento citti = in due euro ci sono duecento centesimi

Partitive

''ne''
* me n’indubito = ne dubito
* no ne sò ninte = non ne so nulla
* cöse ne pensæ? = che ne pensate?
* mi no ne veuggio manco = nemmeno io ne voglio
* basta, oua me ne vaggo! = basta, ora me ne vado!
* ò cattou de çexe, ti ne veu? = ho comprato delle ciliegie, ne vuoi?

Some Genoese verbs require the use of ''ne'' compared to Italian:
* no ne veuggio ciù savei de ti! = non voglio più saperne di te!
* de dond’o ne vëgne quello son? = da dove viene quel rumore?
* sto formaggio o ne sa de moffa. = questo formaggio sa di muffa.
* cöse ne pensæ viatre de sta deçixon? = cosa pensate voi di questa decisione?

Relative

The pronoun ''chi'' (for subject relative pronoun) as opposed to ''che'', today relegated only to certain literary uses, is always followed by a singular verb without pronominal resumption: "''o menestron chi bogge, i figgeu chi zeuga''" but "''o menestron ch’o bogge, i figgeu che zeugan''"

Tongue twisters

* () = I don't have a clue whether the salt is going to be enough to salt the sausage (salsiccia).
* = Ski, madam, skying you fly on skis.
* = At the new pier there are nine new ships; the newest of the nine new ships doesn't want to go.
* = Do angels have eyes, ears, and (finger)nails like everyone else? (variant of the Cogorno ''comune'')

Expressions

* = "I'm Genoese, I seldom laugh, I grind my teeth, and I say what I mean" (literally, "speak clearly").
* The child complains: = I'm hungry. The mother answers: = Scratch your knees and make lasagna.
* = "If you want to live as a good Christian, stay away from those who pretend to be devout" (a traditional warning to beware of fanatics and hypocrites).
* = You can't have or do two contradicting things at the same time (literally, "you can't inhale and exhale").
* = Wow! or Damn! (very informal) (literally the word means "penis", but it lost its obscene meaning and is currently used as an intensifier in a lot of different expressions, acting almost as an equivalent of the English " Fuck!" or "Fuck it!").

Songs

One of the most famous folk songs written in the Genoese dialect is called (or ) written by Mario Cappello.

Towards the end of the 20th century, artist Fabrizio De André wrote an entire album called in the Genoese dialect.

References

External links

Genoese phonology




*
* Audio samples of many Italian dialects.
* Official website of the Academia Ligustica do Brenno.
*

A Compagna


Genoves.com.ar – Bilingual website in Spanish and Genoese, with resources to learn Genoese, Ligurian literature with Spanish version, texts, photos, etc.

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