Cimbrian language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cimbrian (also Tzimbrisch) refers to any of several local Upper German dialects spoken in northeastern Italy, especially in South Tyrol. This area was settled in about the year 1000 by people coming from Tyrol, and since then it was isolated from other German speaking areas, politically and linguistically.

Cimbrian is a Germanic language which is related to Austro-Bavarian and is sometimes classified as a Southern Bavarian dialect. However, as there are many essential differences in grammar as well as in vocabulary and pronunciation, it is practically unintelligible for people speaking German or Austro-Bavarian.

The three major dialects of Cimbrian are spoken in the "Sette Comuni" (Sieben Gemeinden) near Asiago (Roana-Robaan), in Luserna (Lusern), the "Tredici Comuni" (Dreizehn Gemeinden) near Verona (the village of Giazza-Ljetzan) and in some villages in the Carnic Alps as Sappada, Sauris and Timau.

Cimbrian is in danger of extinction both from standard Italian, which is often used in public, and the neighboring regional Venetian language. It is estimated that about 2,220 people speak Cimbrian.