| Resian | |
|---|---|
| Rozajanski langač/lengač | |
| Spoken in | Italy |
| Region | Resia valley |
| Language family |
Indo-European
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Linguist List | slv-res |
The Resian dialect (self-designation Rozajanski langač, or lengač, Slovene: rezijansko narečje rezijanščina) is a distinct dialect of Slovene spoken in the Resia Valley, Province of Udine, Italy, close to the border with Slovenia. Because of its remote location outside of Slovenia, the dialect has phonetic properties different from standard Slovene, and from most other Slovene dialects.
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Although not a regulated dialect (scholars consider it a dialect of Slovene rather than a different language), and without any official status in Italy, Resian is written with a Latin script different from that used for standard Slovene. The alphabet contains the letter ⟨W⟩, which is a rare grapheme among Slavic languages; the exceptions being Polish and Sorbian. This grapheme—according to the Italian linguist Bartoli—is characteristic of the Ladin language of the eastern Alps and indicates the autochthonous Neolatin population's strong influence on Resian.
Most contemporary scholars consider Resian a transitional dialect between the Carinthian Slovene and Slovene Littoral dialects. Linguists identify three historical layers in the development of Resian: initially, Resian part of the Carinthian Slovene dialect of lower Gail Valley (spoken south-west of Villach, Austria, but also in the Italian municipalities of Malborghetto Valbruna and Tarvisio, and in the town of Rateče in Slovenia); in the 14th century, with the German and Friulian colonization of the Canale and Reccolana valleys, the connection with Carinthian dialects was interrupted; starting from the 15th century, Resian acquired specific features of Venetian Slovenian dialects (especially the vocabulary); the third layer is represented by specific innovations and developments, which are unique to Resian and cannot be found in any other Slovene dialect.[1]
In addition, Resian has maintained a number of archaisms (including the aorist) which have disappeared both in standard Slovene and most other Slovene dialects.
This historical development helps to understand the specifics of Resian in regards to other Slovene dialects. Regarding the vocabulary, Resian is very similar to other western Slovene dialects (both in Italy and Slovenia), especially those spoken in Venetian Slovenia, Val Canale, Brda and upper Soča Valley. It however distinguishes sharply from these neighboring dialects in its phonetics. Resian sounds very different from other Slovene dialects, especially regarding the vocal system; nevertheless, some of its features are common to Carinthian Slovene dialects.
Written Resian can mostly be understood by Slovenes, but spoken Resian is much harder to understand, especially for those from central and eastern Slovenia. Resian forms a part of the South Slavic dialect continuum, and shares numerous features with the dialects spoken in the Slovenian Littoral and Venetian Slovenia, and communication between these communities is intelligible. However, Resian and standard Slovene are mutually unintelligible due to archaisms lost in modern Slovene, and due to significant Italian and Friulian influences on Resian vocabulary.
Notable linguists who have studied the dialect include Jan Niecisław Baudouin de Courtenay, Eric Hamp, Milko Matičetov, and Roberto Dapit.