Italian Graubünden

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The Italian Graubünden in a map of the canton of Graubünden

The Italian Graubünden or Italian Grigioni (Italian: Grigionitaliano or Grigioni italiano; German: Italienischbünden; Romansh: Grischun talian) is the region of the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland where Italian and Lombard are spoken.

Located in the southernmost part of the canton, it includes the districts of Moesa (to the west) and Bernina (to the east), and the municipalities of Bivio in the Albula district and Bregaglia in the Maloggia district. It has a population of about 15,000 inhabitants, of which over 85% speak Italian or Lombard.[1]

The three regions that make up the Italian Graubünden are separated by mountains, isolated from the rest of the canton as well as from each other. Because of their remoteness and the lack of economic possibilities, emigration has traditionally been a serious issue, and even today more than half of the people born in the Italian Graubünden live and work outside of the region.[2]

The importance of Italian in the canton has been decreasing in recent years, especially in the two regions farther from Ticino. This is believed to be caused by the immigration of germanophones in traditionally Italian-speaking areas, the spread of German language mass media and the absence of secondary schools teaching in Italian in Graubünden.[2]

Pro Grigioni Italiano, an organisation created in 1918 to promote the Italian language and culture in Graubünden, is officially recognised by the cantonal government as representing the autochthonous Italian-speaking minority of the canton.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Diffusion and varieties of Italian in Switzerland in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Terra e lingua" (in Italian). Pro Grigioni Italiano. Retrieved 8 July 2009. 
  3. ↑ Pro Grigioni Italiano in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

External links

Coordinates: 46°20′36″N 9°35′26″E / 46.3434°N 9.590624°E / 46.3434; 9.590624

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