View source for Istriot

{{Short description|Romance language spoken in Croatia}}
{{Distinguish|Istro-Romanian language|Istrian dialect}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Istriot
| nativename = {{lang|ist|Eîstrioto, Lèngua Eîstriota}}<br/>{{lang|ist|Bumbar, Valìʃe, Ruvignìʃ, Faʃanìʃ, Siʃanìʃ, Galiʃaneʃ}}
| states = [[Croatia]]
| region = [[Istria]]
| speakers = 400
| date = 2007
| ref = e23
| speakers2 = [[L2 speakers]]: 900 (2007)<ref name=e23/>
| familycolor = Indo-European
| fam2 = [[Italic languages|Italic]]
| fam3 = [[Latino-Faliscan languages|Latino-Faliscan]]
| fam4 = [[Latin]]
| fam5 = [[Romance languages|Romance]]
| fam6 = [[Italo-Western languages|Italo-Western]]
| fam7 = [[Italo-Dalmatian languages|Italo-Dalmatian]]
| fam8 = Dalmatian Romance?
| iso3 = ist
| glotto = istr1244
| glottorefname = Istriot
| lingua = 51-AAA-na
| map    = File:Lang Status 40-SE.svg
| mapcaption = {{center|{{small|Istriot is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]''}}}}
}}

The '''Istriot language''' ({{lang|ist|Lèngua Eîstriota}}) is a [[Romance languages|Romance language]] of the [[Italo-Dalmatian languages|Italo-Dalmatian]] branch spoken by about 400 people in the southwestern part of the [[Istria]]n peninsula in [[Croatia]], particularly in [[Rovinj]] and [[Vodnjan]].

==Classification==
{{multiple image
| direction         = vertical
| width             = 245
| footer            = 
| image1            = Rovigno.jpg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = [[Rovinj]] (''Rovigno''), the historical capital of the Istriots
| image2            = Istriot Language distribution.png
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = {{legend|#f9e451|Areas in Istria, where Istriot language coexisted with other dialects ([[Chakavian]] and [[Istrovenetian]])}}
{{legend|#0824e8|Areas where Istriot language has vanished in 18th and 19th Century already)}}
}}

Istriot is a Romance language currently only found in [[Istria]]. 
Its classification has remained mostly unclear; it has been variously regarded:

* as being related to the [[Rhaeto-Romance languages|Ladin]] populations of the [[Alps]]. According to the Italian linguist [[Matteo Bartoli]], the Ladin area used to extend – until the year 1000 AD – from southern [[Istria]] to [[Friuli]] and eastern [[Switzerland]].<ref>Bartoli, Matteo. ''Le parlate italiane della Venezia Giulia e della Dalmazia''. Tipografia italo-orientale. Grottaferrata 1919.</ref>

* as an independent Northern Italian language, belonging neither to the [[Venetian language]] nor to the [[Gallo-Italic]] group (opinion shared by linguists [[Tullio De Mauro]] and [[Maurizio Dardano]]);
* as a variety of the [[Rhaeto-Romance languages]] by the Istriot [[:de:Antonio Ive|Antonio Ive]]<ref name=PTZ/>
* as an independent language of the [[Italo-Dalmatian]] group<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ethnologue.org/show_language.asp?code=ist |title=Ethnologue entry for Istriot |access-date=2010-07-13 |archive-date=2012-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928181610/http://www.ethnologue.org/show_language.asp?code=ist |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* as an autochthonous [[Romance languages|Romance language]] heavily influenced by [[Venetian language|Venetian]], [[Friulian language|Friulian]] and Slavic superstrates by [[:de:Mirko Deanović|Mirko Deanović]]<ref name=PTZ>{{cite book|title=Lexicon Grammaticorum |first=Harro |last=Stammerjohann |year=2009 |place=Tübingen}}</ref>
* In 2017 it was classified by the [[Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History]] with the [[Dalmatian language]] in the Dalmatian Romance subgroup,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/istr1244|title=Glottolog 3.1 - Istriot|website=glottolog.org|language=en|access-date=2018-01-21}}</ref>

When [[Istria]] was a region of the [[Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]], Istriot was considered by the authorities as a subdialect of Venetian.<ref>Tagliavini, Carlo. ''Le origini delle lingue neolatine''. Patron Ed. Bologna 1982.</ref>

Historically, its speakers never referred to it as "Istriot"; it had six names, after the six towns where it was spoken. In [[Vodnjan]] it was named "Bumbaro", in [[Bale, Croatia|Bale]] "Valìʃe", in Rovinj "Ruvignìʃ", in [[Šišan]] "Siʃanìʃ", in [[Fažana]] "Faʃanìʃ" and in [[Galižana]] "Galiʃaneʃ". The term ''Istriot'' was coined by the 19th-century Italian linguist [[Graziadio Isaia Ascoli]].

This language is still spoken by some people in the Istriot communities in [[Fertilia]] and Maristella, in [[Sardinia]].

There are about 400 speakers left, making it an [[endangered language]].

== Vocabulary ==
Below is a comparison of Istriot with several closely related Romance languages and [[Latin]]:
{| class="wikitable"
! [[Latin]]|| [[Italian language|Italian]] || '''Istriot (Rovignìʃ)'''|| [[Venetian language|Venetian]] || [[:it:Dialetto bisiacco|Bisiacco]] Venetian || [[English language|English]]
|----- 
||{{lang|la|clave(m)}}
||{{lang|it|chiave}}
||'''{{lang|ist|ciàve}}''' 
||{{lang|vec|ciave}}
||{{lang|vec-IT|ciave}}
||''key''
|-----
||{{lang|la|nocte(m)}}
||{{lang|it|notte}}
||'''{{lang|ist|nuòto}}'''
||{{lang|vec|note/not}}
||{{lang|vec-IT|note}}
||''night''
|----- 
||{{lang|la|cantare}}
||{{lang|it|cantare}}
||'''{{lang|ist|cantà}}'''
||{{lang|vec|caŋtar}}
||{{lang|vec-IT|caŋtar}}
||''to sing''
|----- 
||''capra(m)'' 
||''capra'' 
||'''càpra, càvara'''
||''càvara'' 
||''cavra''
||''goat''
|----- 
||''lingua(m)'' 
||''lingua'' 
||'''lèngua'''
||''lengua'' 
||''lengua''
||''language''
|----- 
||''platea(m)'' 
||''piazza'' 
||'''piàsa'''
||''pia-sa''
||''pia-sa''
||''square''
|----- 
||''ponte(m)'' 
||''ponte'' 
||'''pònto'''
||''poŋte''/''poŋt''
||''poŋt''
||''bridge''
|----- 
||''ecclesia(m)'' 
||''chiesa'' 
||'''cièʃa''' 
||''cexa''
||''cesa''
||''church''
|----- 
||''hospitale(m)'' 
||''ospedale'' 
||'''uspadàl''' 
||''ospedal''
||''ospedal''
||''hospital''
|----- 
||''caseu(m)'' <br> <small>[[Vulgar Latin|lat.vulg.]]''formaticu(m)''</small>
||''formaggio/cacio'' 
||'''furmàio'''
||''formajo'' 
||''formai''
||''cheese''
|}
== Phonology ==
The phonology of the Istriot language:<ref>{{Cite book|title=Analisi fonematica del dialetto di Valle d'Istria|last=Cernecca|first=Domenico|publisher=Studia Romanica et Anglica Zagrabiensia|year=1967}}</ref> 

=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]/<br>[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Postalveolar consonant|Post-alv.]]/<br>[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPAlink|m}}
|{{IPAlink|n}}
|{{IPAlink|ɲ}}
|({{IPAlink|ŋ}})
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Stop consonant|Stop]]
!<small>[[Voicelessness|voiceless]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|p}}
|{{IPAlink|t}}
|{{IPAlink|t͡ʃ}}
|{{IPAlink|k}}
|-
!<small>[[Voice (phonetics)|voiced]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|b}}
|{{IPAlink|d}}
|{{IPAlink|d͡ʒ}}
|{{IPAlink|ɡ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
!<small>[[Voicelessness|voiceless]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|f}}
|{{IPAlink|s}}
|
|
|-
!<small>[[Voice (phonetics)|voiced]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|v}}
|{{IPAlink|z}}
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Trill consonant|Trill]]
|
|{{IPAlink|r}}
|
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
!<small>[[Central approximant|central]]</small>
|
|
|{{IPAlink|j}}
|{{IPAlink|w}}
|-
!<small>[[Lateral consonant|lateral]]</small>
|
|{{IPAlink|l}}
|({{IPAlink|ʎ}})
|
|}

* Sounds {{IPA|/j, w/}} can also be noted as {{IPA|[i̯ u̯]}} among different dialects.
* {{IPAblink|ŋ}} occurs as a result of a nasal consonant preceding a velar stop.
* {{IPAblink|ʎ}} can occur as a result of Italian loanwords.

=== Vowels ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|- align="center"
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPAlink|i}}
|
|{{IPAlink|u}}
|-
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
|{{IPAlink|e}}
|
|{{IPAlink|o}}
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
|{{IPAlink|ɛ}}
|
|{{IPAlink|ɔ}}
|- align="center"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|
|{{IPAlink|a}}
|
|}

== Orthography ==
The Istriot alphabet is the following:

{| class="wikitable"
!Letter
!Pronunciation ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]])
!Notes
|-
|[[A]], a
|{{IPAslink|a}}
|à
|-
|[[B]], b
|{{IPAslink|b}}
|–
|-
|[[C]], c
|{{IPAslink|k}}, {{IPAslink|tʃ}}
|{{IPA|/k/}} when followed by "a", "o", "u" or a consonant; {{IPA|/tʃ/}} when followed by "e" or "i"
|-
|Ch, ch
|{{IPAslink|k}}
|When followed by "e" or "i"
|-
|Ci, ci
|{{IPAslink|tʃ}}
|When followed by "a", "o", "u"
|-
|[[D]], d
|{{IPAslink|d}}
|–
|-
|[[Dz (digraph)|Dz]], dz
|{{IPAslink|dz}}
|–
|-
|[[E]], e
|{{IPAslink|ɛ}}, {{IPAslink|e}}
|è, é
|-
|[[F]], f
|{{IPAslink|f}}
|–
|-
|[[G]], g
|{{IPAslink|ɡ}}, {{IPAslink|dʒ}}
|{{IPA|/ɡ/}} before "a", "o", "u" or a consonant, {{IPA|/dʒ/}} before "e" and "i"
|-
|Gh, gh
|{{IPAslink|ɡ}}
|When followed by "e" or "i"
|-
|Gi, gi
|{{IPAslink|dʒ}}
|When followed by "a", "o", "u"
|-
|[[H]], h
|–
|Used in [ch] and [gh]
|-
|[[I]], i
|{{IPAslink|i}}, {{IPAslink|j}}
|í, î
|-
|[[J]], j
|{{IPAslink|j}}
|–
|-
|[[L]], l
|{{IPAslink|l}}
|–
|-
|[[M]], m
|{{IPAslink|m}}
|–
|-
|[[N]], n
|{{IPAslink|n}}
|–
|-
|[[Nj (digraph)|Nj]], nj / [[Gn (digraph)|Gn]], gn
|{{IPAslink|ɲ}}
|
|-
|[[O]], o
|{{IPAslink|ɔ}}, {{IPAslink|o}}
|ò, ó
|-
|[[P]], p
|{{IPAslink|p}}
|–
|-
|[[R]], r
|{{IPAslink|r}}
|–
|-
|[[S]], s
|{{IPAslink|s}}
|–
|-
|[[T]], t
|{{IPAslink|t}}
|–
|-
|[[Ts (digraph)|Ts]], ts
|{{IPAslink|ts}}
|–
|-
|[[U]], u
|{{IPAslink|u}}, {{IPAslink|w}}
|ú, û
|-
|[[V]], v
|{{IPAslink|v}}
|–
|-
|[[Z]], z
|{{IPAslink|z}}
|–
|-
|}

==Example==

This is a poem called "Grièbani" by {{Interlanguage link|Ligio Zanini|it|Ligio Zanini}} in the dialect of [[Rovinj|Rovinj-Rovigno]].

{|class="wikitable"
! style="background:#EBF2C4" | Istriot || Italian
|-
| style="background:#F1F9CA; font-weight: bold;"|
<poem>
 La nostra zì oûna longa cal da griebani:

 i spironi da Monto inda uò salvà,
 e 'l brasso da Vistro uò rastà scuio
 pei grutoni pioûn alti del mar,
 ca ruzaghia sta tiera viecia-stara.
 Da senpro i signemo pissi sensa nom,
 ca da sui sa prucoûra 'l bucon
 par guodi la veîta leîbara del cucal,
 pastadi dala piova da Punente a da Livante
 e cume i uleîi mai incalmadi.
 Fra ste carme zì stà la nostra salvissa,
 cume i riboni a sa salva dal dulfeîn
 fra i scagni del sico da San Damian;
 el nostro pan, nato gra li gruote, zi stà inbinideî
 cul sudur sula iera zbruventa da Paloû...
 e i vemo caminà par oûna longa cal da griebani,
 c'ancui la riesta lissada dali nostre urme.
</poem>
||
<poem>
 La nostra è una lunga strada irta di sassi:

 gli speroni di Monto ci hanno salvato,
 ed il braccio di Vistro è rimasto scoglio
 per le grotte poste più in alto del mare,
 che erode questa antica terra.
 Da sempre siamo pesciolini
 che da soli si procurano il boccone
 per godere la libera vita del gabbiano,
 oppressi dalla pioggia di Ponente e di Levante
 come olivi senza innesti.
 Fra queste insenature è stata la nostra salvezza,
 come i pagelli si salvano dal delfino
 fra le tane della secca di San Damiano;
 il nostro pane, nato tra le grotte, è stato benedetto
 col sudore nell'aia ribollente di Palù...
 ed abbiamo camminato per una lunga strada dissestata,
 che oggi rimane spianate dai nostri passi.
</poem>
|}

==See also==
*[[Istrian Italians]]
*[[Julian March]]
*[[Dalmatian language]]
*[https://wikisource.org/wiki/Category:Istriot Wikisource:Istriot]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Incubator|code=ist}}
{{wiktionary category}}
*[https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Kp2EketQz_RCaFTnGZSYhIpZsFneq1WD&usp=sharing Istriot Language Map (distribution)]

{{Romance languages}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Istriot Language}}
[[Category:Languages of Croatia]]
[[Category:Italo-Dalmatian languages]]
[[Category:Endangered Romance languages]]
[[Category:Italians of Croatia]]
[[Category:Subject–verb–object languages]]