Page 10 - Italian American Herald - January 2022

10 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | JANUARY2022 ITALIAN-AMERICANHERALD
FROM OUR READERS
Let us never forget the dialects that shaped us
Friends –
If your family came from Abruzzo they
probably spoke some form of Abruzzese. WhenIcameasa10yearoldIspoke Abruzzese, not Italian. Most of the immigrants who came to America spoke only dialect. Many could not read or write. To be
fair, we felt somewhat inferior to Italians who spoke the national language. Since I left I have been studying Italian, while I have lost most of the Abruzzese I knew, to my regret.
A dialect is an informal language
of a mother language. Italy is very rich linguistically, with 34 dialects, in addition to subdialects. There are also small enclaves of French, German, Albanian, Greek,
and Catalan. Some dialects are mutually unintelligible. Written dialects are hard to understand and are not used in official and business documents.
A little history and geography explains. Italian derived from Latin. The famous medieval poet Dante Alighieri was the first to write in Italian, in “La Divina Comedia.” He wrote in the Tuscan dialect of Florence, which in time became the official language of Italy. Reasons: it was the closest to Latin, and was
the language of commerce and diplomacy, which Florence dominated at the time. In the meantime the dialects evolved due to Italy's rugged geography and the isolation of various communities. If Florence had not been so dominant, the dialect of Rome might have become the national language. Sicilian is in a class of its own, it's a distinct language with heavy Arabic and Spanish influence.
When Italy was unified as a nation in 1870 the number of people who spoke and wrote the Italian language was 5% of the population. Gradually with the expansion of national education and communication, the language has become more universal. Yet, dialects survive throughout the country. It's
a matter of local pride. Moreover, the Italian government is trying to preserve the dialects as part of the national cultural heritage. Nick Rapagnini has shared with us delightful and very nostalgic songs from Abruzzo, such as "Vola, Vola, Vola." The musical heritage of Abruzzo is immense and quite beautiful. So is the treasury of expressions and proverbs.
While dialects are very expressive in demonstrating local culture, traditions and music, they are limited in their ability to
communicate complex thoughts in today's world. Even so, you can find Abruzzese and other dialects written in the literature. Abruzzo's most famous poet, Gabriele D'Annunzio, used the dialect of Pescara in some of his works. He was very proud of Abruzzo. For very good reasons!
Ciao,
Gabriele Marcella Carlisle, Pennsylvania
The medieval poet Dante wrote "La Divina Comedia" in the Tuscan dialect of Florence, which in time became the official language of Italy.
EDITOR’S NOTE
The following letter was written to friends and members of the Associazione Regionale Abruzzese Delco by club member Gabrielle Marcella of Carlisle, Pa.
The Herald is your exclusive opportunity to reach the Delaware Valley Italian-American community.
To place your ad,
contact: Advertising@ italianamericanherald.com
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Vol. 8 / No. 12
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Stained glass at the Bourges Cathedral in France depicts Lucianus finding the tomb of St. Stephen.
By Jeanne Outlaw-Cannavo
a much-loved and celebrated holiday with La Festa di Santo Stefano. In the United States, the day after Christmas has become a day
to return gifts or to continue shopping for great buys. However, in Italy it is a public holiday to honor Christianity’s first saint Santo Stefano. As the first acknowledged saint, celebrating him takes place on the
day immediately following the birth of
Jesus. He is the patron saint of stonecutters, bricklayers, deacons, and those who suffer from headaches and migraines.
The festival of Santo Stefano became a national holiday in 1947 with the intent
to extend holiday celebrations and to add solemnity to the celebration of the birth of Christ. Only one other holiday in Italy enjoys the same status and that is Easter, with the celebration of Pasquetta (Little Easter) the following day.
Santo Stefano is considered the first deacon of Jerusalem. The Acts of the Apostles tells how, after the death of Christ, the 12 apostles were completely devoted to preaching the word of God and for this reason could not dedicate their time to serving the people. In order to help the population, they chose seven of their disciples to dedicate themselves to the day-to-day needs of the population. The first among the seven chosen disciples was Santo Stefano. He was a pious and well-loved man among the Christians but particularly feared by the Hebrews. In their eyes, he was guilty of the conversion to Christianity of many of the Jewish population who had survived the diaspora.
for judgment on his actions. During the hearing, Stefano proclaimed himself a son
of God who sat at the side of his father. This further inflamed the people who had brought him to trial and those present dragged him from the judicial hall and stoned him to death. It is believed by some scholars that this transpired after Pontius Pilate was removed from power in a period when governance of Jerusalem was assumed by the Sinedrio. The date of his martyrdom is approximate based on when Pontius Pilate ruled. The theory is that if Pontius Pilate had still been Governor, he would have crucified Stefano as he did with Jesus. The stoning, however, was typical of the Hebrew manner of execution at the time. Centuries after his death, sometime around 415 A.D., the scholar Gamaliele,
The Christmas season in Catholic Italy focuses on the meaning of the season with not only Christmas but nine other holidays in a reverent and joyful time. This differs from here in the United State even as Christmas draws crowds of the faithful to services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It seems more of the focus is on parties and shopping sprees as advertisers entice us, even before Thanksgiving, to get started with our purchases to make sure we get the best deals. While gift giving in Italy is part of the holiday, it is not as important as celebrating the birth of Christ and spending time with family and friends.
Around 34 A.D. some of the Hebrews accused Stefano of blasphemy and brought him before the Sinedrio of Jerusalem (The Sanhedrin or Supreme Council of the Jews)
Dec. 25 is the most solemn and joyous of days as Italian Catholics celebrate the birth of Christ. The following day, Dec. 26 is also
continued on page 5
La Festa di Santo Stefano
The day after Christmas honors the first Christian saint
DECEMBER 2021