The History of Sicilian — Europe's Most Defiant Dialect

Sicilian is one of Europe's oldest Romance languages, still spoken across Sicily and its global diaspora today. Despite UNESCO's vulnerable classification, it remains a powerful marker of identity — captured in the phrase Siciliani si nasce.

Long before Italy existed as a nation, Sicily had its own language.

Not a simplified version of Italian. Not just an accent. A full language — with its own grammar, its own literary tradition, and a history so layered it carries traces of Greek colonists, Arab emirs, Norman kings, and Spanish viceroys, all of whom left their mark on the way Sicilians speak today.

Where Sicilian Comes From

Sicilian — Sicilianu, as locals call it — is recognized by linguists as one of the oldest Romance languages in Europe. According to Wikipedia's overview of the Sicilian language, it descends directly from Vulgar Latin and carries the influence of nearly every civilization that ever touched the island — Greek, Arabic, Norman French, and Spanish among them.

Some of the very first poetry ever written in a vernacular Italic language came out of the Sicilian School in the 13th century, at the court of Frederick II — decades before what we now call standard Italian even existed.

A Vulnerable, Living Language

According to the Endangered Language Alliance, Sicilian is currently classified by UNESCO as a "vulnerable" language, with an estimated 5 million speakers across Sicily, southern Calabria, and Apulia — plus large diaspora communities in Germany, Australia, Argentina, and the United States.

Despite that pressure, Sicilian has never disappeared. It survives in kitchens, in markets, in the way grandparents talk to grandchildren — a language passed down not through classrooms, but through stubborn love.

Siciliani Si Nasce — More Than Words

There's a phrase every Sicilian knows by heart: Siciliani si nasce, non si diventa — you're born Sicilian, you don't become one.

It's not arrogance. It's identity carried in the blood — in the way you talk with your hands, in the way you say bedda matri under your breath when something goes wrong, in the way the island stays with you no matter how far you move.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Siciliani si nasce" mean?
It translates to "You're born Sicilian, you don't become one" — expressing that Sicilian identity is inherited, not chosen.

Is Sicilian a language or a dialect?
Linguists classify Sicilian as a distinct Romance language, not a dialect of Italian.

Is Sicilian endangered?
UNESCO classifies Sicilian as vulnerable, with declining transmission to younger generations.

Wear the Words

Language disappears when no one uses it anymore. Every time you wear a word instead of just saying it, you keep it alive a little longer.

Explore the full Sicilian Pride Collection, part of our wider Italy Collection, and discover more stories like this one right here on the blog.