Corsica Vocabulary

I. Origin of Corsican Vocabulary

Corsican is a Romance language spoken primarily in Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean Sea that is part of France. Corsican vocabulary originated in Vulgar Latin, as did other Romance languages. Over the centuries, the Corsican language has incorporated elements from different languages, including Italian, Tuscan and Sardinian, due to the various cultural and political influences that have marked Corsican history. Corsican is also rich in terms related to nature, agriculture, animal husbandry, and Corsica's unique island culture.

II. Distinctive sounds

Corsican has a distinct phonology, with sounds that differentiate it from other Romance languages. Among the peculiarities of Corsican are the use of "ghj" (ʤ) and "chj" (ʧ), sounds that do not exist in French. Corsican also uses diphthongs, which are combinations of two vowels pronounced in a single syllable. The tonic accent in Corsican is usually placed on the penultimate syllable of words.

III. Common usage situations

Corsican is spoken by about 200,000 people, mainly in Corsica. Common use situations for Corsican include daily communication, business, tourism, literature, poetry, music, and visual arts. Corsicans are proud of their language and appreciate the efforts of visitors to learn a few words and phrases in Corsican.

IV. Using audio to learn Corsican vocabulary

Audio can help improve your pronunciation and listening comprehension. Listening to native speakers of Corsican pronounce words and phrases can help you understand how the sounds of the language are produced and how words are linked together in natural speech. In addition, learning Corsican vocabulary with audio can help you learn idioms and common phrases used in specific contexts. Audio can be used as a convenient way to study Corsican vocabulary while on the go.

V. Some good resources for immersing yourself in Corsican culture

Films

• Terraferma (2011) - Directed by Emanuele Crialese.
• A Corsican Summer (2017) - Directed by Pascal Tagnati.

Literature

Corsican literature is rich and varied, reflecting the history, language and identity of the island. You will find many interesting resources on this site: Corsican culture.
You can read classic authors like Prosper Mérimée, who wrote the famous short story Colomba (1840), which tells the story of a young Corsican girl's vendetta against her father's murderers. You can also read contemporary authors like Jerome Ferrari, who won the Goncourt Prize in 2012 for his novel Le Sermon sur la chute de Rome (2012), which describes the fate of two friends who take over a bar in Corsica.
You can also read Corsican authors who write in the Corsican language, such as Ghjacumu Thiers, who has published several collections of poetry and short stories.

Music

Corsican music is best known for its polyphonic songs, which express the depth and diversity of the Corsican soul. You can listen to groups like I Muvrini, A Filetta or Canta u Populu Corsu, which blend tradition and modernity in their songs. You can also discover more contemporary artists like Diana di l'Alba, Petru Guelfucci or Jean-Charles Papi, who sing in Corsican or French in various styles such as rock, folk or pop.

VI. Here is a selection of 400 useful words and expressions to get started

These words and expressions are classified by theme. By clicking on the course button, you will be taken to a complete learning tool for this content.

By clicking on the "printer" button, you will be able to print out all the expressions in the theme and download the sounds.

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