After thinking about what kind of material I could post for young language learners, I soon realized that this is a grossly underserved segment of our community. In the absence of any serious legislation and education reform coming out of ARS, I feel it is our obligation to encourage and collaborate with others on the development of age-appropriate pedagogical materials for Sicilian (Arbëresh and Gallo-Italic) language learners at the grade school level. In order to promote learning and using the language(s) in a practical sense, we need to be able to offer materials to our youth that are fun and engaging. It's almost a no-brainer! Unfortunately, a quick internet search yields nothing of the sort. In fact, resources for the young language learners of our community are practically non-existent, with the exception of tired short stories, folktales, riddles, and poetry. This is not enough. I'd like to get a consensus of other Cademia members regarding this issue. I've discussed this with a few people already who also see this as a critical area of need. I don't want to speak for anyone else but I know we have motivated members willing to solve these kinds of problems. Is this something that can be further explored by forming a subcommittee? Anyone with experience in education, childhood development, foreign language teaching, creative writing, translation, or more would be welcome participants of this task force. Chi nni diciti?
Very important if Sicilian is to survive is to reach the next generation. I can't really add much but I think an issue related to teaching children is also the question of "revival" how to reach children whose parents are non-native Sicilian speakers. I hope this perspective, even if minor, could also be included in the discussion.
Salutamu, Justinu! Grazzi pi la rispusta e li pinzera ca ni abbiasti. Nun t'affruntari! Semu tutti pari cà a travaljari anzemmula. Arrispittamu li pinzati d'ogni d'unu e ni piaci sempri cuannu vi faciti sentiri. Tutti nandri semu unici e daccussini purtamu cosi diversi e spiciali. Semu d'accordu. We need to develop fun and innovative resources that can stimulate and generate this revival. For several generations, children are increasingly being raised in monolingual (IT) households. In households that are bilingual (IT+SCN), they may be exposed to the minority/regional language by one or both parents and other relatives. But many of the children are shunned from using the minority/regional language or corrected in Italian when they do so. Thankfully people from all generations and socioeconomic backgrounds are beginning to realize this was a mistake and have come to see the value of "the dialect" shared by their family or community. My hope is, by creating resources that are fun, educational, interactive, and innovative, we can give the young learners a place to start. In the long term, I hopefully we can carry this hypothetical project forward to all age groups, from pre-school age to adults. Look at all of the materials that exist in Italian, Spanish, French, etc. From coloring books to puzzles, board games and video games; even Harry Potter is translated in those languages. My goal is to have similar offerings for speakers and language learners of Sicilian, Arbëresh, and Gallo-Italic. It will take decades to have anything comparable and I'm comfortable with that. Our motivation and example should be the Catalans (and to a lesser extent the Sards and Corsi). They have come a long way and so can we. But we need to start somewhere...
A few times it was discussed that our publishing goals should focus on materials for children. (Hence this forum). Mary Anne Vitale in the group has translated a lot of her children's book, but I don't think any are published. I think your idea of the colouring books, puzzles... the "fun stuff". Is really the trick though. We need things that will make this generation feel that written Sicilian is "normal" and "natural". We believe that these products will do exceedingly well in the diaspora. We think that the diaspora will understand the mission of these materials, and also be willing to pay more than the usual price for children's materials in order to support our mission. Do you know anyone who is able to work on these endeavours? I think crowdfunding is the way to do it. They'll receive official help and support for me and the Cadèmia.
Nun ni scurdamu ca Giuseppe Pitrè nn’arricugghiu tanti favuli e cunti nnô sò capudòpira Fiabe, novelle e racconti popolari siciliani . Nun sunnu cunti pi picciriddi, ma pi chiddi c’annu accuminzatu a nzignàrisi a lingua sunnu pirfetti. Poi, ju nn’aiu autri libbra scritti pi ngrisi ca cuntèninu favuli e cunti siciliani. Fussi no casa bedda tradùciri ssi cunti pi sicilianu. Nautra cosa, quannu mi nzignai u talianu a l’università, usavamu certi libbra ca eranu simprificati pi chiddi ca studiavanu a lingua. P’asempiu, nn’aiu unu ccà, n’òpira di tiatru, anzi, scritta di na siciliana, Natalia Ginzburg, si chiama: Ti ho sposato per allegria. N’òpira di stu gèniri po èssiri traduciutu fàcili fàcili e fussi na cosa ùtili (Ti maritai pâ cuntintizza), nautra vota, st'idea nun è spicìficamenti pi picciriddi, ma pi tutti ca si stannu nzignannu u sicilianu e annu bisognu di matiriali ca ponnu lèggiri. Salutamu!
