Law enforcement (lis fuarcis dal ordin) have busted a clandestine frico smuggling ring (a àn sbaraiât un trafic clandestin di frico) in central Friûl (tal Friûl di Mieç).
During a raid at the crack of dawn (intant di une incursion sul cricâ dal dì), officers managed to bust (i agjents a àn rivât a sbaraiâ) a secret frico smuggling operation (une operazion segrete di cuintribant di frico). Four foreign nationals have been arrested (a son stâts arestâts cuatri citadins forescj): three Albanians and a Bulgarian (trê albanês e un bulgar).
The crooks were caught with numerous batches of illegal frico (i malvivents a son stâts cjapâts cun cetancj lots di frico no legâl). The frico had allegedly been prepared in the Balkans (il frico al sarès stât preparât tai Balcans) by a Friulian woman (di une siore furlane) of advanced age (indenant cui agns) who had to flee Friûl (che e veve scugnût scjampâ vie dal Friûl) after attempting to introduce (dopo di vê cirût di fâ jentrâ) her secret recipes (lis sôs ricetis segretis) into the gastronomic tradition of her village of origin (te tradizion gastronomiche dal so paîs di origjin). We tasted the outlawed frico (o vin cerçât il frico fûr leç); unfortunately (magari cussì no), it was spectacular (al jere spetacolâr).
Investigations targeted two establishments (lis investigazions si son concentradis su doi locâi) posing as bike shops (fasintsi passâ par buteghis di bicis). The officers also found (i agjents a àn ancje cjatât) a loaded rifle (un fusîl cjariât) in one of the two shops (intune des dôs buteghis), along with a great deal of cash (dutun cuntun slac di bêçs).
All four have now been locked up (ducj i cuatri si cjatin cumò in scjaipule). The officers remind us (i agjents nus ricuardin) that the sale of foreign frico (che la vendite di frico forest) is forbidden on Friulian territory (e je improibide sul teritori furlan). As for the ring leader (par ce che al tocje il cjâf de bande), she is still at large somewhere in the Balkans (e reste a pît libar di cualchi bande tai Balcans). / r.p.
Yet another accident (ancjemò un incident) along the roads of Friûl (dilunc des stradis dal Friûl):
Shortly after seven this morning (pôc dopo des siet di buinore di vuê), three cars collided (trê machinis si son dadis cuintri) along provincial road thirty-one (dilunc de strade provinciâl trenteun). In all (in dut) five people were involved in the accident (a son stadis cjapadis tal incident cinc personis), of whom were four adults and one minor (che di chei a jerin cuatri adults e un minôr). The road was closed to traffic (la strade e je stade sierade al trafic) due to the accident (par vie dal incident). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
In the photo below (te foto chi sot), we see that the cars (o viodìn che lis machinis) have gone off the road (a son ladis fûr strade). All three cars (dutis trê lis machinis) are white (a son blancjis), or at least so it would seem (o almancul cussì al somearès).
Let’s try now (cirìn cumò) to understand better (di capî miôr) how to say in Friulian (cemût che si dîs par furlan) the equivalent of (l’ecuivalent di): whom. Examples (esemplis):
Cinc in dut, che di chei a jerin cuatri adults e un minôr: five in all, of whom were four adults and one minor. We can also say (o podìn ancje dì): cinc in dut, che tra chei a jerin cuatri adults e un minôr, which in English is (che par inglês al sarès): five in all, amongst whom were five adults and one minor.
O ài contât plui di cent oms, che di chei almancul cincuante a jerin furlans: I counted more than one hundred men, of whom at least fifty were Friulian. We can also say (o podìn ancje dî): o ài contât plui di cent oms, che tra chei almancul cincuante a jerin furlans, or also (o ancje): o ài contât plui di cent oms, che di lôr almancul cincuante a jerin furlans; or also (o ancje): o ài contât plui di cent oms, che tra lôr almancul cincuante a jerin furlans.
Cinc personis, che di chês dôs a jerin stadis denunziadis: five people, of whom two had been reported. We can also say: cinc personis, che tra chês dôs a jerin stadis denunziadis, or also (o ancje): cinc personis, che di lôr dôs a jerin stadis denunziadis; or also (o ancje): cinc personis, che tra lôr dôs a jerin stadis denunziadis.
More examples (altris esemplis): the men in the midst of whom {amongst whom} I was born and raised (i oms che framieç di lôr o soi nassût e cressût); the neighbours with regard to whom all our arguments arise (i vicins di cjase che a rivuart di lôr a nassin dutis lis nestris barufis); un amì che cun lui o voi in citât (a friend with whom I go into the city); la femine che daûr di jê o stavi cjaminant (the woman behind whom I was walking); the pole about which they tied up the prisoner (il pâl che ator di chel a àn leât il presonîr).
That last example above (chel ultin esempli chi sore) shows us that (nus mostre che), when we are not dealing with people (cuant che no si trate di personis), these grammatical constructions (chestis costruzions gramaticâls) are translated to English as (a vignaressin tradotis in inglês come): which. A few more examples (ancjemò cualchi esempli): the trees in front of which I slipped (i arbui che denant di chei o soi sbrissât); the stream near which he died instantly (il torint che dongje di chel al è restât sul bot).
But you must know (ma tu âs di savê) that often (che dispès) Friulians omit these constructions (i furlans a lassin fûr chestis costruzions). For example (par esempli), instead of saying: une persone che su di jê tu puedis fâ cont, which is to say (ven a stâi): a person on whom you can count, many Friulians will say (cetancj furlans a disaran): une persone che tu puedis fâ cont.
Or instead of (o ben invezit di): la machine che cun chê o soi vignût, which is to say (ven a stâi): the car by which I came, many Friulians will say (cetancj furlans a disaran): la machine che o soi vignût.
Or instead of (o ben invezit di): i bêçs che cun chei lu ài paiât, which is to say (ven a stâi): the money with which I paid for it, many Friulians will say (cetancj furlans a disaran): i bêçs che lu ài paiât.
Or instead of (o ben invezit di): l’om che di lui tu mi âs za fevelât, which is to say (ven a stâi): the man about whom you have already spoken to me, many Friulians will say (cetancj furlans a disaran): l’om che tu mi âs za fevelât.
A few lessons ago (cualchi lezion indaûr), we learnt something new in Friulian (o vin imparât alc di gnûf par furlan): dazi. This word means (cheste peraule e vûl dî): tariff. Let’s write one last example now in Friulian (scrivìn cumò un ultin esempli par furlan): il risi di dazis che denant di chei il guvier al à cirût di fâ un acuardi, which is to say (ven a stâi): the risk of tariffs in the face of which the government sought to make a deal.
If you are going through a bad time (se tu vivis un brut moment), or if bad luck is haunting you (o se la sfortune no ti lasse), you may feel like saying (ti vignarès forsit voie di dî): “Nothing is going right for me! (No mi va drete nancje une!)” More than a few people (plui di cualchidun) would see things that way (le pensarès cussì) se a fossin vitimis (if they were victims) like the unfortunate elders (come i anzians sfortunâts) about whom I will now tell you (che di lôr ti contarai cumò).
A gang of Bulgarians (une bande di bulgars), two women and one man (dôs feminis e un om), who would travel to Italy and also to Austria (che a rivavin in Italie e ancje in Austrie) just to steal (juste par robâ), has been caught by police (e je stade cjapade de polizie).
The investigations began (lis investigazions a son tacadis) following a report from a seventy-nine-year-old woman (dopo de denunzie di une siore di setantenûf agns) who had been robbed in a supermarket (che e veve patide une robarie intun supermarcjât). On the same day (inte stesse zornade), the police recorded four different incidents (la polizie e veve regjistrât cuatri episodis diferents), all using the same technique (simpri cu la stesse tecniche), in as many supermarkets (in ancjetancj supermarcjâts).
The criminals would approach their victims (i delincuents si svicinavin aes vitimis), always elderly women or men (simpri feminis e oms indenant cui agns), and while one of the two women distracted them (e intant che une des dôs feminis lis distraevin), the other would steal (chê altre e robave). The man would always wait outside (l’om al spietave simpri fûr), ready to drive the thieves away quickly (pront a puartâ vie di corse lis laris) in a car (cuntune machine).
The three would arrive in Italy (i trê a rivavin in Italie) using a hired car (doprant une machine cjapade a nauli) and would rob in one shop after the another (e a robavin intune buteghe daûr di chê altre). The good news (la buine gnove) is that all three are now in jail (e je che ducj i trê si cjatin cumò in preson). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
It is clear (al è clâr) that many criminals (che une vore di delincuents) travel to Italy (a rivin in Italie) and do whatever they want (e a fasin ce che a vuelin). As for us (par ce che nus tocje nô), let’s just try to make progress in the Friulian language (cirìn dome di lâ indenant cu la lenghe furlane).
No mi va drete nancje une: nothing is going right for me. Word for word (peraule par peraule): not even one [thing] is going straight for me. The word nancje means (la peraule nancje e vûl dî): not even, either. A few examples (cualchi esempli): no lu fasarès nancje un mat (not even a mad man would do it); are you coming with us? not in your dreams! (vegnistu cun nô? nancje par idee!); if you’re not going there, I’m not going there either (se no tu i vâs tu, no i voi nancje jo).
A fasin ce che a vuelin: they do whatever they want. This sentence uses (cheste frase e dopre) the present indicative (il presint indicatîf). But if we were to use the present subjunctive (ma se o doprassin il coniuntîf presint), the meaning of the sentence would change (il significât de frase al cambiarès): che a fasin ce che a vuelin!, or also (o ancje): che a fasedin ce che a vuelin!, which in English is (che par inglês al sarès): they can do whatever they want! let them do whatever they want! We can also say (o podìn ancje dî) these same sentences (chestis stessis frasis) using a local variant of Friulian (doprant une variante locâl dal furlan): a fan sé ch’a volin; ch’a fedin sé ch’a volin!
Indenant cui agns: advanced in years. If a man is old (se un om al è vieli), he is advanced in years (al è indenant cui agns).
To conclude (par concludi), I leave you with a few idiomatic expressions (ti lassi cun cualchi espression idiomatiche) related to robbers (leade ai laris), including figurative expressions (ancje espressions figuradis). You can come back to study these expressions (tu puedis tornâ a studiâ chestis espressions) from time to time (di volte in volte) as needed (che al covente):
1. fâsi cjatâ cu lis mans tal sac = to be caught red-handed; 2. scjampâ cul botin = to escape with the loot; 3. jessi svelt di man = to be quick of hand ; 4. robâ il cûr = to steal one’s heart; 5. robâ un minût = to steal a minute.
Examples (esemplis): 1. il lari si è fat cjapâ cu lis mans tal sac = the thief was caught red-handed; 2. i malvivents a son scjampâts cul botin = the crooks made off with the loot; 3. chel sborsarûl bulgar al è svelt di man = that Bulgarian pickpocket is quick of hand; 4. chê fantate mi à robât il cûr = that girl has stolen my heart; 5. puedio robâti doi minûts? = may I steal two minutes of your time?
Last week (la setemane passade) we watched a videoclip (o vin cjalât un filmât) where a woman told us (dulà che une femine nus à contât) of the characteristics of the Friulian language (des carateristichis de lenghe furlane). To learn more (par savênt di plui): Al è in Friûl che a vegnin a cjatâsi lis trê principâls animis linguistichis de Europe.
At a certain point (a un ciert pont), the woman says (la femine e dîs): The Friulian language does not derive from Italian (la lenghe furlane no derive dal talian), but is the result of an evolution of the Latin (ma e je il risultât di une evoluzion dal latin) that was spoken in the Aquileia region (che si fevelave te regjon di Aquilee), and which (e che) around the year one thousand (tor dal an mil) we can already define (o podìn za definî) as a language in its own right (come une lenghe par so cont). Linguistic manuals classify it (i manuâi di linguistiche le metin dentri) amongst the Rhaeto-Romance languages (fra lis lenghis retoromanichis) alongside Ladin from the Dolomites (cul ladin dolomitan) and Rumantsch of Switzerland (e il romanç de Svuizare).
I found an interesting videoclip on YouTube (o ài cjatât su YouTube un filmât interessant) where a man teaches us (dulà che un om nus fâs imparâ) a few words in Rumantsch (cualchi peraule par romanç). The man says in Rumantsch (l’om al dîs par romanç): bun di, buna saira, buna not, which is to say (ven a stâi): good day, good evening, good night.
Interesting, isn’t it? (interessant, no?).
Right (ben), everybody quiet now (duçus sitos adès) as I tell you something (tant ch’i vi conti alc) using the Friulian language in the variant of Dograva (doprant la lenga furlana ta la variant di Dograva). In this variant (ta chista variant) we have (i vin): bundì, buna sera, buna not.
Now I will switch back to the standardised language (cumò o torni ae lenghe normalizade), where we have (dulà che o vin): bundì, buine sere, buine gnot.
I did not intend to confuse you (no vevi chê di confondius) with this lesson (cun cheste lezion), but I thought it would be interesting (ma o ài pensât che al sarès stât interessant) to make a comparison between languages (fâ un confront tra lis lenghis).
Let’s try now to learn a few facts (cirìn cumò di imparâ cualchi fat) about Rumantsch (sul romanç): it is spoken in Switzerland (si lu fevele te Svuizare); sixty thousand Swiss speak it (lu fevelin sessante mil svuizars); al à variantis locâls (it has local variants).
Above (chi sore), I wrote something in a local variant of Friulian (o ài scrit alc intune variante locâl dal furlan): everybody quiet now (duçus sitos adès). In chê variante locâl (in that local variant), we can also say (o podìn ancje dî): duçus sidins adès. Sito and sidin have the same meaning (sito e sidin a àn il stes significât), which is to say (ven a stâi): quiet. In the standardised language (te lenghe normalizade), we will say (o disarìn): cidin, and our example becomes (e il nestri esempli al devente): ducj cidins cumò.
We have spoken (o vin fevelât) of a bit of everything (di un pôc di dut) in this lesson (in cheste lezion). We can say (o podìn dì) that it has been a lesson (che e je stade une lezion) full of curiosities (plene di curiositâts).
Without a doubt (cence dubi) more than a few people (plui di cualchidun) would choose TARIFF (al sielzarès DAZI) as word of the year (tant che peraule dal an).
On the twenty-seventh of July of two thousand and twenty-five (ai vincjesiet di Lui dal doi mil e vincjecinc), United States President Donald Trump (il president dai Stâts Unîts Donald Trump) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (e la presidente de Comission Europeane Ursula von der Leyen) signed a deal (a àn firmât un acuardi) to avert a trade war (par evitâ une vuere comerciâl) between the United States and the European Union (tra i Stâts Unîts e la Union Europeane).
First of all (prin di dut), what is a tariff (ce isal un dazi)? A tariff is a tax (un dazi al è une tasse) imposed by a public authority (metude sù di une autoritât publiche) on goods (su lis marcjanziis) brought into a territory (puartadis dentri di un teritori).
Tariffs deal between the United States and the European Union (acuardi sui dazis tra i Stâts Unîts e la Union Europeane):
As for the trade deal (par ce che al tocje l’acuardi comerciâl) signed yesterday (firmât îr) between the United States and the European Union (tra i Stâts Unîts e la Union Europeane), Trump reckoned it (Trump lu à stimât) “the biggest deal ever made” («il plui grant acuardi mai fat»).
The agreement provides for a fifteen percent tariff (la intese e previôt un dazi dal cuindis par cent) on most European goods (su la plui part des marcjanziis europeanis) imported into the United States (impuartadis tai Stâts Unîts), such as automobiles and pharmaceuticals (come i automobii e i farmacs), lower than the thirty percent threatened by Trump (plui bas dal trente par cent menaçât di Trump), but higher than the previous one to two percent (ma plui alt dal un-doi par cent di prime).
The European Union will purchase (la Union Europeane e cuistarà) seven hundred and fifty billion dollars (sietcent e cincuante miliarts di dolars) in American energy (in energjie americane) over a three-year period (in un periodi di trê agns). Additionally (cun di plui), the European Union will invest six hundred billion dollars in the United States (la Union Europeane e investissarà sîs miliarts di dolars tai Stâts Unîts) and will purchase American military equipment (e e cuistarà aparâts militârs americans).
A few days ago (cualchi dì indaûr), we read (o vin let) that an elderly man (che un om intimpât) of eighty years of age (di otante agns) who had gone mushroom foraging (che al jere lât a foncs) got lost in the mountains (si è pierdût su la mont). The man’s mobile phone (il telefonin dal om) was so old (al jere cussì vecjo) that it could not give his position (che nol podeve dâ la posizion), so he had to give directions verbally (cussì al à scugnût dâ lis indicazions a vôs). The helicopter rescue technicians saw him (i tecnics dal elicotar lu àn viodût) as they were passing above him (intant che a passavin parsore di lui). The rescue technicians had to use the winch (i tecnics a àn scugnût doprâ la binte) to pull him up into the helicopter (par tirâlu sù intal elicotar). To learn more (par savênt di plui): Elicotar al salve un vieli che si jere pierdût su la mont, al jere lât a cirî foncs.
It is not the first time (no je la prime volte) that rescuers in Friûl (che i socoridôrs in Friûl) have had to help someone (a àn vût di judâ cualchidun) who had gone looking for mushrooms (che al jere lât a cirî foncs). Last year (l’an passât), a sixty-eight-year old man (un om di sessantevot agns) who had gotten lost (che si jere pierdût) as he was looking for mushrooms (intant che al cirive foncs) took shelter in a refuge (si è parât intun ripâr) after having gone the wrong way (dopo di jessi lât de bande sbaliade). Instead of going west (invezit di lâ de bande che il soreli al va a mont), which is to say (ven a stâi) towards the car park (bande dal parc des machinis), he went east (al è lât bande soreli jevât) until it got dark (fintremai cuant che al è vignût scûr) and he found a refuge (e al à cjatât un ripâr). A light inside the refuge (une lûs dentri dal ripâr) helped the rescuers to find him (e à judât i socoridôrs a cjatâlu). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
Remarks: (1) Lâ de bande che il soreli al va a mont: literally, to go in the direction in which the sun sets; but even more literally, to go in the direction in which the sun goes to the mountains, which is to say, to go west. The imagery is that of the sun going down behind the mountains on the horizon as it sets. Another example: il soreli al è za lât a mont (the sun has already gone to the mountains, which is to say, the sun has already set). (2) Lâ bande soreli jevât: literally, to go in the direction of the risen sun, which is to say, to go east. (3) The wordings in the first two remarks are traditional ones. Friulian also uses: bande Nord, bande Sud, bande Est, bande Ovest. For example, the sentence in the news report can also be worded so: invezit di lâ bande Ovest, al è lât bande Est. (4) Fintremai cuant che al è vignût scûr: literally, until it came dark.
And then an eighty-four-year-old man (e po un om di otantecuatri agns) who had gone mushroom foraging (che al jere lât a foncs) al è sbrissât intun canalon (slipped in a gully). Unfortunately (magari cussì no), al è muart sul bot (he died instantly). It was possible to see him from above (si podeve viodilu dal alt) because he was found in a clearing (parcè che si cjatave intune largjure). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
In Italy (In Italie), the law regulates (la leç e regole*) ownership of firearms (il possès di armis). Italian laws governing firearms (lis leçs talianis su lis armis) are stringent (a son rigorosis). Civilians must obtain a licence (i civîi a scuegnin otignî une licence) to be able to possess a firearm (par podê vê une arme di fûc). This licence requires (cheste licence e domande) detailed checks (controi detaiâts), mental health evaluations (valutazions de salût mentâl) and a reason that justifies ownership of the firearm (e une motivazion che e justifiche* il possès de arme), such as hunting or sport shooting (come la cjace o il tîr sportîf).
Self-defence permits are rare (i permès par difese personâl a son rârs), because you must present (parcè che si à di presentâ) proof of specific threats (provis di menacis specifichis). Automatic weapons are prohibited (lis armis automatichis a son improibidis) and concealed carry is very limited (e il puart scuindût al è une vore limitât). Firearms must be registered (si à di regjistrâ lis armis) and the purchase of ammunition is regulated (e l’acuist di munizions al è regolamentât). Violations entail severe penalties (lis violazions a compuartin penis severis), including imprisonment (ancje la reclusion).
Une pistole fumante:
To be precise (par dîle juste), the smoking pistol above (la pistole* fumante chi sore) is a compressed air pistol (e je une pistole di aiar comprimût). It is not an authentic firearm (no je une arme di fûc autentiche), but rather a training pistol (ma pluitost une pistole di alenament) used for sport shooting (doprade pal tîr sportîf). It does not shoot bullets (no sbare palotulis*); it shoots pellets (e sbare balins*).
To conclude (par concludi), I leave you with some examples (us lassi cun cualchi esempli) of sentences in Friulian (di frasis par furlan), so that you continue learning (par che o ledis indenant cul imparâ) even more words (ancjemò plui peraulis): 1. The policeman was killed by a stray bullet (il poliziot* al è stât copât di une palotule mate); 2. A bullet pierced his arm (une bale i à sbusât il braç); 3. The trigger is a little lever that is pulled to fire a shot (il scatarel* al è une piçule jeve che si tire par trai un colp); 4. The trigger of the pistol is blocked by the safety (il scatarel de pistole al è fermât de sigure); 5. The barrel of the pistol was still smoking (la cane de pistole e fumave ancjemò); 6. The revolver was smoking after the decisive shot (il revolvar* al fumave dopo dal colp decisîf); 7. The barrel of the rifle must be cleaned (si à di netâ la cane dal fusîl); 8. The rifle is loaded (la sclope e je cjariade); 9. After training at the firing range, he emptied the magazine of the pistol for safety (dopo dal alenament tal poligon* di tîr, al à disvuedât il cjariadôr de pistole par sigurece); 10. That machine gun fires seven hundred shots per minute (chê mitraie e trai sietcent colps par minût).
A few expert suggestions (cualchi sugjeriment espert) in Friulian (par furlan) for the purpose of amazing your girlfriend (cul fin di maraveâ la tô morose) under a beautiful, starry sky (sot di un biel cîl stelât):
If your girlfriend says to you (se la tô morose ti dîs): “Oh look at what a bright star that is! (Ma cjale ce stele sflandorose!),” but you know full well that it’s not a star (ma tu sâs benon che no je une stele), but rather the planet Venus (ma pitost il planet Venus), you can amaze her by saying (tu puedis maraveâle disint): “That bright spot in the sky (Chel pont lusorôs tal cîl) is a planet (al è un planet), Venus, to be precise (Venus, par dîle juste), and it’s the hottest planet of the solar system (e al è il planet plui cjalt dal sisteme solâr); and there’s Mercury (e li al è Mercuri). Mercury and the ‘Bielestele’... always there keeping each other company in the sky (Mercuri e la Bielestele... simpri li a fâsi compagnie tal cîl).”
It may so happen (pò dâsi) that she gets fed up (che jê si stufi) with your smarty-pants chit-chat (des tôs cjacaris di safaron), but too bad for her (ma piês par jê), because now we can learn (parcè che cumò o podìn imparâ) something new in Friulian (alc di gnûf par furlan):
LA BIELESTELE
Did you know? (Lu savevistu?) The planet Venus (il planet Venus) is also known in Friulian (al è ancje cognossût par furlan) by the names of (cui nons di): Bielestele, stele dal dì e stele dal pastôr; names that translate to English as (nons che a vignaressin tradots par inglês come): beautiful star, day star and shepherd’s star.
Just as in Friulian (come che al sucêt par furlan), this planet in English is also known (chest planet par inglês al è ancje cognossût) by the name of shepherd’s star (cul non di stele dal pastôr), but that’s not all (ma no dome), because the English also say morning star (parcè che i inglês a disin ancje morning star), name which translates to Friulian as (non che al vignarès tradot par furlan come): stele di buinore.
This planet (chest planet), which is the second of the solar system (che al è il secont dal sisteme solâr), spins backwards (al zire al contrari). It takes it (i vuelin) two hundred and twenty-five Earth days (dusinte e vincjecinc dîs terestris) to orbit about the Sun (par orbitâ ator dal Soreli); this circuit about the Sun is faster (chest zîr ator dal Soreli al è plui svelt) than that of Earth (di chel de Tiere). That said (dit chest), one day on the hot planet (une zornade sul planet cjalt) lasts two hundred and forty-three Earth days (e dure dusinte e cuarantetrê dîs terestris). Romantic sunset (amont romantic)...? The wait’s going to be rather long (e sarà pitost lungje la spiete).
La Lune (a man çampe) e la Bielestele (a man drete):
The planets are: (i planets a son): Mercury (Mercuri), Venus (Bielestele), Earth (Tiere), Mars (Mart), Jupiter (Jupiter), Saturn (Saturni), Uranus (Uran), Neptune (Netun) and Pluto (e Pluton). All these planets (ducj chescj planets) turn about the Sun (a zirin ator dal Soreli).
To tell the truth (par dî il vêr), little Pluto (il piçul Pluton), astronomers no longer consider it a planet (i astronoms no lu tegnin plui par un planet); but let’s not be smart-alecs about it (ma no stin a fâ i safarons). Earth has one natural satellite (la Tiere e à un satelit naturâl): the Moon (la Lune). The Moon goes round Earth (la Lune e zire ator de Tiere). It is full of craters (e je plene di cratêrs).
We have already seen (o vin za viodût) that in Friulian (che par furlan) the word binte (la peraule binte), which in English is winch (che par inglês si dîs winch), is used (e ven doprade) to speak of the device (par fevelâ dal dispositîf) with the steel cable (cu la cuarde di açâl) used by helicopters (doprât dai elicotars). With the winch (cu la binte), a rescuer can go down (un socoridôr al pues lâ jù) to treat an injured person (par curâ un ferît) or to pull the injured person up (o par tirâ sù il ferît) into the helicopter (intal elicotar). To learn more (par savênt di plui), click the link (fracait il leam): Il socoridôr al è lât jù cu la binte dal elicotar par plui di 50 metris.
Now I’ll tell you (cumò us conti) what happened yesterday morning (ce ch’al è sucedût îr di matine). A man in retirement (un om in pension) of eighty years of age (di otante agns) had gone with a friend (al jere lât cuntun amì) to look for mushrooms (a cirî foncs). Mushrooms grow quickly (i foncs a cressin svelts) on humid terrains (su terens umits) and are good to eat (e a son bogns di mangjâ), but don’t eat the poisonous ones (ma no stait a mangjâ chei velenôs), a word of warning (mi racomandi).
As I was saying (come ch’o disevi), our man had gone mushroom hunting (il nestri om al jere lât a cjace di foncs) with a friend (cuntun amì), but at a certain point (ma a un ciert pont), he got lost (si è pierdût) in the mountains (su la mont). The retiree’s mobile phone (il telefonin dal pensionât) was so old (al jere cussì vecjo) that it couldn’t give his position (che nol podeve dâ la posizion). He had to give directions verbally (al à scugnût dâ lis indicazions a vôs). The rescuers saw him (i socoridôrs lu àn viodût) as they were passing above him (intant ch’a passvin parsore di lui). He was saved by the rescuers (al è stât salvât dai socoridôrs), who had to use the winch (ch’a àn scugnût doprâ la binte) to pull him up into the helicopter (par tirâlu sù intal elicotar).
Shortly after (pôc dopo), another operation was carried out (un altri intervent al è stât fat) by mountain rescue (dal socors alpin), this time (cheste volte) to rescue an Austrian woman (par socori une femine austriache) who had fallen (ch’e jere colade), suffering a serious injury to her face (patint une brute feride te muse). The rescuers put her on a stretcher (i socoridôrs le àn metude suntune barele) and carried her out of the zone (e le àn puartade fûr de zone) where she had been injured (là che si jere fate mâl). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
A bit of tragicomedy (un pôc di tragjicomedie) in Friulian (par furlan), first part (part prime):
Une cjamare di albergo. Il miôr barcon sul viâl di dute la citât. Il corteo al passe aes cuatri. O jentrìn cidins. O sbarìn. E o saltìn fûr cidins. Nissun nus à viodûts. Nissun nus à sintûts. Anonimato, regule numar un. -Psst... psst... psst... psst... Capo? -Ehh! -Nus stan puartant vie la machine! -Ce? -Nus stan puartant vie la machine cu l’autosocors. -Ma tu le âs metude sul viâl! -Ma ce saio jo? -Ma al è normâl che a liberin la strade pe manifestazion, no? Moviti, se no ti tocje lâ in cuesture! -E dulà le varessio di meti? -Daûr dal albergo! Moviti!
A hotel room. The city’s best window over the avenue. The procession’s at four. We go in quietly. We shoot. And we go out quietly. Nobody’s seen us. Nobody’s heard us. Anonimity, rule number one. -Psst... psst... psst... psst... Boss? -Ehh! -They’re towing our car! -What? -They’re towing our car with the tow truck. -Don’t tell me you parked it in the avenue! -Well how was I supposed to know? -Well it’s normal they’d clear the street for the event, isn’t it? Move it, otherwise you’ll have to go down to the police station! -And where should I park it? -Behind the hotel! Move it!
Here now is the next videoclip in a series related to the Friulian language. In this second part, the speaker describes the main characteristics of the Friulian language. Of particular interest: listen at minute 1.26 where the speaker begins to describe the difference between short and long vowels, using as examples the words pes (fish) and pês (weight), and lat (milk) and lât (gone). Listen at minute 1.41, where she begins to talk about the cj and gj of Friulian, using as examples the words cjan (dog) and gjat (cat). Listen also at minute 3.24, where the speaker says ’save (toad), where the initial ’s sounds like the zed of English.
La gjeografiche là che si fevele furlan e cjape dentri la parte nord-orientâl de penisole taliane. Te regjon Friûl-Vignesie Julie, cent e setantetrê (173) comuns su dusinte cuindis (215) a son delimitâts in maniere uficiâl intal ambit linguistic furlan: trentesîs (36) te ex provincie di Pordenon, cuindis (15) ta chê di Gurize e cent e vincjedoi (122) ta chê di Udin. Si trate di plui dal otante (80) par cent dal teritori regjonâl. Cun di plui a son trê (3) comuns là che si fevele furlan in provincie di Vignesie, inte regjon dal Venit.
La lenghe furlane no derive dal talian, ma e je il risultât di une evoluzion dal latin che si fevelave te regjon di Aquilee, e che tor dal an mil (1000) o podìn za definî come une lenghe par so cont. I manuâi di linguistiche le metin dentri fra lis lenghis retoromanichis cul ladin dolomitan e il romanç de Svuizare.
A son tantis lis carateristichis dal furlan dal pont di viste linguistic, e par rivâ a capîlis miôr provìn a viodi chês principâls:
Par furlan a colin dutis lis vocâls finâls dal latin diferentis de a. Al è par cheste reson che tal talian, par esempli, si dîs cento, ma par furlan si dîs cent. Invezit, pai feminins, o vin une tipiche terminazion in e, cuant che invezit tal talian si à la a.
Une altre carateristiche particolâr e rivuarde lis vocâls lungjis e curtis, come in pes/pês, o in lat/lât, che a àn valôr distintîf e che a puedin ancje cambiâ il significât de peraule.
Une altre peculiaritât e je la formazion di diftoncs, come inte peraule pierdi, che par talian e je perdere, o tiere, che e je terra. A ca e ga dal latin a corispuindin dispès cja e gja par furlan. Par chest, gatto e cane par furlan si disin gjat e cjan.
Altre carateristiche e je la conservazion di cualchi grup di consonantis dal latin, che par talian a van a pierdisi. Par esempli, dal latin glacem al derive il furlan glace; e dal latin clave al derive clâf par furlan.
Une peculiaritât e rivuarde ancje la formazion dal plurâl, che dispès al ven fat cu la zonte di une s inte forme singolâr, come che al sucêt ancje tal inglês. Intai nons feminins che a finissin cun e, il plurâl si fâs par solit cun is, come par esempli femine che al devente feminis.
Une ultime peculiaritât dal furlan e je la presince intal lessic di cetantis peraulis di divignince gjermaniche o slave. Il Friûl, di fat, al è di simpri il puest dulà che a vegnin a cjatâsi lis trê (3) principâls animis linguistichis de Europe: chê neolatine, chê gjermaniche e chê slave. Dut chest si riflet ancje in ciertis peraulis, tant che bearç che al ven dal gotic; bleon o cjast che a vegnin dal langobart; cramâr, bêçs, licôf che a vegnin dal todesc. Invezit, peraulis come ’save o britule a vegnin dal slâf.
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The geographical area where Friulian is spoken covers the north-eastern part of the Italian peninsula. In the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, one hundred and seventy-three (173) out of two hundred and fifteen (215) municipalities are officially recognised as part of the Friulian linguistic area: thirty-six (36) in the former province of Pordenone, fifteen (15) in that of Gorizia and one hundred and twenty-two (122) in that of Udine. This accounts for over eighty (80) per cent of the regional territory. Additionally, there are three (3) municipalities where Friulian is spoken in the province of Venice, in the Veneto region.
The Friulian language does not derive from Italian but is the result of an evolution of the Latin that was spoken in the Aquileia region, and which, in about the year one thousand (1000), we can already define as a language in its own right. Linguistic manuals classify it amongst the Rhaeto-Romance languages, alongside Ladin from the Dolomites and Rumantsch of Switzerland.
There are many linguistic characteristics of Friulian, and to better understand them, let’s attempt to examine the main ones:
In Friulian, all final Latin vowels except a are dropped. It is for this reason, for example, that in Italian, one says cento, but in Friulian, one says cent. As for feminine nouns, there is typically an ending in e, whereas in Italian, it is a.
Another distinctive feature concerns long and short vowels, as in pes/pês (fish/weight) or lat/lât (milk/gone), which sound different and can change the meaning of a word.
Another peculiarity is the formation of diphthongs, as in the word pierdi (to lose), which in Italian is perdere, or tiere (land), which is Italian is terra. The Latin ca and ga often correspond to cja and gja in Friulian. For this reason, {the Italian words} gatto and cane are said gjat (cat) and cjan (dog) in Friulian.
Another characteristic is the preservation of certain Latin consonant clusters that are lost in Italian. For example, from Latin glacem derives Friulian glace (ice); and from Latin clave derives clâf (key) in Frulian.
Another peculiarity concerns the formation of the plural, often created through the addition of an s to the singular form, which also occurs in English. For feminine nouns ending in e, the plural is typically formed with is, for example, femine (woman), which becomes feminis (women).
A final peculiarity of Friulian is the presence of numerous words of Germanic or Slavic origin in its vocabulary. Friuli, in fact, has always been the place where Europe’s three (3) main linguistic souls come to meet: Romance, Germanic and Slavic. All this is even reflected in certain words, such as bearç (courtyard) from Gothic; bleon (sheet) or cjast (loft) from Lombard; and cramâr (itinerant vendor), bêçs (money), licôf (inauguration) from German. Meanwhile, words like ’save (toad) or britule (pocketknife) come from Slavic.
Because of the geography of Friûl (par cause de gjeografie dal Friûl), it often happens (al sucêt dispès) that rescue operations (che i intervents di socors) are carried out (si fasin) by way of a helicopter (midiant di un elicotar). For this reason (par chest), it is interesting (al è interessant) to learn the word binte (imparâ la peraule binte). So (cussì), in Friûl (in Friûl), if you are asked (se ti domandin): how did you learn this word? (cemût âstu fat a imparâ cheste peraule?), you can respond (tu puedis rispuindi): I read the newspaper in Friulian (o lei il gjornâl par furlan). And if you are asked (e se ti domandin): why ever did you learn Friulian? (cemût mai ti ise vignude chê di imparâ il furlan?), you can respond: (tu puedis rispuindi): I am of Friulian descent (o soi di riunde furlane), or also (o ancje): e je une cuistion di amôr (it’s a question of love). But let’s not get off topic (ma no stìn a svagâ su mil argoments): what then is the meaning (ce isal mo il significât) of the word binte (de peraule binte)? An interesting word (une peraule interessante) that we’ll go discover now (che o larìn a scuvierzi cumò)...
The newspaper La Vôs dai Furlans reports (il gjornâl La Vôs dai Furlans al riferìs) that a fifty-year-old woman was injured (che une femine di cincuante agns si è fate mâl) this morning (vuê di matine) at an altitude of one thousand six hundred and sixty metres (a mil sîscent e sessante metris di cuote), along a trail (dilunc di un troi). The woman (la femine) injured her ankle (si è fate mâl tal cuel dal pît). The newspaper article does not tell us (l’articul dal gjornâl no nus dîs) precisely (di precîs) what happened (ce che al è sucedût), but in all likelihood (ma cun ogni probabilitât), her ankle was sprained (la cjavile si è stuarte) after taking a bad step (dopo di vê metût mâl il pît) along the trail (dilunc dal troi).
To rescue the woman (par socori la femine), the rescue helicopter arrived (al è rivât l’elisocors). The rescue technician went down (il tecnic al è lât jù) by winch (cu la binte) more than fifty metres (par plui di cincuante metris). The woman was lifted (la femine e je stade tirade sù) into the helicopter (intal elicotar) by way of the winch (midiant de binte) and taken immediately to hospital (e puartade daurman in ospedâl). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
The winch is a device (la binte e je un dispositîf) with a thick cable (cuntune cuarde gruesse) wrapped about a rotating drum (fate sù intor di un tambûr), used for lifting or lowering (doprade par puartâ sù o jù) cjamis o personis (cargo or people). The winch is often used (la binte e ven dispès doprade) during a rescue operation (intant di un intervent di socors) by helicopter (cul elicotar).
Below (chi sot) we see a rescue operation (o viodìn un intervent di socors) which was carried out (che al è stât fat) along a trail (dilunc di un troi) one year ago (un an indaûr), where two women were lifted (indulà che dôs feminis a son stadis tiradis sù) by winch (cu la binte) into the helicopter (intal elicotar). We can say (o podìn dî): the helicopter rescue technicians (i tecnics dal elicotar) are pulling the women up (a tirin sù lis feminis) by winch (cu la binte), or also (o ancje): the women are going up (lis feminis a van sù) by winch (cu la binte) into the helicopter (intal elicotar).
Another important word (une altre peraule impuartante): stretcher (barele). For example (par esempli), we can say (o podìn dî): the rescuers put the injured man on a stretcher (i socoridôrs a àn metût il ferît suntune barele) and loaded him onto the helicopter (e lu àn cjamât sul elicotar).
Elderly woman defrauded (defraudade une femine intimpade): It is clear (al è clâr) that criminals who defraud the elderly in Friûl (che i delincuents che a defraudin i vielis in Friûl) have no intention of going on holiday (no àn chê di lâ in vacance)!
Three men showed up at a seventy-five-year-old woman’s house (trê oms si son presentâts li di une femine di setantecinc agns), in Pordenon (a Pordenon). Two of them said that they were gas technicians (doi di lôr a disevin di jessi tecnics dal gas), and the third was dressed (e il tierç al jere vistût) in a white jacket (cuntune gjache blanche) with Municipal Police written on it in Italian (cu la scrite Polizie Comunâl par talian). The excuse was the usual one (la scuse e jere chê di simpri): to check for a gas leak (fâ controi par une fuide di gas).
They told the woman (i àn dit a la femine) to put into a corner (di meti intun cjanton) all items of value (dute la robe di valôr), saying that the items took up space (disint che la robe e cjapave puest), creating an obstacle (fasint di ostacul). When the owner was distracted a moment (cuant la proprietarie si è distrate un moment), all the items disappeared (dute la robe e je sparide), along with the three criminals (adun cui trê delincuents). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
We can say a few things in Friulian about the image above: For emergencies (pes emergjencis), one must call the number (si à di clamâ il numar) which is written (che al è scrit) on the right side of the car (sul flanc dret de machine). The carabinîr is writing a report (il carabinîr al scrîf un rapuart) about what happened (di ce che al è sucedût). He is writing (al scrîf) with a black ball-point pen (cuntune biro nere). The carabinîr is dressed (il carabinîr al è vistût) in an orange vest (cuntun gjac naranç) with Carabinieri written on it (cu la scrite Carabinieri). He is wearing (al à sù) a bullet-proof vest (un gjac antiproietil). The trunk/boot of the car (il baûl de machine) is open (al è viert). In the background of the photo (sul fonts de foto), we see some houses (o viodìn cualchi cjase).
The title of this entry (i delincuents che a defraudin i vielis in Friûl no àn chê di lâ in vacance) means: criminals who defraud the elderly in Friûl have no intention of going on holiday. Here is how to say it in Friulian according to the Dograva variant: i delincuents ch’a defraudin i veçus a no àn chê di zî in vacansa.
PART 3. In this third and final part of the entries related to the dragonflies videoclip, you will study the remainder of what the speaker says. You can return to the first part and the second part, if you have not worked through them yet. It is in this portion of the videoclip that we finally learn the origin of the dragonfly’s peculiar name in Friulian. This final portion begins with with the speaker telling us that there are sixty-three species (sessantetrê speciis) of dragonflies in Friûl, and that they are true predators (vêrs e propris predatôrs).
2.10. Prin di dut a mangjin insets, tant che moscjits, moscjis, paveis, pedoi des plantis e ancje altris svuarbecjavai: They primarily eat insects, such as mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, aphids and other dragonflies. / In the singular, the names are: un moscjit (mosquito), une moscje (fly), une pavee (butterfly), un pedoli des plantis (aphid). With regard to the latter, the masculine noun pedoli is the Friulian for louse, so that singular pedoli des plantis literally means: plant louse, and plural pedoi des plantis literally means: plant lice. When you have finished working with this dragonflies videoclip, you can listen to this same speaker talk in Friulian about butterflies, in a previous series of entries.
2.18. Ma savêso di dulà ch’al podarès saltâ fûr chistu (=chest) non cussì particolâr? Svuarbecjavai al vignarès tradot in talian come: acceca cavalli. E chest al pò sei (=al pues jessi) leât a la lôr nature predatorie, pal fat che a stessin une volte ator di bestiis, nemâi, par esempli cjavai, par cirî di cjacâ cualchi inset: But do you know where this very peculiar name may come from? Svuarbecjavai translates to Italian as: {it} blinds horses. And this may be linked to their predatory nature, on account of their having once been around animals, for example, horses, in order to hunt some insects. / A horse is identified in Friulian by the masculine noun cjaval, with its plural cjavai. As for svuarbâ, this means: to blind; in the third-person singular of the present indicative, its form is: al svuarbe (it blinds). As such, svuarbecjavai means: {it} blinds horses, which is to say: horseblinder. The related name svuarbevoi, which also identifies a dragonfly, means {it} blinds eyes, which is to say: eyeblinder. An eye in Friulian is identified by the masculine noun voli, with its plural voi.
2.41. Cumò us conti alc a proposit de lôr riproduzion. Il mascli al brinche la femine juste davôr (=daûr) dal cjâf: Now I’ll tell you something about their reproduction. The male grabs the female just behind the head. / We have seen two words to refer to the male: il mascjo, il mascli. We again have an instance of standard daûr taking the variant pronunciation davôr. We have another instance of this change of vowel when the speaker says: i doi dilunc la fecondazion a vegnin a pleâsi a forme di côr (=cûr); romantic, no? (during fecondation, the two {of them} bend in the shape of a heart; romantic, isn’t it?). Standard cûr (heart) is pronounced by certain speakers of Friulian as: côr. Based on this speaker’s use of davôr and côr instead of standard daûr and cûr, it is safe to assume that she would also say: fôc (fire) instead of standard fûc, and fôr (out, outside) instead of standard fûr, just to name a few more examples. In fact, we have yet another example of this phenomenon when the speaker says: di chi dopo la femine a metarà jù (=e metarà jù) i ôfs (=i ûfs) inte aghe (from here, the female will then deposit her eggs in the water). Rather than standard ûf (egg), the speaker says: ôf. She also demonstrates that, in her variant of Friulian, the unstressed subject pronoun of the feminine, third-person singular is: a, rather than standard: e, as in: la femine a metarà jù (the female will deposit {literally, will put down}), equivalent to standard: la feminine e metarà jù.
3.00. Duncje i speri che l’argoment al sei stât interessant: So I hope the subject was interesting. / Al sei is the present subjunctive form, required because of the use of sperâ (to hope). We have another example of i rather than o for the unstressed subject pronoun of the first-person, this time singular: i speri (I hope), equivalent to standard: o speri. This i is also used in the second-person plural, rather than standard o, an example of which is seen below. The speaker continues: fasêtnusal savê intai coments (let us know in the comments); scrivêtnus ancje ce svuarbecjavai ch’i jodês (=che o viodês) di solit (write to us also what dragonflies you usually see); no steit dopo a dismentêasi di fracâ il poleâr e di iscrivisi al canâl (don’t forget to click the thumb afterwards and to subscribe to the channel); e si jodìn (=si viodìn) a la prossime (and see you next time).
PART 2. In the first part of this dragonflies videoclip in Friulian, you listened to the first minute of the recording and studied the language used by the speaker. In this second part, we continue with the next minute of the recording, where the speaker tells us of the second group (il secont grup) of dragonflies, which are the Anisoptera (i anisotars). The remainder of the videoclip is analysed in the third part.
1.05. A son plui grancj e robuscj. A àn alis fuartis di forme diferente tra chês devant e chês davor (=daûr). A lis tegnin simpri viertis, ancje cuant ch’a son poiâts: They are bigger and more robust. They have strong, differently shaped forewings and hindwings. They always keep them open, even when they are at rest. / Review the four forms of grant and robust: grant, robust (masculine singular), grancj, robuscj (masculine plural), grande, robuste (feminine singular), grandis, robustis (feminine plural). Taken literally, the second sentence translates so: a àn alis fuartis (they have strong wings) di forme diferente (of different shape) tra chês devant ({from} amongst those in front) e chês daûr (and those in rear). Listen to how the speaker pronounces daûr (rear, hind): rather than with vowel û, she pronounces it with vowel ô, so that she says davôr. As for the eyes (i voi) of these dragonflies, the speaker tells us that they can be separated (a podin jessi separâts) or they can barely touch (a podin tocjâsi par pôc) on its forehead (sul cerneli). A podin: variant form, equivalent to standard: a puedin.
1.20. Par solit i sin abituâts a viodi i svuarbecjavai ch’a svualin (=svolin), e ancje in maniere avonde acrobatiche. Però buine part de lôr vite a passin in stadi larvâl dentri inte aghe. E ciertis speciis a podin (=puedin) passâ in chistu (=chest) stadi ancje fin a siet o pui (=plui) agns: Usually, we are used to seeing dragonflies flying, and even rather acrobatically. But they spend a good part of their life in the larval stage in water. And some species can even spend up to seven or more years in this stage. / We have another example of the speaker’s use of i rather than o in the first-person plural: i sin (we are), equivalent to standard: o sin. Chistu is a variant form, equivalent to standard chest, masculine singular: chistu stadi (this stage) = chest stadi.
1.39. Inte culture europeane i svuarbecjavai a son simbul di pâs, libertât e ricercje de veretât. E a son une vore impuartants parcè che... a nus disin (=parcè che nus disin) se un ecosisteme acuatic a si cjate (=se un ecosisteme acuatic si cjate) in buinis aghis: In European culture, dragonflies are a symbol of peace, freedom and search for truth. And they are very important because they tell us if an aquatic ecosystem is found in good waters.
1.53. I svuarbecjavai a son une vore colorâts. Di fat lis variis speciis a àn colôrs diferents. Ma atenzion, parcè che ancje tra mascjo e femine a è (=e je) diference di colôr, cui mascjos che a son pui (=plui) vistûts: Dragonflies are very colourful. In fact the various species have different colours. But be careful, because there’s a difference in colour between male and female, with the males being more dressed up.
PART 1. A new listening exercise now, this time on the subject of dragonflies. From this videoclip, we learn that dragonflies are called svuarbecjavai in Friulian, and we also learn where its rather peculiar name (literally, {it} blinds horses, which is to say, ‘horseblinder’) comes from. In this first part, we take into account only the first minute of the videoclip; the rest of the videoclip is analysed in the second part and in the third part.
0.00 Vie pal Istât us sarà siguramentri sucedût di lâ a cirî un pôc di fresc ator des nestris aghis, fasint une cjaminade par esempli: (literally) During the summer, it’ll have certainly happened to you to go looking for a bit of freshness around our waters, for example by going for a walk; (idiomatically) During the summer, you’ll have certainly gone looking to cool down a bit by the water in our region, for example by going for a walk. / It sounds poetic in English to use the plural waters, but ator des nestris aghis (literally, around our waters) should just be understood as meaning: by the {bodies of} water in our region. The speaker then says that it is there that are found the characteristic environments of a very interesting insect (i ambients caratertistics di un inset une vore interessant). Listen to how she tells us about what we are about to discover: un inset une vore interessant ch’i larìn a scuvierzi vuê: il svuarbecjavai (a very interesting insect that we’ll go discover today: the dragonfly). In this speaker’s variant of Friulian, i larìn (we shall go) is equivalent to standard: o larìn.
0.18. Il svuarbecjavai, cognossût ancje cul non di svuarbevoi o siôr, ch’al sarès la libellula par talian, al è un piçul inset ch’al svuale (=svole) in maniere cidine e elegante: The svuarbecjavai (dragonfly), known also by the name svuarbevoi or siôr, which is the libellula in Italian, is a little insect that flies quietly and elegantly. This speaker uses al svuale (it flies) and a svualin (they fly), whereas the standard uses: al svole, a svolin. The speaker tells us that the dragonfly has a head with big eyes (al à un cjâf cun voi grancj), a long body (un cuarp lunc) and four wings that keep it up during flight (cuatri alis ch’a lu tegnin sù tal svual). In written standard Frulian, this latter bit said by the speaker must take the form: cuatri alis che lu tegnin sù tal svol.
0.34 A fasin part dal ordin dai odonâts, e si puedin dividi in doi sotgrups a seconde de lôr dimension, de forme e dal puartament des alis. Intal prin grup i vin lis damiselis, o il tiermin pui (=plui) tecnic zigotars: They are part of the order Odonata, and they can be divided into two subgroups according to their size, shape and wing behaviour. In the first group, we have the damselflies, or the more technical term Zygoptera. / This speaker pronounces plui as pui throughout the videoclip. Another pronunciation that you will hear of the Friulian plui, but not used by this speaker in this videoclip, is pi.
0.47. Lis damiselis a son picininis. Lis cuatri alis a son avonde compagnis tra di lôr e a ven tignudis sieradis cuant ch’a son poiadis. Il cjavut al è slungjât e i voi dividûts: Damselflies are tiny. Their four wings are all rather similar and are kept shut when they’re at rest. Their little head is elongated, and the eyes are separated. / Picinin means tiny. Its four forms are: picinin (masculine singular), picinins (masculine plural), picinine (feminine singular), picininis (feminine plural). Tra di lôr (amongst them) should be taken as meaning: from the one to the other, which is to say: their four wings are rather similar from the one to the other {their four wings are all rather similar}. Poiât (at rest) is in feminine plural form: poiadis; it modifies the feminine plural damiselis, as in: cuant che lis damiselis a son poiadis (when damselflies are at rest). The masculine noun cjâf (head) takes the following diminutive: cjavut (little head). Pronunciation: We hear that this speaker, according to her variant of Friuian, makes her feminine plurals end in -es rather than -is, which is why she says, for instance, damiseles, picinines, sierades, poiades. You do not need to adopt this feature yourself, but you should be able to recognise it.
In this videoclip, which is the first part in a series related to the Friulian language, the speaker provides an overview of the situation regarding minority languages of Europe, including Friulian. The presentation is transcribed below, so that you can understand prcisely what the speaker is saying in Friulian itself.
La presince di une lenghe e je une tra i segns plui distintîfs di une culture e di un popul. L’Europe e à une grande ricjece linguistiche. Di fat, il numar des lenghis feveladis a son passe cent (100): une vore di plui rispiet al numar des lenghis uficiâls de Union Europeane, che a son dome vincjecuatri (24).
Dai cinccent (500) milions di personis che a vivin inte Union Europeane, a son cirche sessante (60) milions che a doprin ogni dì une lenghe che e fâs part di une comunitât di lenghe minoritarie: il cutuardis (14) par cent de popolazion europeane, ven a stâi un (1) citadin european su siet (7).
Ma ce ise une lenghe minoritarie? Al è stabilît te Cjarte Europeane des Lenghis Regjonâls o Minoritariis, un dai tratats internazionâi che a tutelin lis minorancis linguistichis in Europe. Secont chest document, e je definide «regjonâl o minoritarie» une lenghe fevelade tal teritori di un Stât di bande di citadins che a costituissin un grup di numar inferiôr rispiet al rest de popolazion. Clâr che une lenghe minoritarie e à di jessi diferente de lenghe uficiâl dal Stât. Dut cas, cheste espression no cjape dentri ni dialets ni lis lenghis dai imigrâts.
La situazion des lenghis minoritariis, però, no je dapardut compagne al nivel normatîf. Di fat, a son lenghis minoritariis che a àn otignût nivei alts di tutele e che a son prontis par frontâ lis sfidis de societât contemporanie. A son invezit altris lenghis minoritariis che ancjemò a vuê no cjatin un ricognossiment uficiâl, o che ancje se lu àn otignût a patissin une fuarte pression de bande de lenghe dominante dal Stât.
Par preservâ chest patrimoni, il Consei de Europe e la Union Europeane a promovin la diversitât linguistiche, sedi al nivel normatîf sedi cun azions di pueste. Secont la Union Europeane, di fat, al sarès ben che ogni citadin al impari al mancul trê (3) lenghis: la proprie lenghe minoritarie, come par esempli il furlan, la lenghe dal Stât e une lenghe foreste.
L’Italie e je un Paîs cetant siôr di minorancis linguistichis. Ind à ben dodis (12): albanês, catalan, cravuat, francês, franco-provençal, furlan, grecanic, ladin, ocitan, sart, sloven, todesc. In Friûl si fevelin trê (3) di chestis dodis (12) lenghis, ven a stâi il furlan, il sloven e il todesc.
L’articul sîs (6) de Costituzion taliane al tutele chestis lenghis, ancje se dome tal mil nûfcent e novantenûf (1999), cu la leç statâl cuatri-vot-doi (482), chest principi costituzionâl al à tacât a jessi metût in vore ad implen par dutis chestis lenghis.
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The presence of a language is one of the most distinctive signs of a culture and a people. Europe has a great linguistic richness. In fact, the number of languages spoken exceeds one hundred (100): far more than the number of official languages of the European Union, which are only twenty-four (24).
Of the five hundred (500) million people living in the European Union, about 60 million use a language every day that belongs to a minority language community: fourteen (14) percent of the European population, which is to say, one (1) in seven (7) European citizens.
But what is a minority language? It is defined in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, one of the international treaties protecting linguistic minorities in Europe. According to this document, a ‘regional or minority’ language is one spoken in the territory of a State by citizens who form a group numerically smaller than the rest of the population. Clearly, a minority language must be different from the official language of the State. However, this expression does not include dialects or the languages of immigrants.
The situation of minority languages, however, is not the same everywhere in terms of regulation. In fact, some minority languages have achieved high levels of protection and are ready to face the challenges of contemporary society. On the other hand, there are other minority languages that still do not have official recognition or, even if they have obtained it, suffer strong pressure from the dominant language of the State.
To preserve this heritage, the Council of Europe and the European Union promote linguistic diversity, both at the regulatory level and through practical actions. According to the European Union, it would be good for every citizen to learn at least three (3) languages: his own minority language, such as Friulian, the language of the State and a foreign language.
Italy is a country particularly rich in linguistic minorities. It has twelve (12) of them: Albanian, Catalan, Croatian, French, Franco-Provençal, Friulian, Griko, Ladin, Occitan, Sardinian, Slovene and German. In Friûl, three (3) of these twelve (12) languages are spoken, namely, Friulian, Slovene and German.
Article six (6) of the Italian Constitution protects these languages, although only in nineteen ninety-nine (1999), with state law four-eight-two (482), did this constitutional principle begin to be implemented fully for all these languages.
A gruesome story from April 2023, involving the murder of a homeless man as he slept in a shopping arcade in Udin:
The noose is tightening (il cercli si strenç). Investigations are ongoing in Udin (a van indenant a Udin lis investigazions) following the bloody event of the night between Friday and Saturday (dopo il fat di sanc de gnot tra vinars e sabide): the murder of a homeless man (l’omicidi di un cence cjase) of fifty-eight years of age (di cincuantevot agns), found in the Alpi shopping arcade (cjatât inte galarie Alpi). Law enforcement (lis fuarcis dal ordin) are looking for the perpetrator or perpetrators of the crime (a son a cjace dal autôr o dai autôrs dal delit) and searches are underway (e lis ricercjis a son in cors) to find the weapon (par cjatâ la arme), most likely a knife (cun ogni probabilitât un curtìs), though investigations are covering all angles (ancje se lis investigazions a van indevant a 360° {a tresinte e sessante grâts}). After having reviewed footage (dopo vê viodût i filmâts) from surveillance cameras (des telecjamaris di videocontrol), the police also conducted searches in a canal (la Polizie e à fat ancje ricercjis intune roie), where a couple of interesting pieces of evidence were allegedly found (dulà che a saressin stâts cjatâts un pâr di reperts interessants), including a jack (ancje un cric). At any rate (dut cas), all leads remain open (dutis lis pistis a restin viertis). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
The following was reported more than a year later:
Life in prison requested (domandât l’ergastul) for the man who killed (pal om che al à copât) with eighty-five stab wounds (cun otantecinc scurtissadis) a homeless man (un om cence cjase) who was sleeping in the Alpi shopping arcade (che si cjatave a durmî inte galarie Alpi) during the night (vie pe gnot) of the fifteenth of April of last year (dai cuindis di Avrîl dal an passât). / Riferiment: La Vôs dai Furlans.
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At the end of the last entry, you were asked how the speaker most likely contracts par + la when speaking spontaneously in Friulian. It is reasonable to expect her to use: pa la (rather than standardised pe); this aligns with her use of: da la (rather than standardised de) and: a la (rather than standardised ae).
Following is a filmed news report from 2022 regarding Friulian education inscriptions for children. Not only does the speaker refer to the Friulian language as: il furlan, but she also calls it: la marilenghe (literally, mother tongue), which is an affectionate name for our language. I have transcribed the speaker’s words as she has spoken them, to preserve her use of Friulian. Language notes follow the transcription.
La decision di zovâsi dal insegnament da la lenghe e da la culture furlane za adotade di passe sessantesîs par cent da lis fameis e je une vere e proprie oportunitât pai fruts piçui. Une sielte che i gjenitôrs a àn timp fin al vincjevot di Zenâr par cjapâ. Baste lâ sul portal internet www {vu vu vu} punto istruzione punto it {i te} o informâsi li da segretarie da la scuele. Insegnament da la marilenghe a la scuole da l’infanzie, a la primarie e a la secondarie di prin grât al è di al mancul trente oris par an, cence gjavâ nuie a chês atris materiis. Chê dal furlan al è un patrimoni culturâl unic che o vin di salvâ, l’à ricuardât Eros Cisilino, president da l’Agjenzie Regjonâl pe Lenghe Furlane. Une da lis manieris miôr par fâlu al è propit chê di zovâsi dal insegnament da la marilenghe pai fruts. A son lôr avignî nestri e da la nestre lenghe.
The decision to take advantage of Friulian language and culture education, already adopted by over sixty-six percent of families, is a real opportunity for young children. It is a choice that parents have until the twenty-eighth of January to make. Just visit the website www dot istruzione dot it or inquire at the school secretary’s office. Teaching of the Friulian language in kindergarten, primary and lower secondary schools is at least thirty hours per year, without affecting other subjects. Friulian is a unique cultural heritage that we must preserve, as reminded by Eros Cisilino, president of the Regional Agency for the Friulian Language. One of the best ways to do this is precisely by taking advantage of the teaching of Friulian for children. They are our future and the future of our language.
(i) We hear some fluctuation with regard to how the speaker pronounces the letter z. For instance, at the beginning when she says: la decision di zovâsi, we hear her pronounce the z like the j of English, or like the soft g of Italian. Then, at the end, when she says: zovâsi dal insegnament, we hear her pronounce the z like the z of English. Both pronunciations are entirely acceptable, and both are commonly used in Friulian. My guess is that her usual pronunciation in spontaneous language situations is the latter.
(ii) When di + la come together, the standard contracts this to: de. That said, many Friulians do not observe this at all, using instead: da la. This speaker uses the latter. She also uses: da lis, which is a contraction of di + lis, and which the standard contracts to: des. Da la scuele = de scuele; da lis scuelis = des scuelis. On the subject of scuele (school), we hear the speaker say it once as scuele, which aligns with the standard, and once as scuole, which is not standard.
These observations are in no way meant to be criticism of the speaker’s pronunciation. On the contrary, her pronunciation is beneficial because it provides opportunities to understand variations in the language. I encourage you to listen for more features on your own, such as how she pronounces other instances of z; or consider the following: ARLeF in full is Agjenzie Regjonâl pe Lenghe Furlane (Regional Agency for the Friulian Language), which uses a standardised contraction: pe, from par + la. The speaker from the news report uses this standardised contraction when she states the name of the Agency because the name has been officialised. But how do you think she handles the contraction of par + la when speaking spontaneously? The answer is given at the end of the next entry.
Towards the end of the videoclip at about the 2.30 mark, the speaker says:
Ben! O disarês che us ài contât bielzà avonde. Jo, cumò o voi a fâ une cjaminadute tal troi entomologjic di Bordan par studiâ cualchi biele pavee. Si o vês voie, us spieti li. Ma intant, fracait il poleâr e notaitsi intal canâl, mi racomandi. Maman!
Right! You’ll say that I’ve already told you quite a bit. As for me, I’m going to take a little walk on the entomological trail of Bordan to study some pretty butterflies. If you like, I’ll wait for you there. But in the meantime, be sure to click the thumb and subscribe to the channel. Bye bye!
(i) Ben!: Right! OK then!
(ii) O disarês che us ài contât bielzà avonde: You’ll say that I’ve already told you quite a bit. / O disarês is second-person plural, as is: us (to you). If you wanted to say this in second-person singular, it becomes: Tu disarâs che ti ài contât bielzà avonde.
(iii) Jo, cumò o voi a fâ une cjaminadute tal troi entomologjic di Bordan: As for me, I’m going to take a little walk on the entomological trail of Bordan. / Cjaminadute (a little walk) is the diminutive of cjaminade (a walk). Fâ une cjaminade: to take a walk. Fâ une cjaminadute: to take a little walk.
(iv) Par studiâ cualchi biele pavee: To study some pretty butterflies. / A noun following cualchi is always set in the singular, as is any adjective modifying it. Cualchi pavee: some butterflies. Cualchi biele pavee: some pretty butterflies. Cualchi ruie: some caterpillars. Cualchi ruie maraveose: some marvellous caterpillars.
(v) Se o vês voie, us spieti li: If you like, I’ll wait for you there. / The speaker again addresses her audience in second-person plural. If you wanted to say it in second-person singular, it becomes: se tu âs voie, ti spieti li. Spietâ (to wait {for}) is in fact set here in first-person singular of the present indicative: o spieti (I wait {for}), but its future-time sense is understood.
(vi) Ma intant, fracait il poleâr e notaitsi intal canâl, mi racomandi: But in the meantime, be sure to click the thumb and subscribe to the channel. / Fracâ: to click; examples: fracâ il leam (to click the link); fracâ il poleâr (to click the thumb; i.e., to give thumbs-up). Fracait and notaitsi (from notâsi, to subscribe oneself) are second-person plural; in second-person singular, these become: frache and notiti. Pronunciation: Fracait and notait are pronounced as written, but when reflexive si is added to notait, the final t drops from its pronunciation: notàisi. As for mi racomandi (from racomandâsi), this means: be sure to do it, please do it, I encourage you to do it, and so on. This is why the English translation of this sentence begins with: be sure to.
(vii) Maman!: Bye bye!
To conclude, I leave you with a few sentences in Friulian that may help you to make out more of what you hear on your own. The sentences as written below are not in the videoclip as such, but their words do appear in some form there.
I insets a cisavin intor des lampadinis: The insects were buzzing around the lampposts.
Lis paveis a supin il netar: Butterflies suck nectar.
Une robe inmagante, la metamorfosi des paveis: An amazing thing, the metamorphosis of butterflies.
At the very start of the videoclip, the speaker says:
Bundì fantats! Vuê i ài voie di cjacarâus di un inset maraveôs ch’i vin bielzà viodût. Vêso capît? Esat. I larìn a dâ un cuc a la pavee. E indulà, se no a Bordan, caput mundi?
Hi, guys! Today I want to talk to you about a marvellous insect that we’ve seen before. Have you understood? Exactly. We’ll go take a look at the butterfly. And where other than in Bordan, caput mundi?
Following are notes to help you make sense of the Friulian:
(i) Bundì fantats!: Hi, guys! Good day, lads! / In the singular, fantat (lad, boy, guy) is pronounced with its final t, but it drops in the plural: fantàs.
(ii) Vuê i ài voie di cjacarâus di un inset maraveôs ch’i vin bielzà viodût: Today I want to talk to you about a marvellous insect that we’ve seen before. / For the unstressed subject pronoun in the first-person singular and first-person plural, standard Friulian calls for: o, but there are many Friulian speakers who use instead: i. The following are equivalent: i ài voie di = o ài voie di (I want to); i vin viodût = o vin viodût (we have seen). There are a number of Friulian verbs that identify speaking or talking: fevelâ, cjacarâ, tabaiâ. Speakers tend to have a preference for the one over the other. Cjacarâus: to speak/talk to you (second-person plural). Maraveôs: marvellous, but in fact we hear the speaker say: meraveôs.
(iii) Vêso capît?: Have you understood? (second-person plural)
(iv) Esat: Exactly. That’s right.
(v) I larìn a dâ un cuc a la pavee: We’ll go take a look at the butterfly. / Another example of what was mentioned above: i larìn = o larìn (we shall go). Dâ un cuc: to take a look. A la pavee: Whereas standard Friulian generally contracts: a + la, to form: ae, it is also possible to leave it uncontracted: a la. Dâ un cuc a la pavee = dâ un cuc ae pavee (to take a look at the butterfly).
(vi) E indulà, se no a Bordan, caput mundi?: And where other than in Bordan, caput mundi?
PART 1. Let’s take a break from all the recent news reports about vehicle accidents and turn to nature. In Friulian, a butterfly is identified by the feminine noun pavee. Example: lis paveis a son coloradis (butterflies are colourful). In the videoclip below, the speaker, just after the two-minute mark, describes the metamorphosis (la metamorfosi) of butterflies.
Just after the two-minute mark:
Dal ûf deponût di une pavee e nas la ruie. Cuant che la ruie e je cressude avonde, si trasforme in pupe che al è l’ultin stadi de ruie prime di deventâ crisalide, o ben cuant che si plate inte galete par completâ la metamorfosi. In cirche dîs dìs o varìn la pavee, dute colorade e sflandorose, pronte par vivi la ultime tape de sô vite.
Dal ûf (from the egg) deponût di une pavee (deposited by a butterfly) e nas la ruie (the caterpillar is born). Cuant che la ruie (when the caterpillar) e je cressude avonde (has grown enough), si trasforme in pupe (it transforms into a pupa) che al è l’ultin stadi de ruie (which is the final stage of the caterpillar) prime di deventâ crisalide (before becoming a chrysalis), o ben cuant che si plate inte galete (or when it hides in the cocoon) par completâ la metamorfosi (to complete the metamorphosis). In cirche dîs dìs (in about ten days) o varìn la pavee (we will have the butterfly), dute colorade e sflandorose (all colourful and brilliant), pronte par vivi (ready to live) la ultime tape de sô vite (the final stage of its life).
Rather than: e nas la ruie, the speaker in fact says: a nas la ruie. The unstressed subject pronoun of the feminine, third-person singular is said by many Friulians as: a, rather than: e. I leave you now with a few other sentences said by the speaker, which you can listen for in the videoclip on your own:
(i) Lis paveis di dì si ricognossin pes antenis a forme di matarusse: Daytime butterflies are recognised by their antennae in the form of a club. / The speaker in fact says: a si ricognossin, which is a variant grammatical formation.
(ii) Lis paveis di gnot a àn lis antenis a forme di pietin: Nighttime butterflies have antennae in the form of a comb.
(iii) Lis alis a son doi pârs e si doprin par svolâ in maniere lizere: There are two pairs of wings and they are used to fly lightly.
(iv) L’aparat de bocje al è formât di une trombe: Its mouth apparatus is formed of a trumpet. / In Friulian, the proboscis (la probosside, la spiritrombe) of a butterfly, which is used for sucking nectar (supâ il netar), can be called a trumpet (une trombe). This is why a musical trumpet appears, and the speaker says: no, no è migo chê! (no, not that one! {i.e., no, not that kind of trumpet}).
With the masculine noun infart, a heart attack is identified in Friulian; also useful to know is the term arest cardiocircolatori, identifying cardiac arrest. Following are some fictional examples inspired by the language used on La Vôs dai Furlans, demonstrating how to use these terms.
Un om di sessante agns al à vût un infart e al è lât in arest cardiocircolatori tor des undis di sere. Al è stât socorût dal elisocors e puartât in ospedâl: A sixty-year-old man suffered a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest at about eleven in the evening. He was rescued by emergency helicopter and taken to hospital.
Sul cricâ dal dì un vieli si è butât jù di bot. Al è stât cjapât di un infart e daspò di un arest cardiocircolatori; al è stât socorût dai sanitaris de ambulance. Par fortune il cûr dal om al à tornât a bati: At the crack of dawn, an elderly man dropped down suddenly. He suffered a heart attack followed by cardiac arrest; he was assisted by ambulance medical personnel. Fortunately, the man’s heart started beating again.
E je in cundizions gravis une femine di plui o mancul cincuantecinc agns di etât, colpide di infart inte matine sul tart di vuê, intant che e vuidave dilunc de autostrade. La femine e à pierdût i sens dentri de machine, ferme ad ôr de autostrade. E je stade metude suntune barele e puartade tal pront socors: A woman, approximately fifty-five years of age, is in serious condition after suffering a heart attack late this morning while driving along the highway. The woman lost consciousness inside the car, which was stopped on the side of the highway. She was put on a stretcher and taken to emergencies.
L’om di setantecinc agns al è muart di infart intun cjamp. Il personâl sanitari al à inviât lis manovris di rianimazion, ma dibant. Nol è restât altri di fâ che declarâ il so decès: The seventy-five-year-old man died of a heart attack in a field. The medical personnel attempted resuscitation manoeuvres, but to no avail. There was nothing other to do but declare his death.
