A Great Small Victory for the Sicilian Language

The online subtitling platform Amara.org has inserted Sicilian among the subtitling LANGUAGE list it offers.
https://amara.org/en/
The choice, taken after the fact had been pointed out to the administrative team, was applied on the basis that Sicilian “is indeed differentamara-logo-lg
from Italian and has its own noteworthy literature and film tradition”.
For an audio-visual translator who subtitles into Sicilian, and for all Sicilians, this is an epic moment that I thought worthy of sharing.
Special thanks go to Amara and its helpdesk, in the persons of Margarita Shamraeva and Claude, whose surname I was not able to find out, for their professional and cogent attitude towards the request.
Although it may seem that a small issue has been addressed, this is indeed a great achievement.
Salutamu

Andrea Musumeci
Andrea Musumeci
Linguist, audio-visual translator, freelance EN-IT translator and interpreter, Andrea Musumeci has completed his MA Translation at Middlesex University and is currently focusing on developing his MA thesis on Optimality in Translation Studies in his forthcoming doctoral studies. His research interests include the preservation of the Sicilian linguistic heritage.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. Congratulazioni Andrea sei riuscito in un impresa impossibile: valorizzare il patrimonio linguistico della nostra Isola. Grazie a te, la lingua siciliana sale a pieno titolo sul palcoscenico universale per rimanere per sempre. Patrimonio dell’umanità! Giuseppe Pizzino di Progetto Sicilia

  2. This is in no way a ‘small’ victory, it’s a TREMENDOUS victory, and I hope more sites recognize the Sicilian language, Sicilian history, and Sicilian culture, which have been subsumed by our patria’s ‘unification’ with the north. Viva Sicilia!!!

  3. After years of explaining that the Sicilian language is different from Italian I can rest my case!

  4. My parents spoke Sicilian at home and learned Italian in school. I learned the difference growing up and when I lived at NAS Sigonella in Sicily. This is wonderful!!!!!

  5. I was discussing the need for Sicilian to be preserved and taught with a friend who replied, “but they can speak Italian”. I explained as I have tried often to do so that Sicilian is not Italian and that the language must be preserved. I also said how devastated I am to know that the Bible has never been translated into Sicilian. (Global Recordings Network has some audio recordings – check it out!) What effect could this have? The same, I pray, that the English version of William Tyndale had on the English language and bringing it to all the people whereas before it was in Latin and not available to the common people. Any comments on this?

  6. A poet and author in Catania named Alessio Patti has translated the Gospels of Matthew and John into Sicilian. I’ve thanked him for doing so and asked him to continue his work of translation!

    • Praise God! Each week, I fast and pray and have been praying for years that the Bible would be translated into Sicilian! Sicilians have been denied the most important Book that liberates people from religious superstition and fear! “For the Word of God is ALIVE and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even the dividing of the soul and spirit … and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart” ! Hebrews 4:12 The endless lesson of history is that when people are held back from having the Bible, a church can oppress and control them! I actually started crying when I saw this!

  7. I have contacted the publishers of the gospel of Matthew in Sicilian but have not had a reply. Is there someone who can contact them for me? I asked what the cost is in American dollars about 2 weeks ago and they said they would get back to me. I really want to get a copy! Thanks

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