Who Are the Sardinians?
The Sardinians are the indigenous people of Sardinia, Italy's second-largest island, numbering approximately 1.6 million. They speak Sardinian (Sardu), a Romance language that linguists consider the most conservative descendant of Latin—more closely preserving Latin features than any other Romance language. Sardinian itself comprises several varieties (Campidanese, Logudorese, Nuorese), with Catalan and Ligurian dialects also historically present in parts of the island. Sardinia's isolation fostered unique cultural traditions, from the mysterious nuraghi (Bronze Age towers) to distinctive pastoral culture, music, and cuisine. Sardinian identity blends ancient Mediterranean heritage with Romance linguistic ancestry.
Linguistic Treasure
Sardinian's importance for Romance linguistics cannot be overstated. Its isolation from the European mainland allowed preservation of Latin features lost in other Romance languages—the Latin hard "C" (before "e" and "i"), certain vowel patterns, and archaic vocabulary. This makes Sardinian invaluable for reconstructing Vulgar Latin. Sardinian separated early from the other Romance languages, perhaps before the 10th century. The island's varieties show their own internal diversity. Standard written forms (Limba Sarda Comuna and its predecessors) have been developed but remain controversial. Recognition as a distinct language (not Italian dialect) came with Law 482/1999, but practical protection remains limited.
Nuragic Heritage
Sardinia's landscape is dotted with nuraghi—approximately 7,000 stone tower structures built during the Bronze Age (1900-730 BCE) by the Nuragic civilization. These mysterious buildings, unique to Sardinia, represent one of the Mediterranean's most significant prehistoric cultures. The Nuragic people's relationship to modern Sardinians remains debated, but the nuraghi are central to Sardinian identity. Other distinctive cultural elements include traditional polyphonic singing (canto a tenores, a UNESCO Intangible Heritage), murals in Orgosolo and other towns, and pastoral traditions centered on sheep herding. This deep heritage predates and complements Romance linguistic identity.
Contemporary Sardinians
Modern Sardinians navigate between island identity and Italian citizenship. Sardinian language transmission has weakened—young people increasingly speak Italian primarily, with Sardinian learned passively if at all. Efforts to promote Sardinian in schools and media have achieved modest results. Tourism (especially the Costa Smeralda) dominates parts of the economy while the interior remains agricultural and sparsely populated. Political autonomy exists (Sardinia is a special statute region) but independence movements remain marginal. How Sardinians preserve their linguistic treasure and distinctive culture while integrating into Italian and European frameworks shapes this ancient island people's future.
References
- Blasco Ferrer, E. (2002). Linguistica sarda: storia, metodi, problemi
- Jones, M. A. (1988). \"Sardinian\" in The Romance Languages
- Ferragu, I. (2011). \"Language Shift in Sardinia\"