Molise Croatian Dialect

Molise Croatian dialect (also: Croatano, Slavisano, na-našo) is a dialect of Serbo-Croatian spoken by Croatians in the province of Campobasso, in the Molise Region of southern Italy, in the villages of Montemitro (Mundimitar), Acquaviva Collecroce (Živavoda Kruč) and San Felice del Molise (Štifilić). These have approximately 3,000 speakers.

The dialect has been preserved since a group of Croats emigrated from Dalmatia abreast of advancing Ottoman Turks. The residents of these villages speak a Cakavian dialect, with Ikavian accent. The Molise Croats along with the Bunjevci and Janjevci have preserved their ancient Croat identity hundreds of miles from their ancient homeland. Some speakers call themselves Zlavi or "Harvati" and call their language simply na našo ("our language").

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Famous quotes containing the word dialect:

    The eyes of men converse as much as their tongues, with the advantage that the ocular dialect needs no dictionary, but is understood all the world over.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)