Genoese dialect

Genoese (Zeneize or Zena) is a variant of the Ligurian language spoken in Genoa, Italy, the principal city of Liguria. Along with Ligurian, it is of Gallo-Italic Romance derivation.

Related Topics:
Variant - Ligurian language - Genoa - Italy - Liguria - Gallo-Italic - Romance

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In terms of differences from Standard (Tuscan) Italian, Ligurian and Genoese exhibit some similarities with French, and there are also influences from German. The language is dying out but still is spoken by much of the senior citizen population.

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There was a small-scale prominence of Genoese vernacular literature, especially in the 19th century; this was not sufficient enough, however, to see the development of regularization of spelling or grammar.

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Genoese pronunciation includes certain influences from French, including the uvular Parisian r (which extends also when speaking standard Italian).

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Variants differing in pronunciation include those to the east of Genoa (Nervi, Quinto, Quarto), to the north (Voltri, Prà, Pegli, Sestri), and in the central Polcevera valley and Bisagno.

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