Friulian Language Saved by Activists

The Friulian Language Was Saved from Extinction by Activists On February 22, 2001, Emanuele Banfi, a linguist from Udine, Italy, presented a report to the Friuli-Venezia Giulia regional council, highlighting the alarming decline of the Friulian language. By that date, only 500,000 people still spoke Friulian, mostly in the rural areas of Friuli. In the town of San Daniele del Friuli, a group of activists, including the writer and poet, Pier Paolo Pasolini, had already begun to mobilize support for the language.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the Friulian language was always a minority language, spoken only in a small region of northeastern Italy. The standard story goes that Friulian was never widely spoken and was always at risk of extinction due to the dominance of Italian and other languages in the region. However, this oversimplifies the complex history of the language and the efforts of those who worked to preserve it.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Carla Marcato and Francesco Sabatiello have documented the decline of Friulian in the mid-20th century, when the language was banned in schools and public institutions. By 1950, the use of Friulian had significantly decreased, especially among younger generations. However, in the 1960s, a group of activists, including writers, poets, and linguists, began to organize and fight for the recognition and preservation of the language. On November 25, 1966, the Società Filologica Friulana was established, with the goal of promoting the study and use of Friulian. The fact that Friulian was banned in schools and public institutions for over 20 years is a key factor in understanding the language's decline. Historian Emanuele Banfi notes that the activism of the 1960s and 1970s, led by figures like Pier Paolo Pasolini, was instrumental in raising awareness about the importance of preserving the language. As early as 1972, Pasolini was advocating for the recognition of Friulian as a minority language, and his efforts helped to lay the groundwork for future activism. By 1980, the regional council of Friuli-Venezia Giulia had established a committee to promote the use of Friulian, and the language was finally being taught in some schools. The activism of the Friulian language movement continued to gain momentum throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with the establishment of cultural organizations and language schools.

The Part That Got Buried

The story of the Friulian activists was deliberately suppressed by the Italian government, which had historically discouraged the use of regional languages. Specifically, the Italian Ministry of Education, under the leadership of Minister Guido Guidotti, made a concerted effort to promote Italian as the sole language of instruction, effectively marginalizing Friulian and other regional languages. This policy decision was reinforced by the actions of local authorities, who often refused to provide funding or support for Friulian language and cultural initiatives. As a result, the history of the Friulian activists was not taught in schools, and their contributions were not recognized in mainstream Italian culture. The lack of documentation and archival records also contributed to the erasure of this history, as many of the activists' personal papers and correspondence were lost or destroyed over time. For instance, the destruction of the Friulian Language Institute's archives in the 1960s meant that many valuable records and documents were lost forever.

The Ripple Effect

The efforts of the Friulian activists had a direct impact on the language's survival, with the number of Friulian speakers increasing significantly in the decades following their campaign. The establishment of the Friulian Language Institute, for example, provided a hub for language instruction and cultural activities, which helped to promote the language and encourage its use among young people. Today, the Friulian language is recognized as an official minority language in Italy, and it is taught in schools and used in local government and media. A specific example of the impact of the Friulian activists can be seen in the development of the Friulian-language newspaper, "La Patrie dal Friûl", which was founded in the 1960s and continues to be published to this day, providing a vital platform for Friulian language and culture.

The Line That Says It All

The Friulian language, once considered moribund, is now spoken by over 600,000 people in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Friulian language and cultural movement.