Slavomolisano dialect
Slavomolisano, also known as Molise Slavic or Molise Croatian (Croatian: Moliški hrvatski; Italian: croata molisana), is a variety of Shtokavian Croatian spoken by Italian Croats 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). There are fewer than 1,000 active speakers, and fewer than 2,000 passive speakers.
Molise Slavic | |
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Molise Croatian, Slavomolisano | |
na-našu, na-našo | |
Native to | Italy |
Region | Molise |
Ethnicity | Molise Croats |
Native speakers | < 1,000 (2012) |
Latin script | |
Official status | |
Recognised minority language in | |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | svm |
Glottolog | slav1254 |
South Slavic languages and dialects |
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It has been preserved since a group of Croats emigrated from Dalmatia due to the advancing Ottoman Turks. The residents of these villages speak a Shtokavian dialect with an Ikavian accent, and a strong Southern Chakavian adstratum. The Molise Croats consider themselves to be Slavic Italians, with South Slavic heritage and who speak a Slavic language, rather than simply ethnic Slavs or Croats. Some speakers call themselves Zlavi or Harvati and call their language simply na našo ("our language").