Leonese language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Leonese language
Llengua Llionesa, llionés
Spoken in  Spain
 Portugal
Region provinces of León (north and west) and Zamora (north-west), in Spain, and the towns of Rionor and Guadramil in northeastern Portugal[1][2]
Total speakers 50,000[3][4]
Language family Indo-European

• Italic
  • Romance
    • Italo-Western
      • Gallo-Iberian
        • Ibero-Romance
          • West Iberian
            • Astur-Leonese
              • Leonese language

Official status
Official language in Special protection status in Castile and Leon, Spain
Regulated by None
Language codes
ISO 639-1 None
ISO 639-2 ast
ISO 639-3 ast
Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode.

The Leonese language (llengua llionesa,[5] in Leonese; often called, for smaller areas, by traditional names corresponding to those areas, such as cabreirés,[6] senabrés,[7] paḷḷuezu, etc.) is the term used to refer to all vernacular Romance dialects of the Astur-Leonese linguistic group[8] in the Spanish provinces of León and Zamora[9]; Astur-Leonese also includes the dialects of Asturian in Asturias and the Mirandese language of Miranda do Douro in Portugal. Leonese has no written policy officially regulated. Some associations have proposed a standard, different from those existing in the rest of the linguistic domain (such as that applicable in Asturias, regulated by the Academy of the Asturian Language, or the Lhéngua Mirandesa Anstituto applicable to Miranda of Miranda do Douro). On the other hand, other Leonese writers and associations intend to follow the spelling rules of the Academy of the Asturian Language.[10]

The term Leonese has also been used historically by some authors to refer to the whole linguistic region, which extends from Cantabria to Extremadura and is known primarily as the Astur-Leonese linguistic group.[1] Some authors speak of a Leonese language or historical dialect from Latin, and of Asturian and Mirandese as co-dialects of Leonese [9][11][12].

The varieties of Spanish spoken in most of the old province of León (which includes the modern provinces of León, Zamora and Salamanca) share some traits with Leonese.

History

Leonese derives directly from Latin and took shape in the early Middle Ages. At that time, Leonese was the official language of the Leonese Kingdom and achieved a high codification grade [13]. Leonese developed a proper codification in the territories of the present-day provinces of León, Zamora and Salamanca and in the Leonese territories in present-day Portugal, especially in the District of Braganza.[14] So, the local laws called "Fueros" are mainly written in Leonese, and the documentation from the monasteries in this land is also in Leonese.

Middle Ages

The first written text in the Leonese language is the Nodicia de Kesos (959 or 974); other works in the language include Fueru de Llión, Fueru de Salamanca, Fueru Xulgu, Códice d'Alfonsu XI, ou Disputa d'Elena y María[15] or Llibru d'Alixandre[16].

Modern Era

The Modern Era signifies a new opportunity^{[clarification needed]} for writers like Torres Naharro, Juan del Encina, Lucas Fernández and Torres Villarroel who used Leonese in their works, which however came to the verge of disappearance during the 19th century.

19th and 20th centuries: International research

International philologists of the 19th century, such as Gessner, Hanssen, Staaff and Menéndez Pidal, in Europe and America, started to describe Leonese. Writers such as Caitano Bardón (Cuentos en Dialecto Leonés), Luis Maldonado or Aragón Escacena (Entre brumas) restarted Leonese literature in the early 20th century.

Contemporary Leonese

There is a new generation of writers in Leonese, especially in urban areas, that are developing new creations. One of the best examples is "Cuentos del Sil", a Leonese language book promoted by Leonese language associations El Fueyu and El Toralín who had the support of the Leonese Provincial Government. There are nine writers, from teenagers to old people, but most of them under their forties, that developed stories in Leonese. All the writers had a relationship with the lands where the Sil river runs.

The situation of Leonese as a minority language has driven Leonese to near extinction and it is considered a seriously endangered language by UNESCO.[17] There are some efforts to gain acceptance among the urban population, (the Leonese Council and other municipalities such as Zamora, Coyanza, Mansilla de las Mulas or La Bañeza made campaigns in and for teaching Leonese). Leonese language associations and some administrations are now promoting its knowledge and use, especially León City Council where it is widely used in their internet communications.

Internet presence

The internet is a new field for promoting and developing Leonese, where Leonese grammar is being fixed^{[clarification needed]}.[18] The main reason is that Leonese has seen more publications in the internet in the last year than books were edited. In this sense, Leonese has seen great progress in being permitted the creation of associations like puntuLLI, for requesting a Top Level Domain for the Leonese language and culture[19].

Llionpedia

An Encyclopaedia in Leonese has existed since June 30, 2009. It's called Llionpedia, la Enciclupedia en Llingua Llïonesa and has more than 12,000 articles[20]. Llionpedia is the only Encyclopedia in the Leonese language and has more than 145,000 at this time. [21]

Education

At the end of the 1990s, several associations unofficially promoted Leonese language courses. In 2001, the Universidad de León (University of León) created a course for teachers of Leonese, and local and provincial governments developed Leonese language courses for adults. Nowadays, Leonese can be studied in the most important villages of León, Zamora and Salamanca provinces in El Fueyu Courses, after the signing of an agreement between the Leonese Provincial Government and this organization. The Leonese Language Teachers and Monitors Association (Asociación de Profesores y Monitores de Llingua Llïonesa) was created in 2008 for the promotion of Leonese language activities.

Schools

Leonese language lessons started in 2008 with two schools, and are currently^{[dated info]} taught in sixteen schools in León city in 2008-2009, promoted by the Leonese Local Government's Department for Education. This Leonese language course is for pupils in their 5th and 6th year of Primary School (children 11 and 12 years old), where Leonese is taught along with Leonese culture.

Adults

In the 2008-2009 course 107 persons are^{[dated info]} studying Leonese in the Municipality of León. There are five levels for adults in the official courses organized by the Department for Leonese Culture of the Leonese City Council [22].

Legal status

Official status

Leonese had official status, along with English, in the XXIX World Armwrestling Championship that was celebrated in León in 2009.[23]

The "I Festival Internacional Reinu de Llión"[24] had its name in Leonese and together with Spanish and English, was one of the official languages of the event[2].

International

The Linguasphere code for Leonese language is 51-AAA-cc.

Autonomous community status

Leonese language was recognised as a seriously endangered language by UNESCO in 2006. The legal reference to this language is in the Autonomy Statute of Castile and León:[25]^{[dead link]}

"Leonese will be a subject of specific protection by the institutions, due to its particular value in the Community's linguistic patrimony. Its protection, use and promotion will be subject of regulamentation".

Provincial

The Province of León government supports the knowledge of this language through courses, by celebrating "Leonese Language Days" and by sponsoring literary efforts in Leonese, such as Cuentos del Sil.

Local