Council for Ligurian Linguistic Heritage

Ligurian Council

DEIZE

Italian-Ligurian (Genoese) dictionary

The Council for Ligurian Linguistic Heritage is pleased to present DEIZE (diçionäio elettrònico italian-zeneise, digital Italian-Genoese dictionary), a project with primarily educational aims, curated by Jean Maillard and with the linguistic support of Fabio Canessa, Alessandro Guasoni, Stefano Lusito, Claudio Rezzoagli and Fiorenzo Toso. The phonetic transcriptions, which aim to represent the pronunciation which is most common amongst speakers of the language, are by Stefano Lusito. Field research is conducted with the assistance of Camillo Aquilino, Mino Damonte and Ornella Dodero. We are grateful to Martino Rocca for his review and valuable advice on educational matters, and to Lorenzo Bisio for his contribution in researching art history and material culture terminology through documentary sources.

The dictionary is distinguished by a series of features which, together with its digital and freely accessible nature, aim to establish it as a particularly useful tool for Genoese language education:

  1. the inclusion of usage examples, for many of the most frequent entries, which place the Genoese translations in plausible communicative contexts;
  2. the availability of tables for noun declensions and verb conjugations, generated by a purpose-built algorithm;
  3. precise pronunciation guidance for each entry (corresponding to that of the city of Genoa), through transcription in the international phonetic alphabet (IPA).

In view of the dictionary’s aims – chiefly to support the preservation of vocabulary firmly established in the historical Ligurian literature – this work prioritises authentic Genoese forms rather than those modelled after Italian, even though occasionally the latter may be more widespread in the spoken language. Specific editorial choices – e.g. those concerning the morphological forms considered in this work – can be found in the appropriate sections within the entries of this dictionary.

This work, which is explicitly addressed to those most interested in the preservation of the language, aims to act as a complementary tool to be used alongside other glossaries and dictionaries, both scientific and disseminative in nature, both in print and online. A general bibliography is provided below.

Are you looking for a print dictionary?

The new Italian-Ligurian (Genoese) Dictionary (Dizionario italiano-genovese) by Stefano Lusito was conceived as a reference for those looking for a summary of the most frequent Italian terms and their Ligurian equivalents. The dictionary contains a vast selection of examples, idiomatic expressions, proverbs, and highlights many of the most common false friends and expressions which diverge between the two languages.

Click here to see the product on the publisher’s website.

Bibliography

  • E. Autelli, S. Lusito, C. Konecny, F. Toso, (2018-2021), GEPHRAS: The ABC of Genoese and Italian Phrasemes (Collocations and Idioms). With the linguistic assistance of A. Guasoni and drawings by M. Merli. https://romanistik-gephras.uibk.ac.at.
  • E. Autelli, C. Konecny, A. Guasoni, S. Lusito, F. Toso, (upcoming), GEPHRAS2: The D-Z of Genoese and Italian Phrasemes (Collocations and Idioms). With drawings by M. Merli.
  • A. Acquarone, A. Guasoni, S. Lusito, A. Roveda, (2015), Parlo ciæo. La lingua della Liguria. Il Secolo XIX / De Ferrari, Genova.
  • F. Bampi, (2008), Nuovo dizionario italiano-genovese illustrato e commentato, Nuova editrice genovese, Genova.
  • G. Casaccia, (1851), Vocabolario genovese-italiano, F.lli Pagano, Genova.
  • G. Casaccia, (1876), Dizionario genovese-italiano. Seconda edizione accresciuta del doppio e quasi tutta rifatta. G. Schenone, Genova.
  • M. Cortelazzo, M. Cuneo, G. Petracco Sicardi, (1995), Vocabolario delle parlate liguri. Lessici speciali 2-I: i pesci e altri animali marini. SAGEP, Genova.
  • M. Cuneo, G. Petracco Sicardi, (1997), Vocabolario delle parlate liguri. Lessici speciali 2-II: mare, pesca e marineria. SAGEP, Genova.
  • G. Frisoni, (1910), Dizionario genovese-italiano e italiano-genovese, Donath, Genova.
  • A. Guasoni, F. Toso, (2010), Il genovese in tasca, Assimil Italia, Chivasso (Torino).
  • S. Lusito, (2022), Dizionario italiano-genovese, Editoriale Programma, Treviso.
  • G. Petracco Sicardi, (1982), Vocabolario delle parlate liguri. Lessici speciali 1: gli uccelli. SAGEP, Genova.
  • G. Petracco Sicardi, F. Toso, P. Cavallaro, (1985), Vocabolario delle parlate liguri. Vol. I: A-C. Consulta ligure, Genova.
  • G. Petracco Sicardi, R. Conte Labella, F. Toso, P. Cavallaro, (1987), Vocabolario delle parlate liguri. Vol. II: D-M. Consulta ligure, Genova.
  • G. Petracco Sicardi, F. Toso, (1990), Vocabolario delle parlate liguri. Vol. III: N-S. Consulta ligure, Genova.
  • G. Petracco Sicardi, (1992), Vocabolario delle parlate liguri. Vol. IV: T-Z. Consulta ligure, Genova.
  • C. Olivari, (2006), Vocabolario genovese-italiano italiano-genovese. Zeneise riso ræo. Liberodiscrivere, Genova.
  • F. Toso (1997), Grammatica del genovese, Le Mani – Microart’s, Recco.
  • F. Toso (2006), Dizionario italiano-genovese, genovese-italiano. Antonio Vallardi Editore, Milano.
  • F. Toso (2015), Piccolo dizionario etimologico ligure. Ed. Zona, Lavagna.
  • F. Toso (2023), Desgel. Dizionario etimologico storico genovese e ligure. Fascicolo di saggio. Lettera N. Edizioni dell’Orso, Alessandria.