Corsican people

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Corsicans
Pasquale PaoliNapoléon BonaparteAlizéeLaetitia CastaJoseph FeschCarlo Andrea Pozzo di Borgo
Pasquale Paoli • Napoléon Bonaparte • Alizée
Laetitia Casta • Joseph Fesch • Carlo Andrea Pozzo di Borgo •
Regions with significant populations
Corsica Corsica 290,000
France (mainland France) 600,000[citation needed]
Languages

Corsican, French
Religion

Predominantly Roman Catholic
Related ethnic groups

French, Italians, Sardinians

Corsican people or Corsicans are the people from or with origins in Corsica, a Mediterranean island and a territorial collectivity of France.

Contents

Population in Corsica [edit]

In the 1999 census, 87.1% of the population of Corsica had the French nationality (with 68,2% of them born in Corsica)[1] while 10% (26,018) being born out of France. The majority of immigrants were from the Maghreb region, particularly Moroccans (41.9% of immigrants) but also Italians (18.7% of immigrants) and Portuguese (12.3% of immigrants).[1]

The population of Corsica was estimated as 305,674 in the 2009 census.

The Corsican diaspora [edit]

During 19th century and the first part of 20th century, Corsican emigration was very important. Number of Corsicans left the Island for richest countries. During 19th century, the favorite destinations of migrants were the French colonies and the South American countries (for more details, see Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico and Corsican immigration to Venezuela). Then, between the 1920s and the 1950s, the major destination became the French mainland (primarily Marseille, today considered as the "first Corsican city of the world" with a number around 200,000). Causes of this emigration are various, poverty is the main reason (the french laws for restriction of exportations, the Second Industrial Revolution and the agricultural crisis have occasioned a lot of damages to the corsican economy). Later, those massive departures have been accentuated by damages of First World War in the Island. Today, the Corsican diaspora in the world is estimated to around 1.5 million members (they are probably 800,000 in France).

Culture [edit]

Language [edit]

Main article: Corsican language

Corsican (corsu or lingua corsa) is an Italo-Dalmatian Romance language spoken and written on the islands of Corsica (France) and northern Sardinia (Italy). Corsican was long the vernacular language alongside Italian, official language in Corsica until 1859, then replaced by French due to the conquest of the island by France in 1768. Over the next two centuries, the use of French grew to the extent that, by the Liberation in 1945, all islanders had a working knowledge of French. The twentieth century saw a wholesale language shift, with islanders changing their language practices to the extent that there were no monolingual Corsican speakers left by the 1960s. By 1990, an estimated 50% of islanders had some degree of proficiency in Corsican, and a small minority, perhaps 10%, used Corsican as a first language.[2]

Number of speakers [edit]

The January 2007 estimated population of the island was 281,000, while the figure for the March 1999 census, when most of the studies – though not the linguistic survey work referenced in this article – were performed, was about 261,000 (see under Corsica). Only a fraction of the population at either time spoke Corsican with any fluency. The 2001 population of 341,000 speakers on the island given by Ethnologue[3] exceeds either census and thus may be considered questionable,[original research?] like its estimate of 402,000 speakers worldwide.

The use of Corsican over French has been declining. In 1980 about 70% of the population "had some command of the Corsican language."[4] In 1990 out of a total population of about 254,000 the percentage had declined to 50%, with only 10% using it as a first language.[2] The language appeared to be in serious decline when the French government reversed its non-supportive stand and began some strong measures to save it. Whether these measures will succeed remains to be seen. No recent statistics on Corsican are available.

UNESCO classifies the Corsican language as a potentially endangered language, as it has "a large number of children speakers" but is "without an official or prestigious status."[5] The classification does not state that the language is currently endangered, only that it is potentially so. In fact it is being vigorously affirmed[by whom?]. Often acting according to the current long-standing sentiment unknown Corsicans cross out French roadway signs and paint in the Corsican names. The Corsican language is a key vehicle for Corsican culture, which is notably rich in proverbs and in polyphonic song.

Cuisine [edit]

Corsican cuisine.

From the mountains to the plains and sea, many ingredients play a role. Game such as wild boar (Cignale, Singhjari) is popular, in old times mouflon (muvra) were consumed. There also is seafood and river fish such as trout. Delicatessen such as figatellu, coppa, ham (prizuttu), lonzu are made from Corsican pork (porcu nustrale). Cheeses like Brocciu, casgiu merzu, casgiu veghju are made from goat or sheep milk. Chestnuts are the main ingredient in the making of pulenta. A variety of alcohol also exists ranging from aquavita (brandy), red and white Corsican wines (Vinu Corsu), muscat (plain or sparkling), and the famous "cap corse" produced by Mattei.

Notable Corsicans [edit]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b 2004 statistics: Atlas des populations immigrées en Corse. (French)
  2. ^ a b "Corsican in France". Euromosaic. Retrieved 2008-06-13.  To access the data, click on List by languages, Corsican, Corsican in France, then scroll to Geographical and language background.
  3. ^ "Corsican". Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
  4. ^ "Corsican language use survey". Euromosaic. Retrieved 2008-06-13.  To find this statement and the supporting data click on List by languages, Corsican, Corsican language use survey and look under INTRODUCTION.
  5. ^ Salminen, Tapani (1993-1999). "UNESCO Red Book on Endagered Languages: Europe:". Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
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