Corsican Alphabet

The Corsican alphabet has 22 letters^[2] from the Latin script. It excludes j, k, w, x, and y, which are not traditionally used in Corsican words.

The alphabet includes:

• 5 basic vowels: a, e, i, o, u

• 16 consonants: b, c, d, f, g, h, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, z

• Accented vowels: à, è, ì, ò, ù (used to indicate stress)

Corsican is much more similar to Italian than French^[1], specifically to Tuscan Italian:

• Romance roots - Corsican evolved from medieval Tuscan dialects

• Vocabulary - About 80-90% of Corsican words are similar to Italian

• Grammar structure - Follows Italian patterns more than French

• Pronunciation - Shares many sounds with Italian, including rolled "r"

However, Corsican has developed its own unique features and identity over centuries!

Corsican uses five accented vowels with grave accents:

• à - indicates stressed "ah" sound

• è - indicates stressed open "eh" sound

• ì - indicates stressed "ee" sound

• ò - indicates stressed open "oh" sound

• ù - indicates stressed "oo" sound

These accents are important for correct pronunciation and meaning!

Corsican (Corsu) is primarily spoken in:

• Corsica - the island territory of France, where most speakers live

• Northern Sardinia - the Gallura region where a similar dialect is spoken

• Diaspora communities - in mainland France, Puerto Rico, and other locations

The language has approximately 150,000-200,000 speakers^[1], though many young Corsicans are more fluent in French.

Corsican faces challenges but has active revitalization efforts^[3]:

• Schools - Corsican is now taught in many island schools

• Media - Radio stations, TV programs, and newspapers in Corsican

• Cultural pride - Growing interest among young people in their linguistic heritage

• University programs - Academic study and research at Università di Corsica

While classified as vulnerable, there is hope for preservation and renewal!

Corsican has several distinctive pronunciation features:

• Geminate consonants - double consonants are pronounced longer (like Italian)

• Rolled "r" - the r sound is strongly rolled

• Palatalization - "ghj" and "chj" sounds unique to Corsican

• Vowel clarity - each vowel maintains its distinct sound

• Stress patterns - accent marks show which syllable to emphasize

These features give Corsican its melodious, distinctive sound!