Piedmontese is a language. This is not only because philologists and UNESCO say so, but above all because of its structure, its history, and the richness of its cultural production. It is a Romance language belonging to the Gallo-Italic group of northern Italy, born from the fusion of Latin with the Celtic and Celto-Ligurian languages spoken in the region before Roman occupation. Over the centuries, it has also absorbed influences from neighboring languages and from those adopted as official languages.

Piedmontese has its own codified grammar and a writing system that allows it to be expressed in all its sub-regional variants—an element that clearly distinguishes it from what is commonly referred to as a “dialect.” The most authoritative linguists around the world recognize it as a language in its own right. UNESCO also classifies it as such, although it considers it endangered—a paradoxical situation, given that it is still spoken by around two million people in Piedmont and understood by nearly three million.

Its literary tradition, which developed fully from the 18th century onward, is extensive and significant. During this period, a true Piedmontese literature of national character emerged, spanning all genres: from poetry to the novel, from tragedy to epic. In 1783, the first grammar of the Piedmontese language was published, the Gramàtica piemontèisa by the physician Maurizio Pipino, printed at the Royal Press—a fundamental step in the codification of the language.

In the 18th century, Piedmontese was used by all social classes. It was not only the language of the people, but also the language of the court, of liturgical preaching, and of education. In an Europe where French dominated the courts—even in Saint Petersburg—Turin represented a significant exception: here, Piedmontese was spoken, also as a result of a widespread anti-French sentiment linked to the political events of the time. The language also became a tool for shaping identity: literature was used to foster a national feeling, with poetic compositions celebrating the deeds of the Piedmontese army and its resistance to French pressure.

Since 1981, Piedmontese has been recognized as a European minority language and is listed by UNESCO in the Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger as a language worthy of protection. From a phonetic point of view, it presents features that make it similar to French, making it sound surprisingly familiar to those who know that language. Some examples of Piedmontese words:

• assiëtta FR assiette EN plate IT piatto
• madama FR madame EN Miss IT signora
• tomatica FR tomate EN tomatos IT pomodoro

You can discover this and many other curiosities in my guided tours of Turin.