ConseggioLigure/zenamt huggingface dataset:
Ligurian:
# Lusciandro Monti (sec. XX)

Præ Lusciandro Monti o l’à misso in versci zeneixi – rigorosamente martellien – A vitta de S. Françesco d’Assisi (1900), A vitta de Fræ Françesco Maria da Camporosso (1901) e A Stòria da Madònna da Guardia (1900); i seu versci ne pan ancheu ciù fito ciatti, monòtoni, ma o scöpo do bravo saçerdöte o no l’ea quello de fâ de l’arte, ma quello de diffonde o messaggio crestian traverso a conosciensa di santi cai a-o pòpolo e pe mezo da lengua zeneise, stante che l’italian o no l’ea ancon patrimònio de tutti, comm’o l’é ancheu, e pe de ciù inte di versci de bon mandâ à memöia.

Fiña i titoli, o colophon, e dediche, e didascalie de inlustraçioin inti libbri do Monti son scrite in martellien, à testemoniâ unna vea pascion do bravo præve pe-a poexia in zeneise. Inta Vitta de Fræ Françesco Maria da Camporosso, che à quelli tempi a Gexa a no l’aveiva ancon reconosciuo pe santo, o Monti o l’accheugge e o conta unna gran quantitæ de fæti, verboe e testemonianse che son dapeu intræ inti atti do proçesso canònego pe-a biatificaçion do Giovanni Croese, nomme a-o secolo de Fræ Françesco.

Anche o Monti, comme o Perseuggio, e atri ecclexiastichi zeneixi, o no manca mai de fâ sentî a seu pöca scimpatia pe-o risorgimento italian, no solo pe-e nòtte raxoin che contrapponeivan a Gexa a-o Stato à quelli tempi, ma anche pe-a vegia ruzze di zeneixi con a monarchia sabauda.

English translation:
# Alessandro Monti (20th cent.)

Don Alessandro Monti put into Genoese verse – strictly Martellian – A vitta de S. Françesco d’Assisi (1900), A vitta de Fræ Françesco Maria da Camporosso (1901) and A Stòria da Madònna da Guardia (1900). His verses seem to us today rather flat, monotonous, but the purpose of the good priest was not so much to make art, but to spread the Christian message through the knowledge of the saints dear to the people and by means of the Genoese language, since Italian was not yet the heritage of everyone, as it is today, and moreover in verses it was easier to memorize.

Even the titles, colophon, dedications and captions of the illustrations of Monti’s books are written in Martellian verse, testifying to the good priest’s true passion for Genoese poetry. In the Vita di S. Francesco Maria da Camporosso, who at that time the Church had not yet recognized as a saint, Monti collects and narrates a great number of facts, anecdotes and testimonies that later became part of the records of the canonical process for the beatification of Giovanni Croese, the secular name of Friar Francis.

Monti, too, like Persoglio, and other Genoese clergymen, never fails to make his lack of sympathy for the Italian Risorgimento felt, not only for the well-known reasons that pitted Church and State against each other at the time, but also because of the old grudge that the Genoese held against the Savoy monarchy.
Ligurian:
# Marçello Firpo (1876–1972)

De Menton, òmmo de grande coltua e fonçionäio de dugañe, o l’é stæto tra i fondatoî da revista «A Barma Grande» e tra e doe guære un averto sostegnitô de l’union à l’Italia da çittadiña riveasca franseise. Pe sta raxon chì, de l’inmediou doppoguæra, o l’aiva dovuo subî, in ciù da prexon e de l’exilio, l’obliansa da parte di seu conçittadin, da-a quæ o l’à comensou vegnindo feua solo che di urtimi anni da seu vitta. A poexia do Firpo, che de belle vòtte, mascime a-o comenso da seu carrea, a cazze into bossettiximo e into folcloriximo, a tocca i seu resultati ciù boin inte un fondo sentimento da natua e inte unn’inmæximaçion panica inti mistëi da tæra e da campagna, che o poeta o sente comme unna partia de lê e da seu vitta.

De tra i territöi che Vittöio Emanuælo II o l’à çeduo do 1860 a-a Fransa, insemme con Nissa e a Savöia, Menton o l’à conservou pe tanto tempo un arcaico dialetto ligure, influensou da-o proensâ, da-o piemonteise e da-o nissardo.

E poexie stæte scrite da-o Firpo into segondo doppoguæra ne mostran un doso recegâse intimo do poeta, stæto segnou da-e seu triste vexende biografiche. ma con unna melanconia de longo revestia de un elegante clasciçiximo, comme inte sto sunetto chì, de bizari versci alesciandrin, donde l’intonaçion mesuâ e solenne a scandisce l’inesorabilitæ do destin.

English translation:
# Marcel Firpo (1876–1972)

Marcel Firpo, from Menton, was a man of considerable culture and a customs official, among the founders of the magazine “A Barma Grande” and between the two wars an open supporter of the union of the French coastal town with Italy. For this reason, in the immediate postwar period he had to suffer – in addition to imprisonment and exile – oblivion by his fellow citizens, from which he began to emerge only in the last years of his life. Firpo’s poetry – which at times, especially at the beginning of his career, falls into stereotypes and folklorism – draws its best results from a deep feeling for nature and a pantheistic-like identification with the mysteries of the land and the countryside, which the poet feels as part of himself and his life.

Among the territories that Victor Emmanuel II ceded to France in 1860, along with Nice and Savoy, Menton long retained an archaic Ligurian dialect, influenced by Provençal, Piedmontese, and the Nice dialect.

The poems written by Firpo after World War II show us a painful inner withdrawal of the poet, marked by his sad biographical vicissitudes, but with melancholy always clothed in an elegant classicism, as in this sonnet of impeccable Alexandrianism, where the measured and solemn intonation punctuates the inexorability of fate.
Ligurian:
# Marin Merello (1865–1933)

Traduttô di clascichi greghi, latin e franseixi, autô de romansi e sazzi de varie meñe e poexie in italian ascì, cultô de istöia patria e ammiatô de bellesse e monumenti de Zena, o l’aiva unna veña poetica de stampo crepuscolare. Con tutto questo, o l’à affrontou de soventi di argomenti politichi, istòrichi e fiña filosòfichi. De seu euvie, comme Il Canzoniere a Nitouche, ne fan appensâ de drito à quella Belle Époque zeneise, ch’a metteiva insemme tipiche personalitæ comme o capitanio D’Albertis, ò o stravagante poeta Ceccardo, e mæximo se o Merello o no l’é o D’Annunzio, o l’arresta interessante pægio e caratteristico de unn’epoca e de unna mentalitæ. I seu versci zeneixi son accheuggeiti into volumme In tempo de guæra (1917), donde, into mezo à çerta retòrica patriottarda, se peu attrovâ numerose occaxoin de poexia e de reflescion. Degna de interesse, à exempio, a coroña de sunetti, stæta dedicâ à E gexe de Zena.

Inte de atre occaxoin, o poeta o l’esprimme unna veña elegantemente melancònica, carrega de amô pe-a natua, che, comme quella do contemporaneo Carlo Malinverni, a pâ ch’a l’antiçipe o Doardo Firpo.

Inte di atri caxi o poeta o se lascia anâ à de triste reflescioin.

English translation:
# Marino Merello (1865–1933)

Merello was a translator of Greek, Latin and French classics, the author of novels and essays of various kinds and poems also in Italian, a lover of the history of his homeland and an admirer of Genoa’s beauties and monuments. He had a crepuscular poetic vein. Nevertheless, he often addressed political, historical, and even philosophical topics. His works, such as Il Canzoniere a Nitouche, immediately make us think of the Genoese Belle Époque, which brought together typical personalities such as Captain D’Albertis or the eccentric poet Ceccardo, and even if Merello is not D’Annunzio, he is still interesting and characteristic of an era and mentality. His Genoese verses are collected in the volume In tempo de guæra (1917), where, even amidst a certain amount of patriotic rhetoric, one can find numerous examples of poetry and reflection. Worthy of interest, for example, is the collection of sonnets dedicated to E gexe de Zena (the churches of Genoa).

Elsewhere, the poet expresses an elegantly melancholic vein, full of love for nature, which, like that of his contemporary Carlo Malinverni, seems to foreshadow Edoardo Firpo.

In other cases, the poet indulges in mournful reflections.
Ligurian:
# Mario Accornê (1921)

Nasciuo à Saña, inzegnê chimico, da-o 1977 o l’é visciuo à Söi into Levante ligure, e o l’à dedicou a-o Gorfo Paradiso a seu cheuggeita de poexie I canti do Gorfo (1988). À despeto da regiosa bellessa e luminoxitæ di sciti donde a l’é ambientâ, ma fòscia pròpio pe quello, a poexia do Accornê a l’é tesciua de continui refeimenti a-a mòrte, e a-a continuaçion da vitta inta mòrte e da mòrte inta vitta, tanto che o schillente paisaggio da Rivea, fermo into regòrdo, o vëgne à rappresentâ ben l’eternitæ sensa movemento do mondo de là.

Inta poexia do Accornê a corpisce a construçion metrica, donde e scingole poule son comme e scingole nòtte de unn’onda muxicale.

Quelli che son i tòpoi, i leughi commuin do folclore zeneise e da poexia ligure, fiña quella do Firpo, vëgnan à ëse pe-o Accornê un motivo de meditaçion in sce l’eterno, a-a quæ a ven dæta unna figuaçion föistica: a ciusma de mainæ ch’a l’alleuga i seunni di òmmi pe-o mondo de de là.

L’ötöio o l’é quello de Sant’Emo à Söi, e o Accornê o ghe vedde o segno da continuitæ tra o mondo di vivi e quello de là: à parte unn’aggettivaçion de vòtte tròppo aspresciâ ò generica («magici…») o poeta o l’esprimme ben l’idea che tutti quanti semmo comme un ligammo tra o passou e l’avvegnî, tra chi l’é stæto a-i tempi de unna vòtta e chi vegnià inte un avvegnî lontan.

English translation:
# Mario Accornero (1921)

Accornero, a chemical engineer, was born in Savona, and since 1977 he’s lived in Sori in the Levante Ligure. He has dedicated his poetry collection I Canti do Gorfo (1988) to the Golfo Paradiso. Despite the radiant beauty and luminosity of the places in which it is set, but perhaps because of that, Accornero’s poetry is interwoven with continuous references to death, and to the continuation of life in death and death in life, so that the shining landscape of the Riviera, motionless in memory, comes to represent well the motionless eternity of the world beyond.

In Accornero’s poetry, one is struck by the metrical construction, in which individual words are like the individual notes of a musical wave.

The tòpoi, the clichés of Genoese folklore and Ligurian poetry, even those of Firpo, become for Accornero a cause for meditation on the eternal, which is given a fable-like figuration: the crew of sailors storing up men’s dreams for the world beyond.

The oratory is that of St. Erasmus in Savona, and Accornero sees in it the symbol of continuity between the world of the living and the afterlife. Apart from adjectives that are too hasty or generic (“magical…”) the poet expresses well the idea that we all constitute as a conduit between the past and the future, between those who once were and those who will come in the distant future.
Ligurian:
# Mario Gròsci (sec. XX)

Inta parlâ de Bolan, un arcaico ligure mescciou con l’emilian e o toscan, o Mario Gròsci o l’à scrito unn’accheuggeita de sunetti, dond’o l’à misso in versci l’istöia do paise, Bulan ent’la storia (1970). No se peu dî che l’impreisa a segge arriescia areo, apreuvo che o Gròsci o se limita e ciù tante vòtte à transcrive de dite e di ciæti, stæti tramandæ, ò che resultan da di documenti, e ben de ræo sti versci vëgnan toccæ da l’aa da poexia. L’euvia a l’é o mæximo de un çerto interesse, se no atro pe l’impegno e o giamin, che gh’é vosciuo à realizzâla.

English translation:
# Mario Grossi (20th cent.)

Mario Grossi wrote, in the dialect of Bolano – an archaic Ligurian mixed with Emilian and Tuscan – a collection of sonnets, in which he put the history of the village into verse, Bulan ent’la storia (1970). It cannot be said that the undertaking was a perfect success, since Grossi most often limits himself to transcribing hearsay and fables, handed down, or resulting from documents, and very rarely are these verses touched by the wing of poetry. The work is however of some interest, if only for the effort and labor which were necessary to realize it.
Ligurian:
# Mattê Senarega (1534–1606)

E fonçioin semi-offiçiæ da lengua zeneise continuan anche dòppo che o toscan o s’é impòsto comme lengua de coltua, pe tutto o XVI secolo; ma i atti pubrichi, e discuscioin, e riunioin do Senato, con tutto che se tëgnan in ligure, vëgnan dapeu transcriti in latin, ò inte un italian pöcassæ mescciou co-o zeneise. O Duxe Mattê Senarega, ch’o l’à regnou tra o 1595 e o 1597, autô de varie euvie politiche in latin e in italian, o l’à lasciou doî descorsci, i soli che se seggian sarvæ inta verscion originäia zeneise. Inte ste doe oraçioin o Duxe o dà preuva de grande abilitæ retòrica e de savei deuviâ unna preusa moderna, a-o passo co-i tempi, inte unna lengua che, in sostansa, a l’é quella promòssa da-o Foggetta inte Rime Diverse.

English translation:
# Matto Senarega (1534–1606)

The semi-official usage of the Genoese language continued even after Tuscan had established itself as the language of culture, throughout the 16th century. Public acts, discussions, and meetings of the Senate, although conducted in Ligurian, were then transcribed in Latin, or in an Italian more or less mixed with Genoese. Doge Matteo Senarega, who reigned between 1595 and 1597, author of various political works in Latin and Italian, left two orations, the only ones that have survived in the original Genoese version. In these two orations the Doge demonstrates great rhetorical skill and the ability to use modern prose, in step with the times, in a language that, in essence, is the one promoted by Foglietta in Rime Diverse.
Ligurian:
# Pantaleo Grimado Moassaña (1554 – sec. XVII)

Nasciuo à Zena do 1554, de famiggia savoneise, e stramuou à Saña da figgeu, o l’ea òste de mestê e poeta pe pascion; amigo do Ciabrea, o l’ea in contatto con varri representanti de l’aristocraçia riveasca. O se compiaxeiva de atteggiamenti e mainee che in ancheu ghe diëscimo bohemien e maudit, da poeta de ostaia, e de soventi a seu poexia a pâ ch’a l’assumme e modalitæ e l’ambientaçion de unna rappresentaçion tiatrale.

A Fiandoiña de sta canson a l’ea unna cortexaña napolitaña; o Grimado Moassaña o ne cante e laode in sce un ton ciufito sostegnuo, sarvo dapeu, comme seu costumme, lasciâse anâ à un lenguaggio vorgâ, che sens’atro o l’ea ciù gradio a-o pubrico da seu ostaia.

English translation:
# Pantaleo Grimaldi Murassana (1554 – 17th cent.)

Grimaldi Murassana was born in Genoa in 1554 from a Savona family, and moved to Savona as a boy, where he was an innkeeper by trade and a poet by passion. He was a friend of Chiabrera’s, in contact with various representatives of the Riviera aristocracy. He delighted in attitudes and manners that nowadays we would call bohemian and maudit, as a tavern poet, and often his poetry seems to take on the manner and setting of a play.

The Spinner of this song was a Neapolitan courtesan. Grimaldi Murassana sings her praises in a rather subdued tone, except for then – as was his custom – indulging in vulgar language, which was undoubtedly more palatable to his tavern audience.
Ligurian:
# Peo Zane Craviâ (sec. XVI–XVII)

Dottô in leze, storiògrafo, do 1628 o l’à parteçipou a-a cabirda, stæta traghettâ da-o Giulio Cesare Vachê contra a Repubrica, e dapeu o l’é stæto foestou in Spagna. O l’é vegnuo torna à Zena do 1633. O seu intermezo burlesco Ra finta caritè o l’é o primmo exempio, ch’o ne segge arrivou completo, de unn’euvia tiatrale scrita à reo in zeneise, e o deve tanto a-a contemporania lettiatua picaresca spagnòlla. O zoeno Tognin, garsonetto do mendicco òrbo Batté, o se vendica de brutto di tòrti e de baccæ ch’o l’à dovuo piggiâ da-o sò patron.

L’intermezo scenico do Craviâ o ne presenta un mondo sensa pietæ, fæto de leggere e deslogi, che se devan inzegnâ à tutt’oe pe mette insemme doe palanche; l’òrbo Battê o score o seu aggiuttante Tognin, ch’o l’é guerso, ma o ghe vedde basta da arröbâghe; sto chì o se vengia con fâlo rattellâ con o seu neuvo sòcio Pellegro, in approfittâ do scherso che ghe fa o nòbile Leandro, quande o fa mostra de fâ a caitæ a-i doî òrbi, ma o no ghe dà ninte. O Batté e o Pellegro se accaxoñan un con l’atro d’avei röbou, se dan, e arrestan mezi mòrti. No se sa se o pesso o segge mai anæto in scena; de seguo o contrasta de brutto con l’idea de unna çittæ, ciuttòsto piosa e lesta à soccorrî i ciù desgraçiæ, che n’é stæto tramandou.

English translation:
# Pier Giovanni Capriata (16th–17th cent.)

He was a doctor of law and a historiographer. In 1628 he took part in the conspiracy hatched by Giulio Cesare Vachero against the Republic and was then exiled to Spain. He returned to Genoa in 1633. His burlesque intermezzo, Ra finta caritè, is the first complete example of a play written entirely in Genoese and owes much to contemporary Spanish picaresque literature. In it, the young Tognin, apprentice to the blind beggar Batté, takes harsh revenge for the abuse and beatings he has had to endure from his master.

Capriata’s scenic intermezzo presents us with a merciless world of thugs and vagabonds, who have to scramble constantly to scrape together a few pennies. The blind Batté chases away his helper Tognin, who is blind in one eye, but can see enough to rob him; the latter takes revenge by picking a fight with his new partner Pellegro, taking advantage of the joke played on them by the nobleman Leandro, when he pretends to give charity to the two blind men, but gives them nothing. Batté and Pellegro accuse each other of stealing, beat each other up, and are left half dead. It is not known whether the play was ever staged, but it certainly contrasts sharply with the image of a city that has been handed down to us of a very compassionate city, willing to help the destitute.
Ligurian:
# Maria Pia Viale (1958)

Nasciua à Valleboña, coltivatoa diretta, a s’é interessâ de l’istöia do territöio imperieise pe o settô agricolo. A l’à scrito Un viaggio chiamato ginestra. Breve storia della floricoltura di Vallebona (2007). Pe Ames e Cia a l’à pubricou Le radici di un percorso. L’associazionismo agricolo nella provincia di Imperia (2009) e a revista l’Agricoltura ligure (2010). Appascionâ do dialetto, a l’é attiva da anni pe organizzâ o Premmio de Poesia Dialettale Intemelio «U Giacurè» à Valleboña e a presiede a giuria do concorso de poexia dialettale Giannino Orengo à Dosaiga. Da-o novembre 2013 a pubrica tutti i giorni in sciô blog U paise ( www.upaise.blogspot.it ) unna poexia inte unna parlâ ligure, con includde tutto o territöio ligure e a zöna de Arpe marittime, in dâ vitta à un interessante archivio web. E seu poexie no son mai stæte stampæ inte un volumme.

[1] Sant’Ampelio o l’é o patron de Bordighea.

English translation:
# Maria Pia Viale (1958)

Maria Pia Viale was born in Vallebona (province of Imperia). She is a farmer, and has worked on the history of the Imperia area for the agricultural sector. She wrote Un viaggio chiamato ginestra. Breve storia della floricoltura di Vallebona (2007). For Ames and Cia she published Le radici di un percorso. L’associazionismo agricolo nella provincia di Imperia (2009) and the journal l’Agricoltura ligure (2010). A devotee of dialects, she has been active for years in organizing the Intemelio Dialectal Poetry Prize “U Giacuré” in Vallebona and chairs the jury of the Giannino Orengo Dialectal Poetry Competition in Dolceacqua. Since November 2013, she has published a vernacular poem every day on the blog U paise ( www.upaise.blogspot.it ), covering the entire Ligurian territory and the area of the Maritime Alps, creating a remarkable web archive. Her poems have never been published in print.

[1] Sant’Ampelio is the patron saint of Bordighera.
Ligurian:
# Poulo Agostin Orengo (sec. XVII)

O primmo scrittô intemelio do quæ s’agge notiçia o l’é un Gieumo Lantê, che, verso o 1600, o l’à scrito unna accheuggeita de sunetti e de epigrammi in ventemiglioso, purtròppo anæta perdua, coscì comme a l’é perdua a Musa Ventimigliese do Poulo Agostin Orengo, do 1650; peò do Orengo ne gh’é arrestou trei sunetti, stæti reportæ da-o paddre Angelico Apreuxo inte La Grillaia, donde o tratta di lenguaggi d’Italia (ma i sunetti ventemigliosi son stæti levæ da l’ediçion à stampa). O Orengo o l’aiva mandou i sunetti da Romma à Luxerna a-o seu conçittadin Domenego Antögno Còtta Scismondi, Nonçio Apostòlico a-i Cantoin Catòlichi in Svissea. Pe-i refeimenti à persoñe e avvegnimenti locali de quelli tempi, i sunetti arrestan de diffiçile comprenscion, ma ean de grammo accapî sciña pe-o Apreuxo, ch’o î paragoña a-e poexie do Burchiello. Tutte e mainee, i testi do Orengo an un valô de testemoniansa; da osservâ che a grafia a l’é pægia à quella do zeneise di seu tempi, co-a «o» prononçiâ «u» e tutte e atre particolaritæ che conoscemmo, ma co-a zonta da «y» pe indicâ a «i» semivocale.

English translation:
# Paolo Agostino Orengo (17th cent.)

The earliest known writer in intemelio Ligurian is one Gerolamo Lanteri, who, around 1600, wrote a collection of sonnets and epigrams in Ventimigliese, unfortunately lost, as is the Musa Ventimigliese by Paolo Agostino Orengo, c. 1650. Of Orengo, however, we are left with three sonnets, recorded by Father Angelico Aprosio in La Grillaia, where he discusses the languages of Italy (but the Ventimigliese sonnets were suppressed from the printed edition). Orengo had sent the sonnets from Rome to Lucerne to his fellow citizen Domenico Antonio Cotta Sismondi, Apostolic Nuncio to the Catholic Cantons in Switzerland. Because of the references to local people and events of the time, the sonnets are difficult to understand, but they were also incomprehensible to Aprosio, who compares them to Burchiello’s poems. However, Orengo’s texts have testimonial value; note that the spelling is the same as the Genoese of those times, with the “o” pronounced “u” and all the other well-known peculiarities, but with the addition of “y” to indicate the semivocalic “i”.
Ligurian:
# Poulo Bertolan (1956)

Nasciuo a-a Særa de Lerxi, o Bertolan o l’é stæto un di poeti liguri ciù conosciui à livello naçionale. O s’é dedicou a-a lengua locale ciufito tardi, e o temma de fondo da seu poexia o l’é un dialogo co-i mòrti sensa interruçion, un retorno inta memöia pe no interrompî o contatto co-e persoñe cae, de quæ a spaiçion a pâ traumatica e sensa poscibilitæ de recatto. Suggestioin letteräie – avanti tutto Pascoli – an influio in sce l’autô, pe de ciù rafforsæ da unna reçerca lenguistica ch’a «sfruta in pin e peculiaritæ de un mezo esprescimo caratterizzou da unna particolariscima muxicalitæ» [1].

[^1]: F. Toso, _Letteratura genovese e ligure – Il Novecento – I_, Marietti, Zena, 1991.

Comme e persoñe, i pòsti ascì e e seu memöie scentan, sobaccæ da-o tempo e da-o progresso.

O mondo ch’o l’é stæto de persoñe scentæ, e tòsto nasciuo da lô, o continua à rezise in sciâ seu invixibile presensa, in scê seu premue, in fin di conti in sciô seu amô.

English translation:
# Paolo Bertolani (1956)

Bertolani, born in Serra di Lerici, was one of Liguria’s best-known poets nationwide. Dedicating himself to the local tongue rather late in life, the fundamental theme of his poetry is an uninterrupted dialogue with the dead, a kind of regress into memory so as not to interrupt contact with loved ones, whose disappearance appears traumatic and incurable. Literary suggestions – Pascoli in the first place – influenced the author, corroborated moreover by a linguistic research that “takes full advantage of the peculiarities of a medium of expression characterized by a very special musicality”. [1].

[^1]: F. Toso, _Letteratura genovese e ligure – Il Novecento – I_, Marietti, Genoa, 1991.

As people, so do places and their memories disappear, swept away by time and progress.

The world that was once of those who disappeared, and as it was born of them, continues to stand on their invisible presence, their solicitude, ultimately their love.
Ligurian:
# Poulo Besagno (1964)

O Poulo Besagno, nasciuo à Zena do 1964, o l’é compoxitô, strumentista e autô de tòcchi muxicali in zeneise scin da quande o l’ea zoeno. Da-o 1993 o fa parte da squaddra de canto popolare «I Giovani Canterini di Sant’Olcese», da quæ in ancheu o l’é portavoxe e direttô artistico. L’esprescion in zeneise a caratterizza tutta a seu produçion, ch’a spaçia da-a muxica elettrònica a-o trallalero, in passâ de pe-a canson d’autô e i testi ciù ciæamente letteräi. Inte poexie e inti conti curti, de reflescioin existensiale e fiña metafixiche vëgnan portæ inte un contesto cotidian, personale, piggian l’andio da di momenti de vitta visciua, e o tutto inte un zeneise tòsto ben, de vòtte con inflescioin ponçeviasche, zöna de reixe de l’autô.

English translation:
# Paolo Besagno (1964)

Paolo Besagno, born in Genoa in 1964, has been a composer, instrumentalist and author of musical pieces in Genoese since his youth. Since 1993 he has formed part of the folk singing group “I Giovani Canterini di Sant’Olcese”, of which he is now spokesman and artistic director. All of his production – which ranges from electronic music to trallalero, passing through songwriting and more markedly literary texts – is characterised by the use of Genoese Ligurian. In his poems and short stories, existential and even metaphysical reflections are dropped into an everyday, personal context; they take their cue from moments of lived life, all in a very solid Genoese, sometimes with Polceverasque overtones, the author’s area of origin.
Ligurian:
# Rico Granæa (1955)

Transcrivemmo chì a nòtta che o Rico Granæa o l’à scrito de lê:

De sti urtimi tempi, o Granæa o l’à accuggeito inte un volumme, I zinæ de Zena, i seu travaggi de traduçion e adattaçion in zeneise de varri testi letteräi e articoli giornalistichi, de soventi ligæ a-a vitta de mâ e a-a presensa di liguri ôtramâ. Un libbro che, a-o de là da varsciua di scingoli testi, o ne fa pensâ ancon unna vòtta a-a compricâ ræ de relaçioin into destin de sto pòpolo ligou a-a navegaçion.

English translation:
# Enrico Granara (1955)

We transcribe here the note Enrico Granara wrote about himself:

Recently, Granara has collected in a volume, I zinæ de Zena (The Horizons of Genoa), his works of translation and adaptation into Genoese of various literary texts and news articles, often related to life at sea and the presence of Ligurians overseas. A book that – beyond the value of the individual texts – makes us reflect once again on the complicated network of relationships in the destiny of this people linked to navigation.
Ligurian:
# Rita Cuneo Narizzano Murialdi (1892–1973)

A Rita Cuneo Narizzano Murialdi (1892-1973) a l’é stæta uña de primme autoe de versci in zeneise do secolo vinteximo; a descendeiva da unna famiggia de militari e de artisti e, d’ësise maiâ doe vòtte, a l’aiva acquixio unna ræ de relaçioin cultuale e letteräie, tanto che pe ben ben de anni inta seu villa de Priaroggia a l’à reçevuo scrittoî, pittoî, scultoî e atri intellettuali. Sportiva degna de nòtta, a l’arriesciva inte ciù despæge discipriñe, inta scrimma comme into neuo, e a l’é stæta adreitua unna campionessa inte l’equitaçion comme into tennis. Inte tutto, in sciâ fin, unna dònna feua do commun, a-o manco pe quelli tempi, e gh’ea donca da aspëtâse che a tematica da condiçion feminiña a sciortisse feua inte seu poesie, che de fæto ne trattan de soventi. O scrive o Fiorenzo Toso che «o tema de l’erlia pe unna condiçion feminiña angosciosa, ch’a no satisfa i dexidëi e l’ambiçion de l’autoa, o l’é de longo presente inta poexia da Rita Cuneo, inte di versci de soventi sarçii da un amao pescimiximo».[^1] Da parte sò, o l’aiva scrito o Leonida Balestreri: «Unna poexia ch’a respegia tutta a luxe de unn’anima averta, e tutto l’asbrio de un cheu chi conosce ben o parpellâ di sentimenti ciù schillenti e larghê».[^2] [^2]: L. Balestreri, prefaçion à Rita Cuneo Narizzano Murialdi – _Bello mæ barco carego d’æña_ (ERGA, Zena, 1976) [trad. L. Guason ].

English translation:
# Rita Cuneo Narizzano Murialdi (1892–1973)

Rita Cuneo Narizzano Murialdi (1892-1973) was one of the first female authors of verse in Genoese of the 20th century; she was descended from a family of soldiers and artists and, having married twice, had acquired a network of cultural and literary relations, so much so that for many years she received writers, painters, sculptors and other intellectuals at her villa in Priaruggia. A remarkable sportswoman, she succeeded in the most diverse disciplines, in fencing as well as swimming, and was even a champion in horse riding and tennis. In short, in everything an extraordinary woman, and it was therefore to be expected that the theme of the female condition would emerge in her poems, which in fact often deal with it. Fiorenzo Toso writes that “The theme of discouragement over a frustrating female condition, which does not fulfil the author’s desires and ambitions, is constantly present in Rita Cuneo’s poetry, in verses often tinged with bitter pessimism».[^1] For his part, Leonida Balestreri had written: «a poetry that reflects all the light of an open soul, and all the impetus of a heart that does not ignore the throbbing of the clearest and most generous feelings”.[^2] [^2]: L. Balestreri, preface to Rita Cuneo Narizzano Murialdi – _Bello mæ barco carego d’ænn-a_ (ERGA, Genoa, 1976).
Ligurian:
# Opera e lamento de Zena che tracta de la guerra et del saccho dato per li Spagnoli del 1522

Inte sto testo, euvia de un poeta sostegnitô da casa Döia, se peu osservâ – segondo F. Toso – «a tentativa de arrivâ à un modello “toscan” de poexia: e seu stròffe de ottonäi rappresentan un sgreuzzo espeimento d’arrivâ à l’ottava italiaña». A lengua a l’é un zeneise stravestio da «toscan» e a rappresenta o ponto ciù basso da decadensa ch’a s’é verificâ da-a meitæ do Quattroçento in avanti, da-a mæxima co-a decadensa politica de Zena.

English translation:
# Opera and lament of Genoa concerning the war and the sack by the Spaniards in the year 1522

In this text, the work of a poet who was a supporter of the Doria family, one can observe – according to F. Toso – “the attempt to arrive at a ‘Tuscan’ model of poetry; its stanzas of octosyllables represent a crude experiment to arrive at the Italian octave”. The language is a Genoese disguised as “Tuscan” and represents the lowest point of the decadence that occurred from the mid-15th century onwards, hand in hand with the political decadence of Genoa.
Ligurian:
# Santin Brun Pesseu (1920)

Inte ben ben de accheuggeite de poexie e inti concorsci letteräi o Pesseu o l'à espresso inta parlâ de Arasce e seu reflescioin morale – o scrive o F. Toso – «sostegnue o ciù de vòtte da-a descriçion de ambienti e scituaçioin, che se rivelan inti versci finali comme de metafore do pensceo de l’autô» [1]. Tra e seu euvie arregordemmo _I strassui de Pessö_ (1961) e _U berrettin cu-a balla_ (1985).

Con tutto che e poexie do Pesseu aggian un andamento descorscivo e popolaresco, se ghe peu osservâ l’intençion da parte de l’autô de nobilitâ a seu parlâ pe mezo de forme e construti de l’italian letteräio, comme e inscistie inverscioin verbo/oggetto, attuæ pe raxoin metriche, ò pe dâ ciù de resato à l’oggetto mæximo, comme inta poexia chì apreuvo: «bunasse cippe a rumpe», in cangio de «a rumpe bunasse cippe».

English translation:
# Santino Bruno Pezzuolo (1920)

In many poetry collections and literary competitions Pezzuolo has expressed in the Alassio idiom his moral reflections – writes F. Toso [1] – “supported most often by the description of environments and situations, which are revealed in the final verses as metaphors of the author’s thought”. His works include _I strassui de Pessö_ (1961) and _U berrettin cu-a balla_ (1985).

Although Pezzuolo’s poems follow a conversation and popular style, we can be observe in them the author’s intent to ennoble his language by means of forms and constructs from literary Italian, such as the repeated verb/object inversions, implemented for metrical reasons, or to give more emphasis to the object itself, as in the following poem: “bunasse cippe a rumpe” instead of “a rumpe bunasse cippe”.
Ligurian:
# Scirvio Volta (1891–1957)

Scingolare figua de inzegnê e òmmo politico, do 1933 o l’à pubricou A Comedia çellasca, parodia de l’Inferno de Dante, ch’a piggia de mia varri personaggi da Çelle di seu tempi; a-o de là de trovæ ciufito convençionale che caratterizzan l’euvia, no manca di freschi sponti lirichi. Atre poexie do Volta son anæte perse, ma se regòrda unna verscion ben riescia da Erlkönig de Goethe.

Con l’attesto de descrive o gion di luxoioxi çellaschi, l’autô o va in derê co-a memöia a-i anni, quande lê e atri zoenòtti, de stæ a-a mæña, çercavan à fâ corpo in scê turiste e o se lascia anâ a-a nostargia, in sce un ton tra o còmico e o serio.

«Miödiña» o l’é o nomme ligure da Erodiade, figua di Evangeli, fortemente negativa, che da niatri a l’é vegnua à ëse scinònimo de persoña fäsa, ipòcrita; o Volta o deuvia sto nomme pe tradue a poula, de grammo interpretâ, Erlkönig, titolo de unna çelebre balladda do Goethe, pe commun traduto in italian comme Il Re degli Elfi.

English translation:
# Silvio Volta (1891–1957)

He was a singular figure who was an engineer and a politician, and published in 1933 A commedia çellasca, a parody of Dante’s Inferno, which takes aim at various characters in the Celle of his time. Beyond the rather conventional gimmicks that characterize the work, there is no shortage of fresh lyrical insights. Other poems by Volta have been lost, but we remember a well-executed version of Goethe’s Erlkönig.

Under the guise of describing the circle of lustful inhabitants of Celle, the author goes back in his memory to the years when he and other young men, in the summertime at the beach tried to impress female tourists and indulges in nostalgia, in a semi-humorous tone.

“Miödiña” is the Ligurian name for Herodias, a strongly negative figure from the Gospels, who among us has become synonymous with a false, hypocritical person. Volta uses this name to translate the word, which is difficult to interpret, Erlkönig, the title of a famous ballad by Goethe, usually translated into Italian as The King of the Fairies.
Ligurian:
# Steva Rosso (sec. XVII)

Un di primmi poeti ch’aggian scrito inte un di dialetti intemeli, o Steva Rosso, o vëgne arregordou pe-o seu poemmetto in taggiasco L’antico valore degli huomini di Taggia do 1639, donde o conta comme o l’ea stæto mandou in derrê un attacco di barbareschi da parte di abitanti do paise, de l’anno 1554. Tutto o racconto o se desgheugge in sciô registro còmico, à imitaçion de La secchia rapita do Tassoni. Inte de atre poexie, o Rosso o se dicciara pe l’uso do ligure locale in contrapoxiçion segge a-o zeneise, segge à l’italian, tutti doî tegnui in conto de lengue tròppo auliche e erte pe ëse spontannie e sccette, comme e parlæ de nascion. L’euvia do Rosci a testemònia coscì l’erta opinion che gh’ea in sciâ lettiatua zeneise à quelli tempi in Rivea.

English translation:
# Stefano Rossi (17th cent.)

Stefano Rossi, one of the first poets to have written in one of the intemeli dialects, is remembered for his 1639 poem in Taggiasco L’antico valore degli huomini di Taggia, where he recounts how a barbarian attack was repulsed by the inhabitants of the village in the year 1554. The entire narrative takes place in the comic register, in imitation of La Secchia Rapita by Tassoni. In other poems, Rossi advocates the use of local Ligurian as opposed to both Genoese and Italian, both of which are considered too courtly and lofty a language to be spontaneous and straightforward, like the native languages. Rossi’s work thus testifies to the high opinion that was widespread about Genoese literature on the Riviera at the time.
Ligurian:
# Tersiñe anònime inte Rime diverse (sec. XVI)

Ste tersiñe de un poeta arrestou sensa nomme fin da-i tempi da seu pubricaçion inte l’antologia de Rime diverse ne fan stravedde unna personalitæ despægia da quella di autoî seu contemporanei; comme o scrive F. Toso: «inte un monòlogo ch’o se configua comme unn’ammiscion de corpa, ma ascì comme l’invio à trovâ recatto à l’impasse ch’o segna a crixi de un sentimento, l’anònimo o tocca di açenti de rustega sccettessa, che fan de sta poexia un testo a-a seu mainea unico inte l’ambito da lettiatua in zeneise…». Despiaxe che, da produçion de l’autô, mai lontan da-o petrarchiximo do seu tempo e da ògni intentaçion declamatöia, no se conosce atro exempio.

English translation:
# Anonymous tercets from Rime diverse (16th cent.)

These tercets, from an anonymous poet whose work was published in the anthology Rime Diverse, give us a glimpse of a personality different from that of his contemporary authors. As F. Toso remarks, “In a monologue that takes the form of an admission of guilt, but also as a call to remedy the impasse that marks the crisis of a feeling, the anonymous achieves accents of rude directness, which make this poem a text in its own way unique in the sphere of literature in Genoese…”. It is regrettable that, of this author’s production, very far from the Petrarchism of his time and from any declamatory temptation, no other example is known.
Ligurian:
# Tögno Leâ (1936–2014)

Into parlâ de Ceive de Teco, o Tögno Leâ, zeneise che peò o l’à passou a seu zoentù inta localitæ de l’erta vallâ de l’Arròscia, o l’à scrito a cheuggeita mai pubricâ Scannabaggi e perdidì, donde unna sottî penetraçion da mentalitæ do mondo di paisen o se unisce à l’indoentâ perçeçion do mâ de vive. De profescion fotògrafo, sôo che tardi ben o Leâ o s’é laureou in Psicologia e l’interesse pe-i mecaniximi da psiche o straluxe in mòddo ciæo d’inta seu euvia. Ciù fito portou à desvalutâ i seu scriti, o Le o no l’à mai pubricou e seu poexie e, da quello che ne semmo, a seu produçion a l’é anæta persa, feua che e træ poexie stæte pubricæ da-o F. Toso inta seu Letteratura genovese e ligure (Genova, 1989-1991).

English translation:
# Antonio Leale (1936–2014)

Antonio Leale, a Genoese who spent his youth in the Upper Arroscia Valley locality, composed in the dialect of Pieve di Teco his unpublished collection Scannabaggi e perdidì, in which an acute penetration into the mentality of the peasant world is combined with the painful perception of the evil of living. A photographer by profession, only belatedly did Leale graduate with a degree in psychology, and his interest in the workings of the psyche clearly shines through in his work. Rather inclined to devalue his writings, Leale did not publish his poems and, as far as we know, his output has been lost except for the three poems published by F. Toso in his Letteratura genovese e ligure (Genoa, 1989-1991).
Ligurian:
# Tomaxo Schivo (1923–2011)

Professô de lettie e filosofia, critico letteräio, poeta e conoscitô da parlâ arasciña, o l’é stæto prescide do liceo lenguistico «Hanbury», attivo pe ben ben de tempo inte l’assoçiaçion «Vecchia Alassio», o l’ea stæto ascì direttô di corsci de l’Universcitæ da Tersa Etæ. Tra e seu euvie se regòrda Canti e ciaiti de cà noscia (1972), donde o mesccia unna produçion còmica e folcloristica con atri testi ciù impegnæ; A pasciun e a morte du Segnù (1982), chi tenta un recupero da religioxitæ popolare di laudäi de l’Etæ de Mezo.

English translation:
# Tommaso Schivo (1923–2011)

He was a high school teacher of literature and philosophy, a literary critic, a poet and a connoisseur of the Alassio dialect. He was principal of the “Hanbury” language high school, he was active for a long time in the “Vecchia Alassio” association, and was also the director of studies at the Università della Terza Età. His works include Canti e ciaiti de cà noscia (1972), where he combines his comic and folkloric output with other more engaged texts, and A pasciun e a morte du Segnù (1982), which attempts a revival of the folk religiosity of medieval laudaries.
Ligurian:
# Tonin Canepa (1935–2012)

Nasciuo e sempre visciuo à Pontedeximo, paise a-o quæ o l’ea fortemente ligou, o Tonin Canepa o l’à pubricou poexie inte autoediçioin à seu speise ò co-a sponsorizzaçion de quarche dita amiga. Regordemmo tra i seu libbri: Unna voxe da-o mæ bòrgo (1990) e Amore se dixe amô (1992); e, se anemmo à vedde, i seu testi son stæti tutti inspiæ a-i sentimenti de l’amô e de l’amixiçia, compreiso l’amô pe-a seu tæra. O l’à scrito Marco Piaggio: «Unna validiscima voxe chi canta amô pe ògni dònna, pe ògni creatua feminiña, in sciô sfondo, ma no drento i confin, de unna çittæ assæ ammâ, Zena…».

English translation:
# Antonio Canepa (1935–2012)

Antonio (Tonino) Canepa was born and always lived in Pontedecimo, a town to which he was strongly attached, and self-published poems at his own expense or with the sponsorship of some friendly businesses. We recall among his books, Unna voxe da-o mæ bòrgo (1990) and Amore se dixe amô (1992). His texts were all inspired by the feelings of love and friendship, including love for his land. Marco Piaggio said of him “A very capable voice singing love for every woman, for every female creature, in the vicinity, but not within the border, of a much-loved city, Genoa…”.
Ligurian:
# Toralbo Armònico (sec. XVIII)

Da segonda meitæ do Setteçento, apreuvo à l’exempio defranchian ch’o sponciava à unna lettiatua naçionale e de exartaçion do valô e di valoî zeneixi, sciòrte feua tutta unna serie de testi, che bollitigan l’orgheuggio popolare con cantâ de vittöie navale, stæte ottegnue contra i laddri de mâ tunexin e algerin; i nommi di autoî, de soventi pseudònimi arcadi, Micrilbo Fenizio, Fabriçio Giano, Toralbo Armonico, fan accapî za da pe lô che no se tratta de unna lettiatua popolare, ma euvia de dòtti, che veuan refâse a-a mentalitæ do pòpolo e d’atra parte se reciamman a-a grande tradiçion de l’Anònimo duxentesco; confian a seu produçion à di libbretti e feuggi volanti che pòssan avei a mascima diffuxon; comensa coscì, ò megio o s’intenscifica, o fenòmeno da volgarizzaçion da lettiatua zeneise, ch’o se compià o secolo apreuvo.

Coscì, sto Toralbo Armònico, do quæ no se sa ninte, feua ch’o l’aiva ottant’anni quand’o l’à scrito o seu poemmetto, o ne conta da vittöia contra «un fòrte sciabecco tunexin in scê ægue de Talamon», stæta reportâ da-o capitan Zan Antögno Maglion da Lengueggia, l’anno 1781.

English translation:
# Toralbo Armonico (18th cent.)

In the second half of the 18th century, following the Defranchian example that pushed for a national literature exalting Genoese valour and values, a whole series of texts appeared, tickling popular pride by singing of naval victories achieved against Tunisian and Algerian pirates. The names of the authors, often Arcadian pseudonyms – Micrilbo Fenizio, Fabrizio Giano, Toralbo Armonico – already make it clear that this is not popular literature, but the work of scholars, who want to refer to the mentality of the people and on the other hand refer to the great tradition of the thirteenth-century Anònimo. They entrust their production to pamphlets and flyers that can have the widest circulation. Thus begins, or rather intensifies, the phenomenon of the vernacularisation of Genoese literature, which will come to fruition the following century.

Thus, this Toralbo Armonico, of whom we know nothing, except that he was eighty years old when he wrote his poem, tells us of the victory against “a strong Tunisian xebec on the waters of Talamone”, reported by Captain Gian Antonio Maglione, from Laigueglia, in the year 1781.
Ligurian:
# Ubaldo Mazzin (1868–1923)

Nasciuo à Spezza, o l’aiva studiou giurisprudensa, ma o s’ea dedicou fin da zoeno a-o giornaliximo, straportou ascì da-a pascion pe-a politica. Stæto ciammou a-a direçion da Civica Biblioteca e do Museo Civico, o Mazzin o s’ea dapeu dedicou à studdi e reçerche in scê antighitæ e l’istöia ligure: o l’é stæto lê à descreuve e avvoxæ statue stele da Lunexaña e à formolâ de ipòtexi in scê seu origine, ch’an scheuvuo unna grande resunnansa tra i studioxi no solo che italien. Repubrican convinto, o Mazzin in poexia o l’é un «dialettale», into senso ch’o çerca à propoñe in versci a mainea de pensâ e de parlâ di popolen spezzin, segondo quella ch’a l’ea a-i seu tempi l’idea prevalente de quello ch’a doveiva ëse a poexia inte parlæ locale; de conseguensa, sciben che o Mazzin o scrive in ligure, i seu modelli son o romanesco Belli, ò o toscan Fucini, ò ancon o napolitan Ferdinando Russo, co-o seu Luciano d’o Rre, testi donde i autoî fan parlâ in primma persoña di personaggi anche lontaniscimi da-o mòddo de pensâ do seu poeta, tanto da restituîli a-o giudiçio di lettoî, inta seu veitæ e de spesso inte l’enormitæ grottesca de seu opinioin e manie; sto fæto o fa accapî in parte e raxoin do relativo successo da poexia do Mazzin, ascì à livello naçionale, e o gh’assegua un pòsto – magara minô – inte l’istöia da lettiatua italiaña e ligure ascì.

English translation:
# Ubaldo Mazzini (1868–1923)

Born in La Spezia, he studied law but devoted himself to journalism from a young age, also due to his passion for politics. Mazzini was called to direct the Civic Library and the Civic Museum, then devoted himself to studies and research on Ligurian antiquities and history. It was he who discovered the famous statue-stelae of Lunigiana and formulated hypotheses on their origin, which resonated with scholars not only from Italy. A staunch republican, Mazzini in poetry is a “dialectal”, in the sense that he tries to put forward in verse the way of thinking and speaking of the commoners of La Spezia, according to what was in his day the prevailing idea of what poetry should be in the local vernaculars. Although Mazzini writes in Ligurian, his models are therefore the Romanesque Belli, or the Tuscan Fucini, or even the Neapolitan Ferdinando Russo, with his Luciano d’o Rre, texts in which the authors make characters speak in the first person, even very far from their poet’s way of thinking, in order to restore them to the readers’ judgment, in its truth and often in the grotesque enormity of his opinions and foibles; this makes one partly understand the reasons for the relative success of Mazzini’s poetry, even at the national level, and assures him a place-perhaps a minor one-in the history of Italian and even Ligurian literature.
Ligurian:
# Via de lo Paraiso (sec. XV)

Inta _Via de lo Paraiso_ l’anònimo autô o l’exibisce a-e sposæ zoene un insemme de conseggi tanto da affrontâ ciù ben a neuva vitta co-o maio, fæta de dovei, renonçie e sottomiscion. No semmo scin à che ponto e sposæ dessan a mente a-i conseggi, ma o testo o l’é interessante comme documento de costumme, e da mentalitæ de unn’epoca.

English translation:
# Via de lo Paraiso (sec. XV)

In _Via de lo Paraiso_, the anonymous author offers young brides advice so that they can better cope with their new life with their husbands, made up of duties, renunciation, and submission. We do not know to what extent the brides followed the advice, but the text is interesting as a document of custom, and of the mentality of an era.