THE SARDINIAN LANGUAGE ( Limba Sarda or Sardu)

Each geographical area of Sardinia has had a historical evolution with different linguistic influences that still characterize the different varieties of Sardinian, called by Sardinian native speakers “Sardu” or in general “Limba Sarda” . What is constant is the sound and musicality .
The Sardinian is the most characteristic of Latin idioms ; In fact , while the other Romance languages were changing during the centuries , Sardinia , and then the “Sardu”, in its isolation , it preserves the original peculiarities of this language with its illustrious origins , Greek and Latin .

1700 marks the passage of Sardinia from Spanish rule to the Piemontese kingsdom and, for the first half of the century remains a bilingual situation : the Sardinian and Spanish. It was later imposed on the use of Italian as an official language and at the same time was reduced the scope of use of the Latin.
The real break begins with the unification of Italy (after 1861) .
The Italian language becomes more and more official . The dialect , however, was still widespread .

The term “Limba Sarda” (Sardinian Language) includes all Sardinia with the exception of Alghero, the Catalan linguistic island , and of Carloforte and Calasetta genoese linguistic islands (called Tabarkino)

The Sardo is divided into five main types :

- Nuorese , spoken in the center of the island and with Goceano with its main center in teh city of Nuoro ;
- Gallurese , spoken in the north- eastern part of Sardinia ;
- Sassarese , spoken in Sassari city and around territories;
- Logudorese , spoken in the central- northern Sardinia ;
- Campidanese in the south of the island.

While the Nuorese and Logudorese are the languages that have suffered less than any other continental influences , the Campidanese , while retaining the characteristic features of Sardinian language, is closer to the Italian dialects of south-central type .
The Gallura and Sassari also have had strong continental influence ; they belong to Tuscan type-languages , even if they are developed alongside the “Sardu”.

Traditional and typical Sardinian food

The Sardinian food , as everyone knows, is a kitchen of country and sea , as the typical  lobster , or the many recipes with tuna of Carloforte island and of course the excellent “porchetto”. Not forgetting the Sardinian breads , pastas and many traditional , almost all prepared with semolina flour .

Among the typical products of Sardinia deserves a place of honor the great saffron, used in both dishes of pasta and meat with originality and grace . Among the most famous dishes we find sheep meat , unique flavor , but we can also find excellent recipes for chicken and pork , as well as wild boar. Among the vegetables are famous the excellent artichokes , which often appear in traditional Sardinian cuisine .

For historical and geographical reasons Sardinian cuisine is characterized by many local variations of the dishes that sometimes change their names , but not in the ingredients , sometimes they vary greatly in flavor and content , while keeping the same name ... Two elements , however, distinguish the traditional Sardinian recipes : simple ingredients and outspoken and extreme care in presentations and preparations

Pecorino cheese , tuna and lobster, suckling pig and lamb , bread and honey are the flavors of this ancient land. Simple ingredients that create a tasty local cuisine and austere . Sardinians usually use as  appetizers some gifts of the sea: the “bottarga”, dried eggs of tuna or mullet , in sauces and delicious croutons , anchovies, stuffed with fresh cheese , lobster with crisp raw vegetables. First are the characteristic "fregula" ,  semolina topped with cheese and fragrant saffron of San Gavino Monreale, “pani frattau” bread softened in water and flavored with cheese, egg and tomato, “malloreddus”, napped with a simple sauce or tomato sauce with mushrooms and sausage. Carloforte typical couscous is mixed with the vegetables of the gardens of the small island : chick peas , broad beans , eggplant , zucchini and tomatoes. Among the second large portions of lamb and pork scented myrtle , tuna cooked in large steaks and octopus skewers. Unmistakable Sardinian sweets : pabassinas , iced cookies with raisins, suspirus , pieces of almond paste, pardulas , cupcakes stuffed with ricotta cheese and the famous seadas made ​​with fresh pecorino cheese and honey.

Seafood is teh king of Sardinian meals

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The Malloreddus, typaical Sardinian pasta with sausage are very usual in the gastronomy of the island

Is a typical dish, especially in the Oristano area, called "bottarga": id dryed mullet roe, usually served on slice of bread but often used also for seasoning pasta.

"Amaretti" a paste of sweet and bitter almonds, eggs, sugar, flour and lemon peel