Italy
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Italy (IT)
ECRML
Signed
2000
Ratified
(PENDING)
In Force
(PENDING)
FCNM
Signed
1995
Ratified
1997
In Force
1999
Country Description
While individual censuses are conducted in regional areas, no official national census data on languages has been collected in Italy since 1921. According to a study on a representative sample by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) in 2015, Italian was the mother tongue of 90.4% of the population. The population was 60 656 000 that year, meaning that approximately 54 833 024 Italians spoke Italian as a mother tongue.
There is no official national data on the number of Sign Language users in Italy; the number of deaf Italian Sign Language (LIS) users is estimated to be around 5 000. In 2021, Italy recognized both the Italian Sign Language and the Tactile Italian Sign Language (LISt)– apart from Slovenia, it is the only European country to legally recognize a language for deafblind people.
Pan-National Official Language(s)
This category only includes languages that are official throughout the whole country (with the exception of Belgium) - languages that are e.g. regionally 'co-official' are not listed here but can be identified in the categories below wherever a relevant legal document is listed. A future update could include lists of co-official languages, as well.
To increase their visibility, recognised Sign Languages are always listed as official languages even if they are not yet technically official. The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Italian').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Italian
Romance
|
Italiano | Whole country | 1999 | Law No. 482, Art. 1 / Legge N. 482, Art. 1 | Approx. 54 833 024 (not a census, estimated) | Mother Tongue | 2015 | 1 (National) | |||
|
Italian Sign Language (LIS)
Sign Language
|
Lingua dei segni italiana | Whole country | 2021 | Art. 34 (Measures for the recognition of Italian sign language and the inclusion of people with hearing disabilities) / Art. 34-ter (Misure per il riconoscimento della lingua dei segni italiana e l'inclusione delle persone con disabilità uditiva) | Approx. 40 000 (not a census) | Deaf Sign Language Users | 2026 (Website accessed) | 5 (Developing) | |||
|
Tactile Italian Sign Language (LISt)
Sign Language
|
Lingua dei Segni Tattile | Whole country | 2021 | Art. 34 (Measures for the recognition of Italian sign language and the inclusion of people with hearing disabilities) / Art. 34-ter (Misure per il riconoscimento della lingua dei segni italiana e l'inclusione delle persone con disabilità uditiva) | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not listed |
ECRML-Recognised Languages
This includes languages recognised under the European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML). The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Czech').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level | ECRML level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| / | ||||||||||||
Non-ECRML Languages – Source Overview
Languages marked with ✓ appear in that source.
Languages listed in multiple sources may have differing data – see the detail tables below.
| Language | Ethnologue | ELP |
|---|---|---|
| Algherese Catalan | ✓ | |
| Arbëreshë | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arpitan / Franco-Provençal | ✓ | |
| Balkan Romani | ✓ | |
| Baltic Romani | ✓ | |
| Bavarian | ✓ | |
| Campidanese | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carpathian Romani | ✓ | |
| Cimbrian | ✓ | ✓ |
| Corsican | ✓ | ✓ |
| Emilian | ✓ | |
| English | ✓ | |
| French | ✓ | |
| Friulian | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gallurese | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gardiol | ✓ | |
| Greek | ✓ | |
| International Sign (IS) | ✓ | |
| Judeo-Italian | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ladin | ✓ | ✓ |
| Latin | ✓ | |
| Ligurian / Genoese | ✓ | |
| Logudorese | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lombard | ✓ | |
| Mòcheno | ✓ | |
| Napoletano | ✓ | |
| Occitan | ✓ | |
| Piedmontese | ✓ | |
| Romagnol | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sassarese | ✓ | |
| Sassaresse | ✓ | |
| Sicilian | ✓ | |
| Sinte Romani | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slavomolisano | ✓ | |
| Venetian | ✓ | |
| Vivaro-Alpine | ✓ | |
| Vlax Romani | ✓ | ✓ |
| Walser | ✓ |
Non-ECRML Languages (Ethnologue)
Languages listed with an 'established status' in Ethnologue. The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from Ethnologue, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Arbëreshë
Albanoid
|
Tarbrisht | Apulia region: Foggia province, 3 villages; Taranto province, 1 village; Basilicata region: Potenza province, 5 villages; Calabria region: Cosenza province, 27 villages; Campania region: Avellino province, Greci; Molise region: Campobasso province, 4 villages; Sicily region: Palermo province, 3 villages | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 2 | / | 100 000 | Users | 2010 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Arpitan / Franco-Provençal
Romance
|
Arpitano / Patouès | Valle d’Aosta region | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 3 | / | 70 000 | Users | 2007 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Bavarian
Germanic
|
Boarisch | Friuli-Venezia Giulia region: Udine province, Paluzza (Timau village), Pontebba (Laglesie San Leopoldo village), Sappada, Sauris and Tarvisio communes; Trentino-Alto Adige region: South Tyrol province, Bolzano/Bozen | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 4 | / | 332 000 | Users | 2022 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Campidanese
Romance
|
Campidanese / Sardu | Sardinia region: southern half of Sardinia island | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 5 | / | 500 000 | Users | 2007 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Cimbrian
Germanic
|
Tzimbar | Trentino-Alto Adige region: Trento province, Lavarone and Luserna communes; Veneto region: Verona province, Selva di Progno commune; Vincenza province, Roana commune | / | / | / | 2 230 | Users | 1978 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Corsican
Romance
|
Corsu | Sardinia region; Maddalena islands, Sardinia northeast coast | / | / | / | 1 000 | Users | 1990 | 6b* (Threatened) | ||
|
Emilian
Romance
|
Emigliân | Emilia-Romagna region: Bologna, Ferrara, Modena, Parma, Piacenza (northern), Reggio Emilia provinces; Lombardy region: Mantua province (southern); Piedmont region: Curone valley; Tuscany region: Massa-Carrara and Pistoia (northeastern) provinces; Veneto region: Rovigo province (southern) | / | / | / | 440 000 | Users | 2006 | 7 (Shifting) | ||
|
English
Germanic
|
English | / | / | / | / | 20 234 000 | Users | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | ||
|
French
Romance
|
Français | Piedmont region: Turin city | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 5 | / | 9 634 000 | Users | 2023 | 5* (Dispersed) | ||
|
Friulian
Romance
|
Furlan | Friuli-Venezia Giulia autonomous region except Trieste province and western and eastern border areas; Veneto region: Venezia province, Portogruaro area | 2007 | Regional law no. 29 (Statutory language of provincial identity in Friuli-Venezia Giulia autonomous region) | / | 600 000 | Users | 2014 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Gallurese
Romance
|
Gallurese / Sardu | Sardinia region: Nuoro, Olbio Tempio, and Sassari provinces, facing Tyrrhenian sea | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 6 | / | 100 000 | Users | 1999 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Greek
Greek
|
Elliniká | Apulia region: Lecce province, Calimera, Castrignano de’ Greci, Corigliano d’Otranto, Martano, Martignano, Melpignano, Soleto, Sternatia, and Zollino; Calabria region: southern Reggio Calabria | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 5 | / | 5 600 (based on ethnicity) | Users | 2023 | 8a (Moribund) | ||
|
International Sign (IS)
Sign language
|
International Sign (IS) | Scattered in many countries | / | / | / | No known L1 users | Users | 2015 | 9 (Second language only) | ||
|
Judeo-Italian
Romance
|
Giudeo-italiano | Tuscany region: Siena province, Buonconvento; urban areas central and north, Rome | / | / | / | 200 | / | / | 8a (Moribund) | ||
|
Ladin
Romance
|
Ladin | Trentino-Alto Adige region: the autonomous province of Bolzano-South Tyrol, Gardena and Badia valleys; Trentino province, Val di Fassa; Veneto region: northern Belluno province | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 5 | / | 38 000 | Ethnic population | / | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Latin
Latin
|
Lingua Latina | / | / | / | / | No known L1 speakers | / | / | 9 (Second language only) | ||
|
Ligurian / Genoese
Romance
|
Lìgure / Zeneize | Emilia-Romagna region: Piacenza province (southern); Liguria region: Genova, Imperia, La Spezia, and Savona provinces; Piedmont region: Alessandria (eastern) and Cuneo provinces; Sardinia region: Southern Sardinia province, Calasetta and Carloforte municipalities, Sant’Antioco and San Pietro islands (Tabarchino dialect) | / | / | / | 140 000 | Users | 2017 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Logudorese
Romance
|
Logudorese / Sardu | Sardinia region: generally south of Sassari town | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 7 | / | 500 000 | Users | 1999 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Lombard
Romance
|
Lumbard | Emilia-Romagna region: small areas along Po river northwest of Piacenza; Lombardy region: all provinces; Piedmont region: Alessandria (northeast), Novara, and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola provinces; Trentino-Alto Adige region: west Trentino border area; Veneto region: Verona province, northeast shore of Lake Garda | / | / | / | 3 600 000 | Users | 2002 | 6a* (Vigorous) | ||
|
Mòcheno
Germanic
|
Bernstolerisch | Trentino-Alto Adige region: Valle del Fersina, 4 communes | / | / | / | 1 400 | Users | 2021 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Napoletano
Romance
|
Napulitano | Apulia region: Bari, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Brindisi (northern), Foggia, and Taranto (northern) provinces; Basilicata region; Calabria region: Cosenza province; Campania region; and Lazio region: southern Frosinone and Latina provinces Brindisi northern and Taranto northern | / | / | / | 5 700 000 | Users | 2002 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Occitan
Romance
|
Lenga d'òc | Piedmont region: Entraigas, Limoun, Pignerol, Sestriero, Val d’Esturo, Val Mairo, Val Varacho, Vinai, upper valleys; maybe Calabria region: Guardia Piemontese | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 5 | / | 100 000 | Users | 1990 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Piedmontese
Romance
|
Piemontèis | Piedmont region: all provinces except Novara province, excluding Occitan- and Arpitan-speaking Alpine valleys | / | / | / | 700 000 | Users | 2012 | 7 (Shifting) | ||
|
Romagnol
Romance
|
Rumagnôl | Emilia-Romagna region: Bologna province, Imola; Ravenna province, Faenza; Forlì-Cesena and Rimini provinces; Marche region: Pesaro e Urbino province; Tuscany region, Florence | / | / | / | 160 000 | Users | 2006 | 7 (Shifting) | ||
|
Sassarese
Romance
|
Sassarese / Sardu | Sardinia region: Sassari province, Alghero city | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 8 | / | 100 000 | Users | 1999 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Sicilian
Romance
|
Sicilianu | Apulia region: southern Brindisi province, southern Taranto province, and Lecce province; Calabria region: Crotone, Catanzaro, Vibo Valentia, and Reggio di Calabria provinces; Sicily region: Sicily island and nearby island groups (Eolie, Egadi, Pantelleria and Pelagie) | / | / | / | 4 700 000 | Users | 2002 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Sinte Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Romanes | Scattered in northern regions | / | / | / | 14 000 | Users | 1980 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Slavomolisano
Slavic
|
Hrvatski (Na-našu) | Molise region: Campobasso province, Montemitro, San Felice del Molise, and Acquaviva-Collecroce villages | 1999 | Historical Minorities Protection Act, No. 482, Article 8 | / | 1 000 | Users | 2012 | 7 (Shifting) | ||
|
Venetian
Romance
|
Vèneto | Friuli-Venezia Giulia region: southern Gorizia, southwestern Pordenone, and Trieste provinces; Trentino-Alto Adige region: central and southern Trento province; Sardinia region: Arborea; Veneto region: all provinces, except Belluno province, southern only and Rovigo north of the river Po estuary and central area | / | / | / | 3 800 000 | Users | 2002 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Vlax Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Romani cib | Major cities | / | / | / | 4 000 | / | / | 5* (Dispersed) | ||
|
Walser
Germanic
|
Walscher | Valle d’Aosta region: Val Lesa (Val del Lys) | / | / | / | 3 400 | Users | 1978 | 7 (Shifting) |
Non-ECRML Languages (Endangered Languages Project)
Languages listed in the Endangered Languages Project (ELP). The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from ELP, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Algherese Catalan
Romance
|
Alguerés | / | / | / | / | Unknown | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Arbëreshë
Albanoid
|
Tarbrisht | / | / | / | / | 80 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Balkan Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Balkaniko Romanes | / | / | / | / | 709 570 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | At risk | ||
|
Baltic Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Roma | / | / | / | / | 58 460 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Campidanese
Romance
|
Campidanese / Sardu | / | / | / | / | Unknown | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Carpathian Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Central Romani | / | / | / | / | 472 470 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | At risk | ||
|
Cimbrian
Germanic
|
Tzimbar | / | / | / | / | 2 230 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened | ||
|
Corsican
Romance
|
Corsu | / | / | / | / | 402 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | At risk | ||
|
Friulian
Romance
|
Furlan | / | / | / | / | 794 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened | ||
|
Gallurese
Romance
|
Gallurese / Sardu | / | / | / | / | 100 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | At risk | ||
|
Gardiol
Romance
|
Gardiòl | / | / | / | / | 300 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Severely endangered | ||
|
Judeo-Italian
Romance
|
Giudeo-italiano | / | / | / | / | 200 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Severely endangered | ||
|
Ladin
Romance
|
Ladin | / | / | / | / | 31 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened | ||
|
Logudorese
Romance
|
Logudorese / Sardu | / | / | / | / | 500 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened | ||
|
Romagnol
Romance
|
Rumagnôl | / | / | / | / | 1 000 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Threatened | ||
|
Sassaresse
Romance
|
Sassarese / Sardu | / | / | / | / | 100 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | At risk | ||
|
Sinte Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Romanes | / | / | / | / | 318 920 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | At risk | ||
|
Vivaro-Alpine
Romance
|
Vivaroaupenc | / | / | / | / | Unknown | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Endangered | ||
|
Vlax Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Romani shib | / | / | / | / | 885 970 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | At risk |
Recognised Minorities
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