Based on the analysis of 5,000 words as studied by several linguists, here below you see the percentages of different linguistic influences on the Sicilian vocabulary:
Latin: 55.6%
The majority of Sicilian words are derived from Latin, reflecting Sicily’s Roman heritage.
Greek: 14.6%
Greek influence highlights Sicily’s ancient Greek colonization and historical importance in Magna Graecia.
Spanish: 13.2%
The Spanish influence is due to the long Spanish domination of the island during the Kingdom of Aragon and the subsequent Habsburg rule.
French: 6.3%
French etymology stems from the Norman conquest of Sicily during the 11th century.
Arabic: 6%
Arabic influence reflects the island’s period under Muslim control, where Arabic had a significant cultural and linguistic impact.
Catalan and Occitan: 2.1% each
These influences likely stem from the Aragonese rule and southern French cultural interactions.
This breakdown highlights Sicily’s rich linguistic and cultural history, shaped by centuries of diverse rulers, trade, and migration.
Latin unsurprisingly dominates due to its foundational role in Romance languages.
However, Greek and Arabic contributions emphasize Sicily’s role as a crossroads of civilizations, blending Eastern and Western linguistic traditions.
The Spanish and French elements illustrate later layers of Sicilian development under European powers.
Overall, Sicilian is a deeply hybrid language that embodies the island’s multicultural past, making it a fascinating case for linguistic and cultural studies.