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Quando si pensò a un campidanese di Stato: le più antiche Istruzioni di Giuseppe Cossu

Introduction

Quando si pensò a un campidanese di stato: le più antiche istruzioni di giuseppe cossu. Edizione critica del più antico testo ufficiale in campidanese (1771) dalla Sardegna piemontese: una circolare di Giuseppe Cossu sui Monti Frumentari.

Abstract

Il saggio consiste nell'edizione critica del più antico testo in campidanese pubblicato dall'amministrazione piemontese della Sardegna. Si tratta di una circolare del 20 giugno 1771, opera del dott. Giuseppe Cossu, esplicativa del paragrafo 12 del precedente Pregone del 20 maggio, dedicato alla tabella dei conti annuali dei Monti Frumentari.

Review

The article, "Quando si pensò a un campidanese di Stato: le più antiche Istruzioni di Giuseppe Cossu," presents a meticulously researched critical edition of a foundational document in Sardinian history and linguistics. Its central contribution lies in unearthing and presenting what is identified as the oldest text in the Campidanese dialect published by the Piedmontese administration in Sardinia. This singular focus on Giuseppe Cossu's circular from June 20, 1771, offers a crucial window into the administrative, linguistic, and socio-economic dynamics of the late 18th century, precisely when the state began to engage with the complexities of local languages and populations. The strength of this work lies in its rigorous philological approach to a previously overlooked primary source. By undertaking a critical edition, the author ensures the authenticity and contextualization of Cossu's circular, which served to clarify paragraph 12 of the preceding Pregone of May 20, concerning the annual accounts of the Monti Frumentari. This not only makes a vital historical document accessible to scholars but also provides significant insights into the practical application of administrative decrees at a regional level, and particularly how they intersected with local economic institutions like the Monti Frumentari. The detailed examination of such an administrative directive, translated or issued in Campidanese, highlights the state's attempts to communicate and exert control within a linguistically diverse territory. Beyond its immediate philological merits, this essay offers profound implications for understanding the historical development of language policy and the interaction between central authority and regional identity in Sardinia. The title itself provocatively frames the document's significance, inviting reflection on *when* and *how* the state began to consider the specific linguistic and cultural realities of its Campidanese subjects. This study will be indispensable for historians of Sardinia, linguists interested in the evolution of the Campidanese dialect, and scholars of early modern administration. It represents an original and valuable contribution that sheds new light on the nuanced processes of state-building and linguistic interaction in pre-unification Italy, deserving of wide scholarly attention.

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