Are Southern Italian dialects like Sicilian and Neapolitan "Western" or "Eastern" Romance dialects?

[Sikeliot]

I have heard it said that Sicilian, Neapolitan and so on are actually closer to Romanian, Vlach, Moldovan and so on than they are to Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

Is this true? From the sound of Sicilian, I can definitely hear it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMyZtuAXBtU&t=323s

But linguistically is it true?

[Sikeliot]

LieDetector thumbs me down because he is a butthurt bitch.

[Profileid]

Wouldn't know.
Have you considered learning Italian?

[Sikeliot]

Wouldn't know.
Have you considered learning Italian?

No. Italian is not my ancestral language, Sicilian is.

And if Italian is a "western" Romance language (close to French, it is) and Sicilian is in fact an "eastern" Romance language, I might as well learn Romanian instead.

[LieDetector]

LieDetector thumbs me down because he is a butthurt bitch.

Free CtwentysevenJ!

[Smitty]

No. Italian is not my ancestral language, Sicilian is.

And if Italian is a "western" Romance language (close to French, it is) and Sicilian is in fact an "eastern" Romance language, I might as well learn Romanian instead.

You've got to be kidding. Sicilian is far closer to Italian than Romanian, whatever its placement on the east-west spectrum.

[Sikeliot]

You've got to be kidding. Sicilian is far closer to Italian than Romanian, whatever its placement on the east-west spectrum.

My guess is, honestly, that all of the Italian dialects are in fact "eastern Romance" languages, as they form plurals closer to how Romanian does, and have specific features conserved from older Latin. I was exaggerating when answering her point.

But either way Italian is not my ancestral language, as none of my family spoke it. They spoke Sicilian and Sardinian.

You can group French, Spanish, Portuguese as "western Romance," and then Romanian, Moldovan and Vlach as "eastern Romance" so where do Italian, Sicilian, Neapolitan fall? My guess is closer to eastern Romance.

[Smitty]

My guess is, honestly, that all of the Italian dialects are in fact "eastern Romance" languages, as they form plurals closer to how Romanian does, and have specific features conserved from older Latin. I was exaggerating when answering her point.

But either way Italian is not my ancestral language, as none of my family spoke it. They spoke Sicilian and Sardinian.

Understood. Truth be told, though, Italian isn't any Italian's ancestral language, excepting Tuscans.

[Sikeliot]

Understood. Truth be told, though, Italian isn't any Italian's ancestral language, excepting Tuscans.

I say that on the basis of none of my ancestors knowing or speaking it.

Anyway, I think Italian dialects in terms of many grammatical features are closer to Romanian (plural formation and verb conjugation). See here:

[Smitty]

I say that on the basis of none of my ancestors knowing or speaking it.

Anyway, I think Italian dialects in terms of many grammatical features are closer to Romanian (plural formation and verb conjugation). See here:

Well, that's interesting if true. I'd like to hear some linguists' opinions.