Well. Until Xth century more or less in Corsica and Sardinia it was spoken the same Vulgar Latin dialect, named Insular Latin, which used a more archaic vocabulary if compared to continental Latin. Around Xth century Corsica fell in the sphere of influence of the Republic of Pisa. Pisans brought to Corsica their Italic Vulgar Latin speech which merged with Insular Latin of Corsica creating the actual Corsican language, that in the basic structure is quite similar to Italian, but Corsican still keeps most of the Insular Latin vocabulary present only in Sardinian. There are many expressions identical in both languages, and unknown in Italian or other Romance languages. The overall look of Corsican language is a mix of archaic and modern, but more similar to Italian, with plurals with I or E, articles derived from "ille illa illud", while Sardinian under many grammar aspects is indeed more archaic; plurals with S, articles derived from "ipse, ipsa, ipsum", a more conservative vocabulary, verbal conjugations more similar to Latin, etc.etc.
In some areas of north-eastern Sardinia is also spoken Gallurese, a Corsican dialect arrived in Sardinia in XVth century, while in the area of Sassari-Porto Torres is spoken Sassarese or Turritano, a language similar to Corsican, but born in Sardinia because of the Pisan colonization in Porto Torres, the same elements that created Corsican language (Insular Vulgar Latin + Italic Vulgar Latin) created a language quite similar to Corsican. While in the middle between Gallurese and Sassarese, in the area around Castelsardo is spoken a dialect named Castellanese, that is a link between Gallurese and Sassarese. All these languages however remain very Italic oriented and very distinct from Sardinian. The border between the Sardinian and Gallurese/Sassarese speaking areas is sharp and clear, there aren't mixed speaking areas, it's enough to make a step out of the border and they speak a totally different language.
see maps :
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...etti_corsi.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped.../Gallurese.png
Probably if Corsica wasn't colonized by Pisans they would have developed a language more similar to Sardinian. Until XIXth century Corsicans also used traditional costumes nearly identical to those present in Sardinia, even the names of the various components of the traditional costumes were identical.
Some examples of Insular vocabulary common to both languages :
Corsican - Sardinian - Italian
Tandu -
Tando -
Allora
Aiò -
Ajò (pronounce "aiò") -
Andiamo
Falà -
Falare -
Scendere
Pisà, Pesà -
Pesare -
Alzarsi
Ghjàcaru -
Jàgaru -
Cane, Cane da caccia
Mezzanu -
Mezzanu (pronounce TZ) -
Scadente, di bassa qualità, sciupato
U corciu -
Su cortzu -
Il poveretto, la buonanima
Casgiu -
Casu -
Formaggio
Butìru -
Buttìru -
Burro
Veranu -
Beranu -
Primavera
Niellu, Nieddu -
Nieddu, Nigheddu -
Nero
Ulumetu -
Ulumedu -
Luogo con alberi di Olmo
Rustaghja -
Rustagliu -
Roncola
Zinzala -
Zinzula (pronouce TZ) -
Zanzara
Chjassu -
Jassu -
Sito, località
Both languages use many expressions present also in the other Romance languages, but in Corsican and Sardinian they remain more similar to Latin.
Focu - Fogu - Fuoco
Bonu - Bonu - Buono
Locu - Logu - Luogo
Sonu - Sonu - Suono
Tonu - Tronu - Tuono
Rota - Roda - Ruota
Petra - Pedra - Pietra
Mele - Mele - Miele
Fenu - Fenu - Fieno
Sonadore - Sonadore - Musicista tradizionale (Latin "sonator - sonatoris")
Cantadore - Cantadore - Cantante tradizionale (Latin "cantator - cantatoris")
Piscadore - Piscadore - Pescatore
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