La sicilianità di Camilleri: un surplus di identità

Abstract

For Camilleri Sicily is the mythical space for all his writings, it is the archetype of the ‘locus’ which all the island’s inhabitants carefully guard. As language is located in space, it is both the expression of a territory and the vocal instrument of the people who inhabit it. Therefore Camilleri’s Sicily is created by his use of dialect, which adds to his sense of identity. This ‘Sicilianità’ is not only an element that inspires his writing and his humanity, but it also becomes a playful mixture of oral and written expression, which is both a linguistic game and a reflection on the nature of dialect itself. Camilleri’s shrewd use of satire, the vehemence of the imaginary and the grotesque, his play with words and language are a very serious business and emphasize the linguistic experimentalism of many Sicilian writers.