Graziadio Isaia Ascoli and the Slovenes

Abstract

The famous Italian linguist G. I. Ascoli (1829—1907) several times took part in the political events of his period. Such endeavours of Ascoli were centred mainly in his stressing of the Italian character of the town Gorica (Gorizia), and in his views that a tolerant attitude should prevail in the relationship with the Slovenes. His first appearance was in 1848, later on he published the majority of his articles dealing vvith the question of irredentism and coexistence of the Slovenes and the Italians in the regions then belonging to the »Austrian Littoral« in the final two decades before his death. He wvas not an irredentist, but he was not so democratic either to declare that the Italians did not have a predominant role in their relations with the Slovenes.