▁lingu istic ▁minor ities ▁ ▁Rec ogn ition ▁by ▁the ▁Italian ▁state ▁ ▁The ▁Art . ▁ 6 ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Constitution ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁Found ing ▁F athers ▁to ▁show ▁sympathy ▁for ▁the ▁country ' s ▁historical ▁lingu istic ▁minor ities , ▁in ▁a ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁newly - f ounded ▁Republic ▁to ▁let ▁them ▁become ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁fabric ▁and ▁distance ▁itself ▁from ▁the ▁Italian ization ▁policies ▁promoted ▁earlier ▁because ▁of ▁national ism , ▁especially ▁during ▁F asc ism . ▁ ▁However , ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁half ▁century ▁passed ▁before ▁the ▁Art . ▁ 6 ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁above - ment ioned ▁" app ropri ate ▁measures ". ▁Italy ▁applied ▁in ▁fact ▁the ▁Article ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁law ▁N . 4 8 2 / 9 9 . ▁ ▁Before ▁said ▁legal ▁framework ▁entered ▁into ▁force , ▁only ▁four ▁lingu istic ▁minor ities ▁( the ▁French - spe aking ▁community ▁in ▁the ▁A osta ▁Valley ; ▁the ▁German - spe aking ▁community ▁and , ▁to ▁a ▁limited ▁extent , ▁the ▁Lad in ▁one ▁in ▁the ▁Province ▁of ▁Bol z ano ; ▁the ▁Sloven e - spe aking ▁community ▁in ▁the ▁Province ▁of ▁Tri este ▁and , ▁with ▁less ▁rights , ▁the ▁Province ▁of ▁Gor izia ) ▁enjoyed ▁some ▁kind ▁of ▁acknowled gment ▁and ▁protection , ▁stem ming ▁from ▁specific ▁cla uses ▁within ▁international ▁treat ies . ▁The ▁other ▁eight ▁lingu istic ▁minor ities