22 February 2022 is ๐๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐. As per the website of the Global Coalition for Language Rights, this event is โdesigned to inspire a change of attitudes, behaviors and beliefs around language rights and linguistic justiceโ.
On that occasion, Iโve decided to talk to you about regional languages in France.
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We all know that French is Franceโs official language. However, several regional languages are also spoken in this country, among which:
๐๐ป Alsatian (Elsรคssisch), derived from German
๐๐ป Basque (Euskara), an isolate whose origins are still a fascinating mystery today
๐๐ป Breton (Brezhoneg), a Celtic language
๐๐ป Catalan (Catalร ), also spoken in Andorra and Spain
๐๐ป Corsican (Corsu), close to Italian
๐๐ปVarious creoles (Krรฉyol Matโnik, Kriyรฒl gwiyannen, etc.), spoken in Franceโs overseas territories
The number of speakers has yet been decreasing and decreasing which, unfortunately, endangers these languages.
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Why this decline?
Franceโs policy towards languages has consisted, for centuries, in giving priority to French only.
The Ordinance of Villers-Cotterรชts, signed by Francis I of France in 1539, prescribed the use of French in all judicial acts, notarized contracts, and official legislation.
Initially, the point of this set of articles was to discontinue the use of Latin in official documents. Sadly, it also had a negative impact on the use of regional languages, which were subsequently seen as mere โdialectsโ whose practice was no longer encouraged.
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Luckily, various initiatives were taken over the years to promote and protect them:
๐ซ Opening of immersion schools, like Diwan schools in Brittany and ikastolas in the Basque Country
๐ Integration of regional language courses in the standard curriculum, e.g., in Corsica where students are taught Corsican a few hours every week
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Regional languages are an integral part of Franceโs heritage and culture. Their extinction would be a huge loss for the country and we should do anything we can to prevent it!
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