Occitan

A language of France

Patois

110,000 in France (Bernissan 2012). Total users in all countries: 218,310.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region: Ardeche, Cantal, Drome, Haute-Loire, Isere, Loire, and Puy-de-Dome departments; Nouvelle-Aquitaine region: Charentes, Correze, and Haute-Vienne departments; Occitania region: all except Pyrenees-Orientales department; Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.

Language Maps

Andorra and France

Portugal and Spain

Language Status

6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2013, No. 595), Education.

Classification

Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, Oc

Dialects

Auvergnat (Auverne, Auvernhas, Auvernhat, Auvernhe), Gascon, Languedocien (Langadoc, Languedoc, Lengadocian, Lengadoucian), Limousin (Lemosin), Provençal (Alpine Provençal, Mistralien, Prouvençau, Provençau), Vivaro-alpine (Vivaroalpenc, Vivaroaupenc), Niçard (Nissart, Niçart, Niçois). Highly fragmented dialect situation, with limited intelligibility between some varieties.

Language Use

Children who learn it in school cannot communicate in Occitan with their parents (2012). Home, (rural) community. Some young people, all adults, few children. Positive attitudes. Also use French [fra].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 99%. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Grammar. Bible: 2013.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Occitan

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Also spoken in:

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Italy

Language NameOccitan

User Population

100,000 in Italy (1990 P. Blanchet).

Location

Liguria region: Imperia province; Piedmont region: Entraigas, Limoun, Pignerol, Sestriero, Val d’Esturo, Val Mairo, Val Varacho, Vinai, upper valleys; maybe Calabria region: Guardia Piemontese.

Alternate Names

Provenzale, Provençal

Dialects

Vivaro-alpine, Cisalpine.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

Some young people, all adults. Although Occitan is still passed on to children, some have given it up in favor of Italian [ita] and Piedmontese [pms]. Also use Italian [ita]. Also use Piedmontese [pms].

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Monaco

Language NameOccitan

User Population

4,500 in Monaco (1988).

Location

Scattered.

Dialects

Provencal.

Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Rarely used today. Adults only. Shifting to French [fra].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Come from Nice and Cannes.

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Spain

Language NameGascon, Aranese

User Population

3,810 in Spain (1991 census). Spoken by most of the 4,800 living in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees (Salminen 2007). Ethnic population: 5,550 (1991).

Location

Catalonia autonomous region: Aran valley, northwest corner, Garona river headwaters, Pyrenees mountains.

Alternate Names

Aranese, Aranés, Aranés Occitán, Arnais, Gascón

Dialects

Baish Aranés, Mijaranés Aranés, Naut Aranés.

Language Status

6b (Threatened). Provincially recognized language in Catalonia (2010, Occitan Act, Autonomous Community of Catalonia Parliament, 22 September), Aranese in local laws.

Language Use

Most domains. Some young people, all adults. Also use Catalan [cat]. Also use French [fra]. Also use Spanish [spa]. Used as L2 by Catalan [cat].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 51% read Aranese dialect; 19% write it (1991). Literacy rate in L2: Nearly 100% in Spanish [spa], 50% in Catalan [cat]. The Center of Linguistic Normalization is dedicated to promotion of its use.

Other Comments

Influenced by Catalan [cat] and Spanish [spa] more than French [fra]. Official language within the valley. Spelling standardized.

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Occitan

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A language of France

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