Monégasque language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Monégasque | ||
|---|---|---|
| Munegascu | ||
| Spoken in |  Monaco |
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| Total speakers | 35,657 (2006) | |
| Language family | Indo-European
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| Language codes | ||
| ISO 639-1 | None | |
| ISO 639-2 | roa | |
| ISO 639-3 | lij | |
| Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. | ||
Monégasque (natively Munegascu) is a Romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, which is spoken in Monaco.
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[edit] Linguistic family
It is rather similar to the variety of Ligurian spoken in Genoa, but differs from its neighboring dialects Intemelio and Mentonasc. It has been strongly influenced by Niçard Occitan. Contemporary Niçard Occitan is also traditionally spoken in some parts of Monaco, besides Monégasque. Before the annexation of the County of Nice to France in 1860, the Nizzardo Italians spoke a Nissart dialect very similar to the Monégasque.
[edit] Speakers
It is spoken in addition to French by the Monégasques. Because the Monégasques are only a minority in Monaco, Monégasque was threatened with extinction in the 1970s. But the language is now being taught in schools, and its continuance is regarded as secured. In the old part of Monaco, the street signs are marked with Monégasque in addition to French.
[edit] Grammar
Monégasque orthography generally follows Italian principles, with the following exceptions:
- the ü is pronounced as in German, or as the French u.
- the œ is pronounced as the French é, and not like the French œu as in bœuf, which is how œ is pronounced in Ligurian, which also uses the character ö to represent this sound.
- the ç is pronounced as in the French ç [s]: tradiçiùn comes from the Latin traditio[nem] , and not from the Italian tradizione.
Below is an excerpt from the Monégasque national anthem, written by Louis Notari. In addition, there exists an older French version of the anthem whose lyrics bear different meaning. The choice between the two forms is generally subject to occasion and circumstance.
[edit] Sample
"Despoei tugiù sciü d'u nostru paise
Se ride au ventu, u meme pavayùn
Despoei tugiù a curù russa e gianca
E stà l'emblema, d'a nostra libertà
Grandi e i piciui, l'an sempre respetà"
[edit] Other example
"Ave Maria, Tüta de graçia u Signù è cun tü si benedëta tra tüt'ë done e Gesü u to Fiyu è benejiu.
Santa Maria, maire de Diu, prega per nùi, pecatùi aùra e à l'ura d'a nostra morte AMEN. (Che sice cusci.)"
[edit] See also
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