Discover

(Redirected from Monegasque language)


'Monégasque' (natively ''Munegascu'') is a Romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language. It is rather similar to the language spoken in Genoa, but differs from its neighbour languages Intemelian and Mentonasque. It has been strongly influenced by Occitan. Occitan (Niçard) is also traditionally spoken in some parts of Monaco, besides Monégasque.
It is spoken in Monaco in addition to French by the Monégasques. Because the Monégasques in Monaco are only a minority, 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 Monegasque in addition to French.
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 : ''tradiçiùn'' comes from the Latin ''traditio[nem]'' , and not from the Italian ''tradizione''.
Monégasque now has a flourishing literature.
Below is an exerpt 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.
"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"

Contents

See also

See also

★ Italian dialects

★ European languages