Jèrriais
Jèrriais is one of the Romance languages, related to the Norman language, and the languages of Guernesiais, Sercquiais, and Auregnais.[1] The Normans occupied the islands of Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney in the 10th century, and Jèrriais, Guernesiais, Sercquiais, and Auregnais diverged from the 10th century Norman French of the occupiers.[2]
Norman French, Jèrriais, Guernesiais, Sercquiais, and Auregnais are langues d'oïl, like the modern French language.[2] In the middle ages, when royal authority over the rest of France was weak, and the authority of the Dukes and other nobles was strong, a constellation of related Romance languages were spoken across the country. langue d'òc, like Catalan, were spoken in the south.
In 2001 a survey found 2,874 people in Jersey - about 3 percent of the population, spoke Jèrriaisand 15 percent could understand some Jèrriais.[1] Children in Jersey start learning Jèrriais, in school, in grade 4.