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Monégasque language

 

 
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Monégasque language
 
 
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Monégasque (natively Munegascu) is a Romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language
Ligurian language (Romance)

Ligurian is a Gallo-Romance language, currently spoken in Liguria, northern Italy, and parts of the Mediterranean coastal zone of France, and Monaco....
, which is spoken in Monaco
Monaco

Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe . The territory lies on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea....
. It is rather similar to the language spoken in Genoa
Genoese dialect

Genoese is the most important dialect of the Ligurian language , the one spoken in Genoa .Ligurian language is listed by Ethnologue as a language in its own right, of the Romance languages branch, and not to be confused with the ancient Ligurian language....
, but differs from its neighbour languages Intemelian and Mentonasque
Mentonasque

Mentonasc [mentu'na?k] , also called Mentonasque or Mentonnais , is an Occitan subdialect, traditionally assigned to the Occitan language but it shows some transition features to Ligurian language dialects spoken near Ventimiglia, Sanremo and the Upper Roya Valley ....
. It has been strongly influenced by Niçard
Niçard

Ni?ard , Nissart/Ni?art , Ni?ois , or Nizzardo is a distinct subdialect of the Occitan language spoken in the city of Nice and in the historical County of Nice ....
 Occitan
Occitan language

Occitan , known also as Lenga d'?c or Langue d'oc is a Romance languages spoken in Occitania, that is, Southern France, the Occitan Valleys of Italy, Monaco and in the Aran Valley of Spain....
. Contemporary Niçard
Niçard

Ni?ard , Nissart/Ni?art , Ni?ois , or Nizzardo is a distinct subdialect of the Occitan language spoken in the city of Nice and in the historical County of Nice ....
 Occitan
Occitan language

Occitan , known also as Lenga d'?c or Langue d'oc is a Romance languages spoken in Occitania, that is, Southern France, the Occitan Valleys of Italy, Monaco and in the Aran Valley of Spain....
 is also traditionally spoken in some parts of Monaco, besides Monégasque. Before the annexation of the County of Nice
County of Nice

The County of Nice or Ni?ard Country is a historical region of Occitania , located in the south-eastern part, around the city of Nice....
 to France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 in 1860, the Nizzardo Italians
Nizzardo Italians

Nizzardo Italians were the Italian language- and Ligurian language-speaking populations of the County of Nice , who formed the majority of the county's population until the mid-19th century....
 spoke a Nissart dialect very similar to the Monégasque.

It is spoken in addition to French
French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
 by the Monégasques.






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Encyclopedia


Monégasque (natively Munegascu) is a Romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language
Ligurian language (Romance)

Ligurian is a Gallo-Romance language, currently spoken in Liguria, northern Italy, and parts of the Mediterranean coastal zone of France, and Monaco....
, which is spoken in Monaco
Monaco

Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe . The territory lies on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea....
. It is rather similar to the language spoken in Genoa
Genoese dialect

Genoese is the most important dialect of the Ligurian language , the one spoken in Genoa .Ligurian language is listed by Ethnologue as a language in its own right, of the Romance languages branch, and not to be confused with the ancient Ligurian language....
, but differs from its neighbour languages Intemelian and Mentonasque
Mentonasque

Mentonasc [mentu'na?k] , also called Mentonasque or Mentonnais , is an Occitan subdialect, traditionally assigned to the Occitan language but it shows some transition features to Ligurian language dialects spoken near Ventimiglia, Sanremo and the Upper Roya Valley ....
. It has been strongly influenced by Niçard
Niçard

Ni?ard , Nissart/Ni?art , Ni?ois , or Nizzardo is a distinct subdialect of the Occitan language spoken in the city of Nice and in the historical County of Nice ....
 Occitan
Occitan language

Occitan , known also as Lenga d'?c or Langue d'oc is a Romance languages spoken in Occitania, that is, Southern France, the Occitan Valleys of Italy, Monaco and in the Aran Valley of Spain....
. Contemporary Niçard
Niçard

Ni?ard , Nissart/Ni?art , Ni?ois , or Nizzardo is a distinct subdialect of the Occitan language spoken in the city of Nice and in the historical County of Nice ....
 Occitan
Occitan language

Occitan , known also as Lenga d'?c or Langue d'oc is a Romance languages spoken in Occitania, that is, Southern France, the Occitan Valleys of Italy, Monaco and in the Aran Valley of Spain....
 is also traditionally spoken in some parts of Monaco, besides Monégasque. Before the annexation of the County of Nice
County of Nice

The County of Nice or Ni?ard Country is a historical region of Occitania , located in the south-eastern part, around the city of Nice....
 to France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 in 1860, the Nizzardo Italians
Nizzardo Italians

Nizzardo Italians were the Italian language- and Ligurian language-speaking populations of the County of Nice , who formed the majority of the county's population until the mid-19th century....
 spoke a Nissart dialect very similar to the Monégasque.

It is spoken in addition to French
French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
 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.

Monégasque orthography
Orthography

The orthography of a language specifies the correct way of using a specific writing system to write the language. Orthography is derived from Greek language ????? orth?s and ???fe?? gr?phein ....
 generally follows Italian
Italian language

Italian is a Romance languages spoken by about 63 million people as a first language, primarily in Italy. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four Linguistic geography of Switzerlands....
 principles, with the following exceptions:

  • the ü is pronounced as in German
    German language

    German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
    , 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
    Ligurian language (Romance)

    Ligurian is a Gallo-Romance language, currently spoken in Liguria, northern Italy, and parts of the Mediterranean coastal zone of France, and Monaco....
    , 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.


Below is an excerpt from the Monégasque national anthem, written by Louis Notari
Louis Notari

Louis Notari Mon?gasque writer in French language and Mon?gasque language languages....
. 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"

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.)"



See also

  • Languages of Italy
  • Italian dialects
    Italian dialects

    The Italian people generally indicate as Italian dialects all vernacular idioms spoken in Italy other than Italian language and other recognized languages....
  • European languages
  • Nizzardo Italians
    Nizzardo Italians

    Nizzardo Italians were the Italian language- and Ligurian language-speaking populations of the County of Nice , who formed the majority of the county's population until the mid-19th century....