Monégasque dialect

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Street sign in French and Monégasque in Monaco-Ville

Monégasque (natively Munegascu) is a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, spoken in Monaco.

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 dialect very similar to the Monégasque.

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.

Orthography

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 traditionem , and not from the Italian tradizione.

Samples

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.

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

Following is a Monégasque rendering of the Hail Mary prayer:

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.)

Pater Noster in Monégasque

See also

• Languages of Italy
• Italian dialects
• European languages
• Nizzardo Italians