Editing Occitan language (section)

{{Short description|Romance language of Western Europe}}
{{Distinguish|Ossetian language}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Occitan
| nativename       = {{lang|oc|occitan}}, {{Lang|oc|lenga d'òc}}, {{lang|oc|provençal / provençau}}
| states           = [[France]], [[Spain]], [[Italy]], [[Monaco]]
| ethnicity        = [[Occitans]]
| speakers         = {{circa|200,000}}
| date             = 1990&ndash;2012
| ref              = e25
| speakers2        = Estimates range from {{sigfig|110,000|1}} to {{sigfig|789,000|1}} total speakers (2007–2012),<ref name="bernissan">{{Cite journal |last=Bernissan |first=Fabrice  |year=2012 |title=Combien l'occitan compte de locuteurs en 2012? |journal=Revue de Linguistique Romane |volume=76 |pages=467–512 |language=fr}}</ref><ref name="martel">{{Cite magazine |last=Martel |first=Philippe |date=December 2007 |title=Qui parle occitan ? |url=http://www.culture.gouv.fr/Thematiques/Langue-francaise-et-langues-de-France/Observation-des-pratiques-linguistiques/Langues-et-cite/Langues-et-cite-n-10-l-occitan |magazine=Langues et cité |language=fr |publisher=Observation des pratiques linguistiques |issue=10 |page=3 |quote=De fait, le nombre des locuteurs de l'occitan a pu être estimé par l'INED dans un premier temps à 526 000 personnes, puis à 789 000 ("In fact, the number of Occitan speakers was estimated by the French Demographics Institute at 526,000 people, then 789,000") |access-date=14 September 2018 |archive-date=14 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914165442/http://www.culture.gouv.fr/Thematiques/Langue-francaise-et-langues-de-France/Observation-des-pratiques-linguistiques/Langues-et-cite/Langues-et-cite-n-10-l-occitan |url-status=live }}</ref> with 68,000 in [[Italy]] (2005 survey),<ref>{{Cite journal|author1=Enrico Allasino|author2=Consuelo Ferrier|author3=Sergio Scamuzzi|author4=Tullio Telmon|date=2005|title=Le Lingue del Piemonte|url=https://www.gioventurapiemonteisa.net/wp-content/uploads/docs/ires_quaderno_113.pdf|journal=IRES|volume=113|page=71|via=Gioventura Piemontèisa|access-date=4 March 2020|archive-date=16 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216080051/http://www.gioventurapiemonteisa.net/wp-content/uploads/docs/ires_quaderno_113.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 4,000 in [[Spain]] ([[Val d'Aran]])<ref>{{Citation |title=Enquesta d'usos lingüístics de la població 2008 |date=2009 |url=https://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/ef6f907d-5381-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219 |trans-title=Survey of Language Use of the Population 2008 |publisher=Statistical Institute of Catalonia |language=ca |access-date=4 March 2020 |archive-date=17 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017075739/https://llengua.gencat.cat/permalink/ef6f907d-5381-11e4-8f3f-000c29cdf219 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Italic languages|Italic]]
| fam3             = [[Latino-Faliscan languages|Latino-Faliscan]]
| fam4             = [[Romance languages|Romance]]
| fam5             = [[Italo-Western languages|Italo-Western]]
| fam6             = [[Western Romance languages|Western Romance]]
| fam7             = [[Gallo-Romance languages|Gallo-Romance]]
| fam8             = [[Occitano-Romance languages|Occitano-Romance]]
| ancestor         = [[Old Latin]]
| ancestor2        = [[Vulgar Latin]]
| ancestor3        = [[Proto-Romance language|Proto-Romance]]
| ancestor4        = [[Old Occitan]]
| script           = [[Latin alphabet]] ([[Occitan alphabet]])
| nation           = [[Spain]]
*[[Catalonia]] (as [[Aranese dialect|Aranese]])
| minority         = [[France]]
*[[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]]
*[[Centre-Val de Loire]]
*[[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]]
*[[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitania]]
*[[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]]
[[Italy]]
*[[Guardia Piemontese]]
*[[Occitan Valleys]] (Law number 482 of 15 December 1999)<ref name="parl">{{citation |url=http://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm |title=Norme in materia di tutela delle minoranze linguistiche storiche |publisher=Italian parliament |access-date=18 June 2014 |archive-date=2 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502202046/http://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Monaco]]
| agency           = [[Conselh de la Lenga Occitana]];<ref>CLO's statements in Lingüistica Occitana (online review of Occitan linguistics).{{Citation |title=Lingüistica Occitana: Preconizacions del Conselh de la Lenga Occitana |date=2007 |url=http://linguistica-oc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Linguistica-occitana-6-CLO.pdf |issue=6 |access-date=17 March 2020 |archive-date=16 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216031117/http://linguistica-oc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Linguistica-occitana-6-CLO.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Congrès Permanent de la Lenga Occitana;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aquitaine.fr/salle-de-presse/communiques-de-presse/congres-permanent-de-la-langue-occitane/congres-permanent-de-la-lenga-occitana-un-nouvel-organisme-de-regulation-de-l-occitan-au-service-des-usagers-et-des-locuteurs.html|title=Page d'accueil|website=Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine – Aquitaine Limousin Poitou-Charentes|access-date=25 December 2011|archive-date=27 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127053323/http://aquitaine.fr/salle-de-presse/communiques-de-presse/congres-permanent-de-la-langue-occitane/congres-permanent-de-la-lenga-occitana-un-nouvel-organisme-de-regulation-de-l-occitan-au-service-des-usagers-et-des-locuteurs.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Institut d'Estudis Aranesi<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.conselharan.org/reconeishenca-der-institut-destudis-aranesi-coma-academia-e-autoritat-linguistica-der-occitan-aranes-en-aran/ |title=Reconeishença der Institut d'Estudis Aranesi coma academia e autoritat lingüistica der occitan, aranés en Aran |date=2 April 2014 |website=Conselh Generau d'Aran |language=oc |trans-title=Recognition of the Institute of Aranese Studies as an academy and linguistic authority of Occitan, Aranese in Aran |access-date=5 May 2015 |archive-date=26 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226222419/https://www.conselharan.org/reconeishenca-der-institut-destudis-aranesi-coma-academia-e-autoritat-linguistica-der-occitan-aranes-en-aran/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| iso1             = oc
| iso2             = oci
| iso3             = oci
| lc1              = sdt
| ld1              = [[Judeo-Occitan]]
| glotto           = occi1239
| glottorefname    = Occitan
| lingua           = 51-AAA-g & 51-AAA-f
| dia1             = [[Auvergnat dialect|Auvergnat]]
| dia2             = [[Gascon dialect|Gascon]]
| dia3             = [[Languedocien dialect|Languedocien]]
| dia4             = [[Limousin dialect|Limousin]]
| dia5             = [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]]
| dia6             = [[Vivaro-Alpine dialect|Vivaro-Alpine]]
| dia7             = [[Niçard dialect|Niçard]]
| dia8             = [[Marchois (dialect)|Marchois]]
| dia9             = [[Judeo-Provençal]] †
| dia10            = [[Judeo-Gascon]] †
| dia11            = [[Judeo-Niçard]] †
| dia12            = [[Gardiol language|Gardiol]]?
| notice           = IPA
| image            = 
| imagecaption     = 
| region           = [[Occitania]]
| stand1           = [[Aranese dialect|Aranese]] in [[Spain]]
| map              = Occitan_language_map_1900_(Europe_only).svg
| mapcaption       = Geographic range of the Occitan language around 1900
| map2             = {{multiple image
 | direction = vertical
 | image1 = Lang Status 40-SE.svg
 | class1 = bg-transparent
 | alt1 = 
 | image2 = Lang Status 60-DE.svg
 | class2 = bg-transparent
 | alt2 = 
 | footer = {{center|{{small|Provençal, Auvergnat, Limousin, and Languedocien Occitan are classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]''.<ref>18</ref>}}}}<br />{{center|{{small|Gascon and Vivaro-Alpine Occitan are classified as Definitely Endangered by the UNESCO ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]''.<ref>18</ref>}}}}
}}
| mapcaption2      = 
| pronunciation    = {{IPA|oc|leŋɡɒ ˈðɔ(k)||Oc-Lenga d'òc.ogg|}}
}}

'''Occitan''' ({{IPAc-en|lang|pron|ˈ|ɒ|k|s|ᵻ|t|ən|,_|-|t|æ|n|,_|-|t|ɑː|n}};<ref name=":1">{{OED|Occitan}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite encyclopedia |year=2005 |encyclopedia=Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary |edition=7th|title=Occitan}}</ref> {{IPA|oc|utsiˈta, uksiˈta}}),{{efn|Regional pronunciations: {{IPA|oc|uksiˈtã(n), uwsiˈtã(n), ukʃiˈtɔ, uksiˈtɔ|}}.}} also known by its native speakers as '''{{Lang|oc|lenga d'òc}}''' ({{IPA|oc|ˈleŋɡɒ ˈðɔ(k)|lang|Oc-Lenga_d'òc.ogg}}; {{langx|fr|langue d'oc}}), sometimes also referred to as '''Provençal''', is a [[Romance languages|Romance language]] spoken in [[Southern France]], [[Monaco]], [[Italy]]'s [[Occitan Valleys]], as well as [[Spain]]'s [[Val d'Aran]] in [[Catalonia]]; collectively, these regions are sometimes referred to as [[Occitania]]. It is also spoken in [[Calabria]] ([[Southern Italy]]) in a linguistic enclave of [[Cosenza]] area (mostly [[Guardia Piemontese]]) named [[Gardiol language|Gardiol]], which is also considered a separate Occitanic language.<ref>{{Glottolog|gard1245|Gardiol}}</ref> Some include [[Catalan language|Catalan]] as a dialect of Occitan, as the [[linguistic distance]] between this language and some Occitan dialects (such as the [[Gascon language]]) is similar to the distance between different Occitan dialects. Catalan was considered a dialect of Occitan until the end of the 19th century<ref>{{cite book|last1=Friend|first1=Julius W.|title=Stateless Nations: Western European Regional Nationalisms and the Old Nations|date=2012|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-0-230-36179-9|page=80|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-SF4-ip95MoC&pg=PA80|access-date=5 March 2016}}{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and still today remains its closest relative.<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|Bergin|1984|p=9}}</ref>

Occitan is an official language of Catalonia, Spain, where a subdialect of Gascon known as [[Aranese dialect|Aranese]] is spoken (in the [[Val d'Aran]]).<ref>As stated in its [[Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia|Statute of Autonomy]] approved. See Article 6.5 in the [http://www.parlament-cat.net/porteso/estatut/estatut_angles_100506.pdf Parlament-cat.net] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826045656/http://www.parlament-cat.net/porteso/estatut/estatut_angles_100506.pdf |date=26 August 2013 }}, text of the 2006 Statute of Catalonia (PDF)</ref> Since September 2010, the [[Parliament of Catalonia]] has considered Aranese Occitan to be the officially preferred language for use in the Val d'Aran.

Across history, the terms [[Limousin dialect|Limousin]] (''Lemosin''), [[Languedocien dialect|Languedocien]] (''Lengadocian''), [[Gascon dialect|Gascon]], in addition to [[Provençal dialect|Provençal]] (''Provençal'', ''Provençau'' or ''Prouvençau'') later have been used as synonyms for the whole of Occitan; nowadays, the term "Provençal" is understood mainly as the Occitan dialect spoken in [[Provence]], in southeast France.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dalby |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Dalby |title=Dictionary of Languages |chapter-url=http://www.bloomsbury.com/ |edition=1st |year=1998 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing plc |isbn=0-7475-3117-X |page=468 |chapter=Occitan |access-date=8 November 2006 |archive-date=25 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725193152/http://www.bloomsbury.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Unlike other Romance languages such as [[French language|French]] or [[Spanish language|Spanish]], Occitan does not have a single written standard form, nor does it have official status in France, home to most of its speakers. Instead, there are competing norms for writing Occitan, some of which attempt to be pan-dialectal, whereas others are based on a particular dialect. These efforts are hindered by the rapidly declining use of Occitan as a spoken language in much of southern France, as well as by the significant differences in phonology and vocabulary among different Occitan dialects.

According to the [[UNESCO]] [[Red Book of Endangered Languages]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/culture/languages-atlas/index.php|title=UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in danger|website=UNESCO|access-date=18 July 2011|archive-date=27 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627041634/http://www.unesco.org/culture/languages-atlas/index.php|url-status=dead }}</ref> four of the six major dialects of Occitan (Provençal, [[Auvergnat dialect|Auvergnat]], Limousin and Languedocien) are considered [[Endangered language#Defining and measuring endangerment|severely endangered]], whereas the remaining two ([[Gascon language|Gascon]] and [[Vivaro-Alpine dialect|Vivaro-Alpine]]) are considered [[Endangered language#Defining and measuring endangerment|definitely endangered]].