Editing Norman language (section)

==Geographical distribution==
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2024}}
Norman is spoken in mainland [[Normandy]] in [[France]], where it has no official status, but is classed as a [[languages of France|regional language]]. It is taught in a few colleges near [[Cherbourg-Octeville]].

In the [[Channel Islands]], the Norman language has developed separately, but not in isolation, to form:

* [[Jèrriais]] (in [[Jersey]])
* [[Guernésiais]] or Dgèrnésiais or Guernsey French (in [[Guernsey]])
* [[Sercquiais]] (or Sarkese, in [[Sark]]) 
* [[Auregnais]] (in Alderney)

The British and Irish governments recognize Jèrriais and Guernésiais as [[regional language]]s within the framework of the [[British–Irish Council]]. Sercquiais is in fact a descendant of the 16th-century Jèrriais used by the original colonists from [[Jersey]] who settled the then uninhabited island.

The last [[first language|first-language speakers]] of [[Auregnais]], the dialect of Norman spoken on [[Alderney]], died during the 20th century, although some [[rememberer]]s are still alive. The dialect of [[Herm]] also lapsed at an unknown date; the patois spoken there was likely Guernésiais (Herm was not inhabited all year round in the Norman culture's heyday).

An [[isogloss]] termed the "[[Joret line]]" (''ligne Joret'') separates the northern and southern [[dialect]]s of the Norman language (the line runs from [[Granville, Manche]] to the French-speaking [[Belgium|Belgian]] border in the province of [[Hainaut (province)|Hainaut]] and [[Thiérache]]). Dialectal differences also distinguish western and eastern dialects.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

Three different standardized spellings are used: continental Norman, Jèrriais, and Dgèrnésiais. These represent the different developments and particular literary histories of the varieties of Norman. Norman may therefore be described as a [[pluricentric language]].

The [[Anglo-Norman language|Anglo-Norman]] dialect of Norman served as a language of administration in [[England]] following the [[Norman conquest of England]] in 1066. This left a legacy of [[Law French]] in the language of English courts (though it was also influenced by [[Standard French|Parisian French]]). In Ireland, Norman remained strongest in the area of south-east Ireland, where the [[Hiberno-Normans]] invaded in 1169. Norman remains in (limited) use for some very formal legal purposes in the UK, such as when the monarch gives [[royal assent]] to an Act of Parliament using the phrase, "[[Le Roy le veult|Le Roy (la Reyne) le veult]]" ("The King (the Queen) wills it").

The [[Norman conquest of southern Italy]] in the 11th and 12th centuries brought the language to [[Sicily]] and the southern part of the [[Italian Peninsula]], where it may have left a few words in the [[Sicilian language]]. ''See: [[Sicilian language#Norman and French influence|Norman and French influence on Sicilian]].''

Literature in Norman ranges from early [[Anglo-Norman literature]] through the 19th-century Norman literary renaissance to modern writers (''see'' [[list of Norman-language writers]]).

{{As of | 2017}}, the Norman language remains strongest in the less accessible areas of the former [[Duchy of Normandy]]: the Channel Islands and the [[Cotentin Peninsula]] ([[Cotentinais]]) in the west, and the [[Pays de Caux]] ([[Cauchois dialect]]) in the east. Ease of access from [[Paris]] and the popularity of the coastal resorts of central Normandy, such as [[Deauville]], in the 19th century led to a significant loss of distinctive Norman culture in the central low-lying areas of Normandy.

===Old French influences===
Norman French preserves a number of [[Old French]] words which have been lost in Modern French. Examples of Norman French words of Old French origin:
{| class="wikitable"
!Norman French
!Old French
!French
!Meaning
|-
|''alosier''
|''alosier''
|se vanter, se targuer
|to brag, to pride oneself on
|-
|''ardre''
|''ardre'', ''ardeir''
|brûler
|to burn
|-
|''caeir''
|''caeir'', ''caïr''
|«choir», tomber
|to drop, to fall over
|-
|''calengier''
|''calungier'', ''chalongier''<br>(became ''challenge'' in English)
|négocier, débattre
|to negotiate, to argue
|-
|''d'ot''
|''od'', ''ot''
|avec
|with
|-
|''de l'hierre'' (f.)<br />''de l'hierru'' (m.)
|''de l'iere''
|du lierre
|from the ivy / some ivy
|-
|''déhait''
|''dehait''
|chagrin, malheur
|grief, hardship
|-
|''ébauber'', ''ébaubir''
|''esbaubir''
|étonner
|to surprise
|-
|''éclairgir''
|''esclargier''
|éclaircir
|to lighten
|-
|''écourre''
|''escurre'', ''escudre''
|secouer
|to shake, to mix
|-
|''essourdre''
|''essurdre'', ''exsurdre''
|élever
|to raise, to lift
|-
|''haingre'' (adj.)
|''haingre''
|maigre
|thin, skinny
|-
|''haingue'' (f.)
|''haenge''
|haine
|hatred
|-
|''haiset'' (m.)
|''haise''
|barrière or clôture de jardin faites de branches
|garden fence
|-
|''herdre''
|''erdre''
|adhérer, être adhérant, coller
|to adhere, to stick
|-
|''hourder''
|''order''
|souiller
|to make something dirty
|-
|''iloc'' (with a silent ''c'')
|''iloc'', ''iluec''
|là
|there
|-
|''itel'' / ''intel''
|''itel''
|semblable
|similar
|-
|''liement''
|''liement'', ''liéement''
|tranquillement
|quietly, peacefully
|-
|''maishî''
|''maishui'', ''meshui''
|maintenant, désormais
|now, from now on
|-
|''manuyaunce''
|''manuiance''
|avoir la jouissance, la possession
|to enjoy
|-
|''marcaundier''
|''marcandier''
|rôdeur, vagabond
|prowler, stalker
|-
|''marcauntier''
|''marcantier''
|mouchard, colporteur
|canary
|-
|''marganer''
|''marganer''
|moquer
|to make fun of, to mock
|-
|''marganier''
|''marganier''
|moqueur, quelqu'un qui se moque
|mocking, teasing
|-
|''méhain''
|''meshaing'', ''mehain''
|mauvaise disposition, malaise
|loss of consciousness, feeling of faintness
|-
|''méhaignié''
|''meshaignié''
|malade, blessé
|sick, injured
|-
|''méselle''
|''mesele''
|lèpre
|leprosy
|-
|''mésiau'' or ''mésel''
|''mesel''
|lépreux
|leper
|-
|''moûtrer''
|''mustrer''
|montrer
|to show
|-
|''muchier''
|''mucier''
|cacher
|to conceal / to hide
|-
|''nartre'' (m.)
|''nastre''
|traître
|traitor
|-
|''nâtre'' (adj.)
|''nastre''
|méchant, cruel
|mean, nasty
|-
|''nienterie'' (f.)
|''nienterie''
|niaiserie
|nonsense, insanity
|-
|''orde''
|''ort''
|sale
|dirty
|-
|''ordir''
|''ordir''
|salir
|to dirty
|-
|''paumpe'' (f.)
|''pampe''
|''en normand'': tige
''en anc. fr.'': pétale
|petal
|-
|''souleir''
|''soleir''
|«souloir», avoir l'habitude de
|to have habit of / to get used to
|-
|''targier'' or ''tergier''
|''targier''
|tarder
|to be late / slow
|-
|''tître''
|''tistre''
|tisser
|to weave
|-
|''tolir''
|''tolir''
|priver, enlever
|to remove, to take away 
|-
|''trétous''
|''trestuz''
|tous, absolument tous
|all of / each and every 
|}

Examples of Norman French words with -ei instead of -oi in Standard French words 
{| class="wikitable sortable alternance"
! scope="col" |Norman French
! scope="col" |Standard French
! scope="col" |Meaning
|-
|'''la feire'''
|la foire
|fair (trade show)
|-
|'''la feis'''
|la fois
|time
|-
|'''la peire'''
|la poire
|pear
|-
|'''le deigt'''
|le doigt
|finger
|-
|'''le dreit'''
|le droit
|right (law)
|-
|'''le peivre'''
|le poivre
|pepper
|-
|'''aveir''' (final ''r'' is silent)
|avoir
|to have
|-
|'''beire'''
|boire
|to drink
|-
|'''creire'''
|croire
|to believe
|-
|'''neir''' (final ''r'' is silent)
|noir
|black
|-
|'''veir''' (final ''r'' is silent)
|voir
|to see
|}

Examples of Norman French words with ''c-'' / ''qu-'' and ''g-'' instead of  ''ch-'' and ''j'' in Standard French
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Norman French
!Standard French
!Meaning
|-
|'''la cauche'''
|la chausse, la chaussure
|shoes
|-
|'''la cose'''
|la chose
|thing
|-
|'''la gaumbe'''
|la jambe
|leg
|-
|'''la quièvre'''
|la chèvre
|goat
|-
|'''la vaque'''
|la vache
|cow
|-
|'''le cat'''
|le chat
|cat
|-
|'''le câtel''' (final ''l'' is silent)
|le château
|castle
|-
|'''le quien'''
|le chien
|dog
|-
|'''cachier'''
|chasser
|to chase / to hunt
|-
|'''catouiller'''
|chatouiller
|to tickle
|-
|'''caud'''
|chaud
|hot
|}

===Norse influences===

Examples of Norman words of Norse origin:
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!English
!Norman French
![[Old Norse]]
!Scandinavian reflexes
!French
|-
|bait 
|baite, bète, abète
|beita 
|beita (Icelandic), beite (Norw.), bete (Swed.)
|appât; boëtte (from Breton; maybe ultimately from Norman)
|-
|beach grass, dune grass
|milgreu, melgreu
|*melgrös, pl. of *melgras
|melgrös, pl. of melgras (Icelandic)
|oyat
|-
|(black) currant
|gade, gadelle, gradelle, gradille
|gaddʀ
|(-)
|cassis, groseille
|-
|damp (cf. ''muggy''), humid
|mucre
|mykr (cf. English ''muck'')
|myk (Norw.)
|humide
|-
|down (feather)
|dun, dum, dumet, deumet
|dúnn
|dúnn (Icelandic), dun (Dan., Norw., Swed.)
|duvet (from Norman)
|-
|dune, sandy land
|mielle, mièle
|melʀ
|melur (Icelandic), mile (Dan.), mjele (Norw.), mjälla (Swed.)
|dune, terrain sableux
|-
|earthnut, groundnut, pignut, peanut
|génotte, gernotte, jarnotte
|*jarðhnot
|jarðhneta (Icelandic), jordnød (Dan.), jordnöt (Swed.), jordnøtt (Norw.)
|arachide, cacahuète 
|-
|islet 
|hommet/houmet 
|hólmʀ
|hólmur (Icelandic), holm (Dan., Norw.), holme (Swed.)
|îlot, rocher en mer
|-
|mound (cf. ''[[Bowl barrow|howe]]'', ''high'') 
|hougue 
|haugʀ
|haugur (Icelandic), haug (Norw.), hög (Swe.), høj (Dan.)
|monticule
|-
|ness (headland or cliff, cf. [[Sheerness]], etc.)
|nez
|nes
|nes (Icelandic, Norw.), næs (Dan.), näs (Swed.)
|cap, pointe de côte
|-
|seagull
|mauve, mave, maôve
|mávaʀ (pl.)
|mávar (pl.) (Icelandic), måge (Dan.), måke/måse (Norw.), mås (Swed.)
|mouette, goëland 
|-
|slide, slip
|griller, égriller, écriller
|*skriðla
|overskride (Norw.), skrilla (Old Swed.), skriða (Icelandic), skride (Dan.)
|glisser
|-
|wicket (borrowed from Norman)
|viquet, (-vic, -vy, -vouy in place-names)
|vík
|vík (Icelandic), vig (Dan.), vik (Norw., Swed.)
|guichet (borrowed from Norman)
|}

In some cases, Norse words adopted in Norman have been [[Loanword|borrowed]] into French; more recently, some of the English words used in French can be traced back to Norman origins.

[[File:Bar Cherbourg langue normande.jpg|thumb|A bar named in Norman (Cherbourg, 2002)]]

===Influence of Norman on English language=== 

Following the [[Norman conquest of England]] in 1066, the Norman and other languages and dialects spoken by the new rulers of England were used during several hundred years, developing into the unique insular dialect now known as [[Anglo-Norman French]], and leaving traces of specifically Norman words that can be distinguished from the equivalent lexical items in French:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! English !! Norman French !! French  
|-
| cabbage || < caboche || = chou (cf. ''caboche'')
|-
| castle || < castel (borrowed from Occitan) || = château-fort, castelet  
|-
| catch || < cachier (now cachi)<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary.'' "Catch"</ref> || = chasser
|-
| cater || < acater || = acheter
|-
|cattle
|< *cate(-l)
|= ''cheptel'' (Old French ''chetel'')
|-
| cauldron || < caudron || = chaudron
|-
| causeway || < caucie (now cauchie)<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary.'' "Causeway"</ref> || = chaussée
|-
| cherry (ies) || < cherise (chrise, chise) || = cerise
|-
| fashion || < faichon || = façon
|-
|fork
|< fouorque
|= fourche
|-
|garden
|< gardin
|= jardin
|-
|kennel
|< kenil
|''='' chenil (Vulgar Latin ''*canile'')
|-
| mug || < mogue/moque<ref>The ''Oxford English Dictionary.'' entry on "Mug¹" states that the origin of this word is uncertain—it may have been a borrowing from Norman, or it may have come from another source, and been reinforced through Norman.</ref> || = mug, boc
|-
|pocket
|< pouquette
|= poche
|-
| poor || < paur || = pauvre
|-
| wait || < waitier (Old Norman) || = gaitier (mod. guetter)
|-
| war || < werre (Old Norman) || = guerre
|-
| warrior || < werreur (Old Norman) || = guerrier
|-
| wicket || < viquet || = guichet (cf. ''piquet'')
|}

Other borrowings, such as ''canvas'', ''captain'', ''cattle'' and ''kennel'', exemplify how Norman retained Latin /k/ that was not retained in French.

In the United Kingdom, Acts of Parliament are confirmed with the words "[[Le Roy le veult]]" ("The King wishes it") and other Norman phrases are used on formal occasions as legislation progresses.

===Norman immigration in Canada===

Norman immigrants to [[North America]] also introduced some "Normanisms" to [[Quebec French]] and the [[French language in Canada]] generally. [[Joual]], a working class [[sociolect]] of [[Quebec]], in particular exhibits a Norman influence. For example the word "placoter" can mean both to splash around or to chatter comes from the Normand French word "clapoter" which means the same thing.<ref>{{Cite book |last=GEOFFRION |first=LOUIS-PHILIPPE |url=https://docplayer.fr/82722794-Secretaire-de-la-societe-du-parler-francais-au-canada-gzags-autour-dk-os-parlers-a-quebec-chez-l-auteur-125-rue-de-la-claire-fontaine-125-mcmxxvh.html |title=ZIGZAGS AUTOUR DE NOS PARLERS |year=1927 |location=Quebec |pages=60 |language=French}}</ref>