Dauphinois Dialect - Dialects

Dialects

Classification of Franco-Provençal dialect divisions is challenging. Each canton and valley uses its own vernacular without standardization. Difficult intelligibility among dialects was noted as early as 1807 by Grillet.

The dialects are divided into eight distinct categories or groups. Six dialect groups comprising 41 dialect idioms for the Franco-Provençal language have been identified and documented by Linguasphere Observatory (Observatoire Linguistique) (Dalby, 1999/2000, pp. 402–403). Only two dialect groups – Lyonnaise and Dauphinois-N. – were recorded as having fewer than 1,000 speakers each. Linguasphere has not listed any dialect idiom as "extinct," however, many are highly endangered. A seventh isolated dialect group, Faetar, has been analyzed by Nagy (2000). The Piedmont dialects need further study.

Dialect Group : Dialect Idiom: (Epicenters / Regional locations)

• Lyonnais: (France)

1. Bressan (Bresse, Ain (département) west; Revermont, French Jura (département) southwest; Saône-et-Loire east), 2. Bugésien (Bugey, Ain southeast), 3. Mâconnais (Mâcon country), 4. Lyonnais-rural (Lyonnais mountains, Dombes, & Balmes) 5. Roannais+Stéphanois (Roanne country, Foréz plain, & Saint-Étienne).

• Dauphinois-N.: (France)

1. Dauphinois-Rhodanien (Rhône River valley, Rhône (département) south, Loire (département) southeast, Ardèche north, Drôme north, Isère west), 2. Crémieu (Crémieu, Isère north), 3. Terres-Froides (Bourbre River valley, Isère central north), 4. Chambaran (Roybon, Isère central south), 5. Grésivaudan (Isère east).

• Savoyard: (France)

1. Bessanèis (Bessans), 2. Langrin (Lanslebourg), 3. Matchutin (Valloire & Ma’tchuta) (1., 2. & 3.: Maurienne country, Arc valley, Savoie south), 4. Tartentaise (Tarentaise country, Tignes, Savoie east, Isère upper valleys), 5. Arly (Arly valley, Ugine, Savoie north), 6. Chambérien (Chambéry), 7. Annecien (Annecy, Viuz-la-Chiésaz, Haute-Savoie southwest), 8. Faucigneran (Faucigny, Haute-Savoie southeast), 9. Chablaisien+Genevois (Chablais country & Geneva (canton) hinterlands).

• Franc-Comtois (FrP) : (Switzerland & France)

1. Neuchâtelois (Neuchâtel (canton)), 2. Vaudois-NW. (Vaud northwest), 3. Pontissalien (Pontarlier & Doubs (département) south), 4. Ain-N. (Ain upper valleys & French Jura), 5. Valserine (Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, Valserine valley, Ain northeast & adjacent French Jura).

• Vaudois: (Switzerland)

1. Vaudois-Intracluster (Vaud west), 2. Gruyèrienne (Fribourg (canton) west), 3. Enhaut (Château-d'Œx, Pays-d'Enhaut, Vaud east), 4. Valaisan (Valais, Valaisan Romand).

• Valdôtain: (Aosta Valley, Italy)

1. Valdôtain du Valdigne (Dora Baltea upper valley, similar to savoyard Franco-Provençal), 2. Aostois (Aostan valdôtain), 3. Valdôtain standard (Dora Baltea middle valley), 4. Valpellinois, bossolein and bionassin (Valpelline Great St. Bernard and Bionaz valleys), 5. Cognein (upper Cogne valley), 6. Valtournain (in Valtournenche valley), 7. Ayassin (upper Ayas valley), 8. Valgrisein (Valgrisenche valley), 9. Rhêmiard (Rhêmes valley), 10. Valsavarein (Valsavarenche valley), 11. Moyen valdôtain (middle-lower Dora Baltea valley), 12. Bas Valdôtain (lower Dora Baltea valley, similar to Piedmontese), 13. Champorcherin (Champorcher valley)

• Faetar: (Italy)

1. Faetar & Cigliàje (Faeto & Celle di San Vito, in Province of Foggia).

• Piedmont Dialects: (Italy)

(Note: Comparative analyses of dialect idioms in the Piedmont basin of the Province of Turin — from the Val Soana in the north to the Val Sangone in the south — have not been published.)