Re: Norman French?

Raymond A. Brown wrote:

>  Certainly the French patois spoken on the
> Channel Islands were descended from Norman French.  I don't think these
> patois are spoken any longer, tho I may be mistaken.
>From the Government of Jersey web site
(http://www.jersey.gov.uk/intro5-10.html#language):

# French remains the official language of the Courts of the Island, but
# the use of English is permissible.  English is used exclusively in
# debates in the States chambers and legislation is drafted in English.
# Out and about one occasionally hears people speaking the local patois
# - a Norman-French dialect - but this has become increasingly rare.

Still, rare is not quite dead.  Furthermore, I am willing to bet that
French is still spoken on Herm, Sark, or Alderney.

--
John Cowan      http://www.ccil.org/~cowan              cowan@ccil.org
        You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
        You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
                Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)