- Poitevin language
language
name=Poitevin
nativename=Poetevin
states=flag|France
region=Poitou ,Vendée
speakers=
extinct=
familycolor=Indo-European
fam2=Italic
fam3=Romance
fam4=Italo-Western
fam5=Western
fam6=Gallo-Iberian
fam7=Gallo-Romance
fam8=Oïl
iso1=|iso2=roa|iso3=Poitevin ("Poetevin") is a language spoken by the people in
Poitou . It is one of the regionallanguages of France . It is now classified as one of the langues d'oïl but is distinguished by certain features of thelangue d'oc . The language is spoken on what was the border between the two language families of "oïl" and "oc" (placenames in the region clearly show historical settlement of "oc" speakers). The langue d’oïl subsequently spread south, absorbing "oc" features.Poitevin is also widely referred to as "parlanjhe" (the language).
François Rabelais wrote that he learnt this dialect, along with many other languages and dialects, since he was educated inFontenay-le-Comte .The earliest attested written use of the language is in charters and legal documents dating from the 13th century; people who spoke it were known as the
Poitevins . The earliest printed text is dated 1554. A tradition of theatrical writing and dramatic monologues for performance typifies the literary output in the language, although from the 19th century and in the 20th century (especially with the publication of a weekly paper "Le Subiet" from 1901) regular journalistic production was also established.In 1973, a standard
orthography was proposed and since March 2007, has been abandoned.The most western part of the
Poitou "région" is home to a minority ofOccitan -speakers though. Outside ofFrance the language is spoken inNorthern California , especially inSacramento , Plumas, Tehama and Siskiyou counties, the latter with both large French ancestory and speaking populations.
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