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The ProvencalLanguage is an OcLanguage of France. SIL code: PRV. ISO 639-1: oc. ISO 639-2: oci. Population: 250,000 fluent speakers in France, 800,000 with some knowledge (1990 P. Blanchet). Population total all countries: 354,500. Region: Southeastern France, province of Provence, south of Dauphine, region of Nimes in Languedoc. Alternate names: PROUVENCAU, MISTRALIEN. Dialects: TRANSALPIN, NICARD (NICOIS), MARITIME PROVENCAL (MARSEILLAIS, TOULONNAIS, VAROIS), GAVOT (ALPIN, VALEIEN, GAPIAN, FORCALQUIEREN), RHODANIEN (NIMOIS), DAUPHINOIS (DROMOIS). Comments: Gascon, Languedocien, and Limousin are structurally separate languages (F. Agard). Provencal and Languedocien (Occitan) are separate languages (P. Blanchet 1990). No Provencal variety is universally accepted as the standard literary form. Nicard and Northern Gavot (Valeien and Gapian) are more difficult for other dialect speakers to understand. Through increased contact in army and school, most speakers are actively bilingual in French. Literary French is sometimes difficult for speakers with less school education. Regional French has a lot of Provencal influence. Most speakers are over 50 years old. There is regional pride and increasing status as a literary language. Strong demand for teaching in school and books in Provencal. Attitudes are strong and differ about how different the Oc varieties are from each other. The Nobel Prize laureate Frederic Mistal wrote in Provencal. Two orthographies in use: Ron and Toulousse. Bible portions 1824-1975. Also spoken in: Italy. (Language name: PROVENCAL. Population: 100,000 in Italy (1990 P. Blanchet). Alternate names: PROVENZALE. Dialects: TRANSALPIN. Comments: Bilingualism in Piemontese, Italian. All ages. It is widely spoken. Bible portions 1824-1975. Also spoken in: Monaco. (Language name: PROVENCAL.) Population: 4,500 in Monaco, 15% of the population (1988). Dialects: NICARD (NICOIS). Comments: Speakers come from Nice and Cannes. Bible portions 1824-1975.(extract from http://www.ethnologue.com/)
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