J�rriais is a minority language, a Norman dialect with an ancient heritage, spoken on the island of Jersey. It is spoken by several thousand inhabitants of Jersey, often alongside English and French, the predominant languages of modern Jersey life. 

J�rriais v. French

J�rriais distinguishes itself from modern French in a number of ways. J�rriais's phonology includes sounds, such as 'tch' and 'dg', that do not exist in French. 

There are also significant orthographic differences between the two languages. J�rriais abounds in such letter combinations as: 'ouo' and 'aithe':

* vocabulaire/vocabulaithe = vocabulary

In French, adjectives mostly go after the noun, but in J�rriais the opposite can be true.

Vocabulary

Other than French and Latin, many J�rriais words are borrowed from English: 

pot (pot) 

gamme (game) 

tyeur (tyre) 

J�rriais Today

The language continues to be spoken in parts of Jersey by several thousand people. Jersey's department of education supports a scheme which teaches J�rriais in the island's primary schools on a voluntary basis. 

Periodicals, poems, rhymes and other literature continue to be produced in J�rriais, and a trust - Le Don Balleine Trust - supports their publication. There are occasional radio programmes broadcast in J�rriais through BBC Radio Jersey (check schedules). 

The Web has represented an opportunity for supporters of J�rriais to broaden the promotion of their language; there now exists a significant body of on-line material on the language, its history and culture. You can even purchase books and tapes on-line. 

Links

http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/geraint/jerriais.html 

A very comprehensive introduction to the J�rriais language; lots of vocabulary and grammar resources and links to purchase books/tapes on-line. 

Learn more about J�rriais's history.

Play Hangman in J�rriais! 

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