View source for Jèrriais

{{Short description|Variety of Norman spoken in Jersey, in the Channel Islands}}
{{distinguish|Jersey Legal French}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|Jèrriais}}
| nativename       = {{lang|nrf-JE|jèrriais}}
| states           = [[Jersey]] and [[Sark]]
| speakers         = {{sigfig|1920|2}}
| date             = 2011 census
| ref              = e18
| speakers2        = {{sigfig|2760|2}} [[L2 speakers]] of Jersey and Guernsey<br>{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Italic languages|Italic]]
| fam3             = [[Latino-Faliscan languages|Latino-Faliscan]]
| fam4             = [[Latin]]ic
| fam5             = [[Romance languages|Romance]]
| fam6             = [[Italo-Western languages|Italo-Western]]
| fam7             = [[Western Romance languages|Western]]
| fam8             = [[Gallo-Romance languages|Gallo]]-[[Iberian Romance languages|Iberian]]?<ref name="glottoOil">{{Cite web |url=https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/oila1234 |title=Glottolog 4.8 - Oil |date=2022-05-24 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=[[Glottolog]] |last=Hammarström |first=Harald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111104954/https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/oila1234 |archive-date=2023-11-11 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology]] |last2=Forkel |first2=Robert |last3=Haspelmath |first3=Martin |last4=Bank |first4=Sebastian}}</ref>
| fam9             = [[Gallo-Romance languages|Gallo-Romance]]
| fam10            = Gallo-Rhaetian?<ref name="glottoOil"/>
| fam11            = [[Franco-Provençal|Arpitan]]–[[Langues d'oïl|Oïl]]
| fam12            = [[Langues d'oïl|Oïl]]
| fam13            = [[Langues d'oïl#Frankish zone (zone francique)|Frankish zone]]<ref>''Manuel pratique de philologie romane'', Pierre Bec, 1970–1971</ref>
| fam14            = Northern [[Norman language|Norman]]
| fam15            = [[Anglo-Norman language|Anglo-Norman]]
| ancestor         = [[Old Latin]]
| ancestor2        = [[Vulgar Latin]]
| ancestor3        = [[Proto-Romance language|Proto-Romance]]
| ancestor4        = [[Old Gallo-Romance language|Old Gallo-Romance]]
| ancestor5        = [[Old French]]
| ancestor6        = [[Old Norman]]
| nation           = [[Jersey]]
| glotto           = jerr1238
| glottorefname    = Jerriais
| lingua           = 51-AAA-hc
| isoexception     = dialect
| ietf             = {{wikidata|property|references|P305}}
| notice           = IPA
| map2             = Lang Status 20-CR.svg
| mapcaption2      = {{center|Jèrriais is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.wal.unesco.org/languages/jerriais|title=World Atlas of Languages: Jèrriais|website=en.wal.unesco.org|access-date=2023-12-04}}</ref>}}
| dia1             = [[Sercquiais]]
| dia2             = [[Jèrriais#Dental fricative|St. Ouennais]]
}}
[[File:Ben Spink speaks Jèrriais and recites "Man Bieau P'tit Jèrri".ogg|thumb|{{lang|nrf-JE|Jèrriais|italic=no}} teacher Ben Spink speaks {{lang|nrf-JE|Jèrriais|italic=no}} and tells the words of the song {{lang|nrf-JE|"Man Bieau P'tit Jèrri"|italic=no}} by Frank Le Maistre.]]
'''{{lang|nrf-JE|Jèrriais|italic=no}}''' ({{langx|fr|Jersiais}} {{IPA|fr|ʒɛʁzjɛ|}}; also known as the '''Jersey language''', '''Jersey French''' and '''Jersey Norman French''' in English) is a [[Romance languages|Romance language]] and the traditional language of the [[Jersey people]]. It is a form of the [[Norman language]] spoken in [[Jersey]], an island in the [[Channel Islands]] archipelago off the coast of [[France]]. Its closest relatives are the other Norman languages, such as {{lang|nrf-JE|[[Guernésiais]]|italic=no}}, spoken in neighbouring [[Guernsey]], and the other {{lang|fr|[[langues d'oïl]]}}.

Use of {{lang|nrf-JE|Jèrriais|italic=no}} has been in decline over the past century, as [[English language|English]] has increasingly become the language of education, commerce and administration on Jersey. There are very few people who speak Jèrriais as a mother tongue and, owing to the age of the remaining speakers, their numbers decrease annually. Despite this, efforts are being made to keep the language alive.

The language of [[Sark]], [[Sercquiais]], is a descendant of the Jèrriais brought by the Jersey colonists who settled Sark in the 16th century, with [[mutual intelligibility]] with the [[Norman language]] of mainland [[Normandy]].

Jèrriais is often called "Jersey French" or "Jersey Norman French" in English (though this may give the impression that the language is a [[dialect]] of [[French language|French]]) and {{lang|fr|jersiais}} or {{lang|fr|normand de Jersey}} in French. Jèrriais is distinct from the [[Jersey Legal French]] used for legal contracts, laws and official documents by the government and administration of Jersey. For this reason, some prefer using the term "Jersey Norman" to avoid ambiguity and to dissociate the language from standard French.

==History==
[[File:Jerriais signage at Jersey supermarket.jpg|thumb|Some bilingual (or trilingual) signage may be seen in Jersey, such as this welcome sign at a supermarket.]]
Although few now speak Jèrriais as a first language, until the 19th century it was used as the everyday language for the majority of the population of Jersey; even as late as the beginning of the [[Second World War]], up to half the population could still communicate in the language.{{efn|There is, conversely, no complete Bible in Jèrriais; despite the widespread use of the language, French was the predominant language used by the Church in Jersey until the 20th century. However, versions of well-known Bible texts in Jèrriais do exist, and most sermons would be preached, or passages of the Bible explained, in Jèrriais in country areas.}} Despite this, awareness of the decline of language use became apparent in the 19th century in scholarly circles. Among foreign linguists, [[Louis Lucien Bonaparte]] visited Jersey and interested himself in the language and its literature. [[Victor Hugo]], during his exile in Jersey, took an interest in the language and numbered some Jèrriais writers among his circle of acquaintances and supporters.

[[Robert Pipon Marett|Sir Robert Pipon Marett]]'s prestige and influence helped to reinforce the movement toward standardisation of the writing system based on French orthography, a trend which was also helped by the Norman literary revival beginning in the neighbouring [[Cotentin Peninsula]] of mainland [[Normandy]], where writers inspired by the example of the Norman writers of Jersey and Guernsey, also began to produce literary works. However, differing (if mutually comprehensible) writing systems have been adopted in Jersey, Guernsey, and mainland [[Normandy]]. It is sometimes asked whether Jèrriais should move to a writing system based on French [[orthography]]; however, this would have implications for the continuity of the literary tradition over two centuries or more, though some features of the language's writing system, such as the digraph "th" for the typical [[dental fricative]] of Jèrriais, have evidently been borrowed from English orthography.

As English became dominant in Jersey in the 20th century, efforts were made to preserve the Jèrriais language. The [[Jersey Eisteddfod]] has included a Jèrriais section since 1912. Associations were founded; {{lang|nrf-JE|L'Assembliée d'Jèrriais}} was founded in 1951, while {{lang|nrf-JE|Le Don Balleine}} is a trust set up in accordance with the will of Arthur E. Balleine (1864–1943), who bequeathed funds for the promotion of the language. {{lang|nrf-JE|L'Assembliée d'Jèrriais}} launched a quarterly magazine in 1952, which has been published since (with the occasional hiatus, and latterly under the editorship of {{lang|nrf-JE|Le Don Balleine}}); a standard grammar {{lang|nrf-JE|Lé Jèrriais pour tous}} (by Paul Birt) appeared in 1985; cassettes, booklets and other materials have also been produced.

George d'la Forge's maintenance of the language in the North American diaspora is not as surprising as it might seem, as considerable numbers of Jersey people had been involved in the economic development and exploitation of the New World (see [[New Jersey]]). Much of the concentration focused on the [[Atlantic cod|cod]] fisheries of the [[Gaspé Peninsula|Gaspé peninsula]] in [[Quebec]], [[Canada]], which were controlled into the early 20th century by Jersey-based companies or companies of Jersey origin employing Jersey labour. The common language of business was Jèrriais, and it is reported{{by whom|date=May 2023}} that there were still some Jèrriais-speakers in Gaspé villages in the 1960s. The Gaspesian expression {{lang|nrf-JE|"faire une runne"}} (to go and work outside the region) comes from the Jèrriais word "run" applied to a fishing station.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fallu|first=Jean-Marie|title=La Gaspésie jersiaise|url=http://www.museedelagaspesie.ca/pdf/magazine/sommaire_sujets_traites_magazine.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729143459/http://www.museedelagaspesie.ca/pdf/magazine/sommaire_sujets_traites_magazine.pdf|archive-date=29 July 2013|access-date=22 July 2012|work=Magazine Gaspésie, Été 2012, no 174|publisher=Musée de la Gaspésie}}</ref>

[[File:Libethes inscription St Helier, Jersey.jpg|thumb|An inscription, reading "Liberated" in Jèrriais, was installed at {{lang|nrf-JE|La Pièche dé l'Av'nîn|italic=no}} in St. Helier in 2005 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Liberation.]]

The use of Jèrriais is also noted during the [[German occupation of the Channel Islands]] during the Second World War; the local population used it among themselves as a language which neither the occupying Germans, nor their French interpreters, could understand. However, the social and economic upheaval of the war meant that use of English increased dramatically after the Liberation.

It is considered that the last monolingual adult speakers probably died in the 1950s{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}, although monolingual children were being received into schools in St. Ouen as late as the late 1970s.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}

Famous Jèrriais speakers include [[Lillie Langtry]] and Sir [[John Everett Millais]], the [[Pre-Raphaelite]] painter, who are reported to have spoken to each other in the language when he was painting her portrait.

===Dictionaries===

The history of Jèrriais [[dictionary|dictionaries]] goes back to 19th century [[manuscript]] [[glossary|glossaries]] of Philippe Langlois, A. A. Le Gros, and Thomas Gaudin. These were later revised and expanded into the {{lang|nrf-JE|Glossaire du Patois Jersiais}} published in 1924 by {{lang|nrf-JE|La [[Société Jersiaise]]|italic=no}}. The 1960 ''Glossary of Jersey French'' (Nichol Spence) recorded Jèrriais in a phonetic script. The 1924 {{lang|nrf-JE|Glossaire}} inspired the research by Frank Le Maistre that culminated in the {{lang|nrf-JE|Dictionnaire Jersiais–Français}} published in 1966 to mark the 900th anniversary of the Norman Conquest of England. The first practical English–Jèrriais dictionary was the ''English-Jersey Language Vocabulary'' (Albert Carré in collaboration with Frank Le Maistre and Philip de Veulle, 1972) which was itself based on the {{lang|nrf-JE|Dictionnaire Jersiais–Français}}. A children's picture dictionary, {{lang|nrf-JE|Les Preunmié Mille Mots}}, was published by {{lang|nrf-JE|La Société Jersiaise|italic=no}} in 2000. In 2005, a Jèrriais–English dictionary, {{lang|nrf-JE|Dictionnaithe Jèrriais-Angliais}} was published by {{lang|nrf-JE|La Société Jersiaise|italic=no}}, in collaboration with {{lang|nrf-JE|Le Don Balleine|italic=no}}. A revised, modernised and expanded English–Jèrriais dictionary, {{lang|nrf-JE|Dictionnaithe Angliais-Jèrriais}}, was published in 2008 by {{lang|nrf-JE|Le Don Balleine|italic=no}}.<ref>''Dictionnaithe Angliais-Jèrriais'', Jersey 2008, {{ISBN|1-904210-09-0}}</ref>

== Status ==
[[File:Jersey Airport signage in Jèrriais.jpg|thumb|Jersey Airport greets travellers with "Welcome to Jersey" in Jèrriais.]]
[[File:Jersey Evening Post Jersey Norman-French.jpg|thumb|Local newspaper ''[[Jersey Evening Post]]'' hosts a ''Jersey Norman-French'' feature, with Jèrriais texts accompanied by their translation into English.]]
The latest figures come from the Jersey Annual Social Survey issued on 5 December 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Government%20and%20administration/R%20JASS2012%2020121204%20SU.pdf |title=Jersey Annual Social Survey 2012 | date=2012}}</ref> The survey of 4200 households took place in June 2012 and resulted in 2400 returns. It showed that 18% of the population could speak some Jèrriais words and phrases, with more than 7% of those over 65 being fluent or able to speak a significant amount of Jèrriais. Two-thirds of adults said that they could not understand spoken Jèrriais, but more than a quarter were able to understand some, and 5% could usually or fully understand someone speaking Jèrriais. 4% of people said that they could write some Jèrriais, although under 1% could write fluently. Just under a third (32%) said that they could understand something written in Jèrriais.

These figures update those of the census of 2001, which showed that approximately 3% of the island's population spoke Jèrriais in their personal interactions, although research suggests that up to 15% of the population have some understanding of the language. The latest census figures also showed an increase in declarations of children speaking the language: the first such increase recorded in census figures (although this may be due to greater consciousness among parents rather than to language use), doubtless encouraged by the introduction of a Jèrriais teaching programme into Jersey schools.

The [[parishes of Jersey|parish]] with the highest proportion of Jèrriais speakers (8%) is [[Saint Ouen, Jersey|Saint Ouen]], and the parish with the lowest proportion (2.1%) is [[Saint Helier]], although that is the largest parish and has the highest number of Jèrriais speakers. The number of census respondents who stated that they "usually" spoke Jèrriais was 113; 2,761 respondents stated that they "sometimes" spoke it. A survey carried out among a sample of Jèrriais speakers in 1996 found that 18% spoke the language more often than English, 66% spoke it as often as English, and 16% spoke it less often than English.<ref>''Jèrriais: Jersey's Native Tongue'', Jones 2003</ref>

The [[States of Jersey]] fund the teaching programme in schools and provide some support in terms of signage, such as welcome signs at harbours and the airport. Ratification of the [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]] is under discussion. In September 2005, the States approved the development of a cultural strategy, one of whose strategic objectives was as follows:

<blockquote>Jersey almost lost its language in the 20th century. By 2001 there were less than 3,000 speakers of Jèrriais. In the 21st century strenuous efforts are being made to re-establish it. {{lang|nrf-JE|Le Don Balleine|italic=no}}, funded by the States, is leading a programme in schools teaching Jèrriais. {{lang|nrf-JE|L'Assembliée d'Jèrriais|italic=no}} promotes the language generally. Language brings distinctiveness, a sense of localness and a whole new set of skills all of which are important qualities in attracting the creative economy. It is fundamental to the Island's identity. This objective is to work with these organisations to help in the revival and status of the language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/documents/propositions/22189-12814-1972005.htm |title=Development of a Cultural Strategy for The Island - States of Jersey |access-date=May 31, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511111031/http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/documents/propositions/22189-12814-1972005.htm |archive-date=May 11, 2011 }}</ref></blockquote>

In September 2009, a partnership agreement was signed by the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture and the President of {{lang|nrf-JE|Le Don Balleine|italic=no}} to formalise the role of {{lang|nrf-JE|L'Office du Jèrriais|italic=no}} in protecting and promoting Jèrriais and to develop a language plan to help make the language more prominent on a daily basis; there is newspaper and radio output in the language, and as part of the language's promotion, from 2010, [[Jersey pound#2010 issue|Jersey banknotes]] carry the value of the note written out in Jèrriais.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.je/TaxesMoney/JerseyCurrency/Pages/JerseyCurrencyNew.aspx|title=Jersey's bank notes|first=States of|last=Jersey|website=www.gov.je}}</ref> Jèrriais is currently classified as "threatened" by the [[Endangered Languages Project]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/8649|title=Endangered Languages Project - Jèrriais|language=en|access-date=2019-09-10}}</ref>
{{clear left}}

Jèrriais is recognised as a regional language by the British and Irish governments within the framework of the [[British–Irish Council]]. On 13 February 2019, the States of Jersey adopted Jèrriais as an official language, and the language is set to be used on signage and official letter headings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://statesassembly.je/news/states-agree-to-promote-jerriais|title=States agree to promote Jèrriais|website=statesassembly.gov.je}}</ref>

==Phonology==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Jèrriais Consonants<ref>{{Cite book |last=Liddicoat |first=Anthony |title=A Grammar of the Norman French of the Channel Islands The Dialects of Jersey and Sark |publisher=De Gruyter Mouton |year=1994 |pages=103–140}}</ref>
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |[[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! colspan="2" scope="col" |[[Dental consonant|Dental]]/<br>[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |[[Postalveolar consonant|Post-<br>alveolar]]
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |[[Velar consonant|Velar]]/<br>[[Glottal consonant|glottal]]
|-
!<small>plain</small>
!<small>[[sibilant]]</small>
|-
! colspan="2" scope="row" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPA link|m}}
|{{IPA link|n}}
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɲ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" |[[Plosive]]/<br>[[affricate]]
! scope="row" |{{Small|[[voiceless]]}}
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|
|{{IPA link|tʃ}}
|
|{{IPA link|k}}
|-
! scope="row" |{{Small|[[voiced]]}}
|{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|d}}
|
|{{IPA link|dʒ}}
|
|{{IPA link|ɡ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" |[[Fricative]]
! scope="row" |{{Small|[[voiceless]]}}
|{{IPA link|f}}
|
|{{IPA link|s}}
|{{IPA link|ʃ}}
|
|{{IPA link|h}}
|-
! scope="row" |{{Small|[[voiced]]}}
|{{IPA link|v}}
|{{IPA link|ð}}
|{{IPA link|z}}
|{{IPA link|ʒ}}
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Rhotic consonant|Rhotic]]
|
|{{IPA link|r}}
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" |[[Approximant]]
!{{Small|plain}}
|
|{{IPA link|l}}
|
|
|{{IPA link|j}}
|
|-
!{{Small|[[Labial consonant|labial]]}}
|
|
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɥ}}
|{{IPA link|w}}
|}
{{IPAslink|r}} may also be heard as an approximant sound {{IPAblink|ɹ}}.

The phonological influence of Norse is debated, although the aspirated "h" may be due to Norse influence.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
{|
|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Jèrriais Oral Vowels
! rowspan="2" |&nbsp;
! colspan="2" |[[Front vowel|Front]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!{{small|[[Roundedness|unrounded]]}}
!{{small|[[Roundedness|rounded]]}}
|- class="nounderlines"
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPA link|i}} {{IPA link|iː}}
|{{IPA link|y}} {{IPA link|yː}}
|{{IPA link|u}} {{IPA link|uː}}
|- class="nounderlines"
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
|{{IPA link|e}} {{IPA link|eː}}
|{{IPA link|ø}} {{IPA link|øː}}
|{{IPA link|o}} {{IPA link|oː}}
|- class="nounderlines"
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
|{{IPA link|ɛ}} {{IPA link|ɛː}}
|{{IPA link|œ}} {{IPA link|œː}}
|
|- class="nounderlines"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|{{IPA link|a}} {{IPA link|aː}}
|
|
|}
| valign="top" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+Nasal Vowels
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |[[Front vowel|Front]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!{{small|[[Roundedness|unrounded]]}}
!{{small|[[Roundedness|rounded]]}}
|-
![[Mid vowel|Close-mid]]
|{{IPA link|ẽ}} {{IPA link|ẽː}}
|{{IPA link|ø̃}} {{IPA link|ø̃ː}}
|{{IPA link|õ}} {{IPA link|õː}}
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
|{{IPA link|ɛ̃}} {{IPA link|ɛ̃ː}}
|
|
|- class="nounderlines"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɑ̃}} {{IPA link|ɑ̃ː}}
|}
|}

===Palatalisation===
The [[Palatalization (sound change)|palatalisation]] of [[Latin]] {{IPA|/k/}} and {{IPA|/ɡ/}} before {{IPA|/a/}} that occurred in the development of French did not occur in northern dialects of Norman, including Jèrriais:

{|
|-
! width="120em" |Jèrriais!! width="120em" |English!! width="120em" |French
|-
| || || |
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|acater}}|| to buy|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|acheter}}
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|cat}}|| cat|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|chat}}
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|{{audio-nohelp|Jer-Vaque.ogg|vaque}}}}|| cow|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|vache}}
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|caud}}|| warm|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|chaud}}
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|gardîn}}|| garden|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|jardin}}
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|gambe}}|| leg|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|jambe}}
|}

[[File:La Pieche de l'Av'nin, St Helier, Jersey.jpg|thumb|Palatalization is evident in Jèrriais {{lang|nrf-JE|pièche}} compared with French {{lang|fr|place}} (though they are not cognate) in this bilingual placename sign.]]

However the palatalisation of {{IPA|/k/}} before [[front vowel]]s produced different results in the Norman dialect that developed into Jèrriais than in French. (Many developments are similar to those in [[Italian language|Italian]], cf. {{lang|it|cento}} "hundred" and {{lang|it|faccia}} "face").

{|
|-
! width="120em" |Jèrriais!! width="120em" |English!! width="120em" |French
|-
| || ||
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|bachîn}}||basin||{{lang|fr|italic=no|bassine}}
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|{{audio-nohelp|Jer-Fache.ogg|fache}}}}||face||{{lang|fr|italic=no|face}}
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|faichon}}||fashion||{{lang|fr|italic=no|façon}}
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|chent}}||hundred||{{lang|fr|italic=no|cent}}
|}
[[File:La Rue au Tchian Grouville Jèrri.jpg|thumb|{{lang|nrf-JE|La Rue au Tchian}} (road of the dog): Latin {{lang|it|canem}} (dog) developed into {{lang|nrf-JE|tchian}}, an example of the palatalisation of {{IPA|/k/|cat=no}}.]]
At a later date surviving {{IPA|/k/}} and {{IPA|/ɡ/}} underwent a secondary process of palatalisation:

{|
|-
! width="120em" |Jèrriais!! width="120em" |English!! width="120em" |French
|-
| || ||
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|motchi}}||to mock||{{lang|fr|italic=no|moquer}}
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|patchet}}||packet||{{lang|fr|italic=no|paquet}}
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|dgide}}||guide||{{lang|fr|italic=no|guide}}
|}

[[File:Sign English Jèrriais at La Hougue Bie.jpg|thumb|The word {{lang|nrf-JE|partchiz}} ("park") is a result of palatalization.]]

This palatalisation continues to operate (except in initial position) as can be seen by recent borrowings from English:

{|
|-
! width="120em" | Jèrriais !! width="120em" |English
|-
| ||
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|beustchi}} || to busk
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|coutchi}} || to cook
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|pliodgi}} || to plug
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|braidgeux}} || bragger
|}

===Dental fricative===
A feature of Jèrriais that is immediately noticeable and distinguishes it from neighbouring languages is the [[voiced dental fricative]] {{IPA|/ð/}}, written ''th'', that typically occurs in intervocalic position:
{|
|-
! width="120em" | Jèrriais!! width="120em" | French!! width="120em" | English
|-
| ||
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|bathi}}|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|barril}}|| barrel
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|m'suther}}|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|mesurer}}|| to measure
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|paiethie}}|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|paierie}} (payment office)|| payment
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ouothilyi}}|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|oreiller}}|| pillow
|}

[[File:La Nethe Rue road sign Jersey.jpg|thumb|{{lang|nrf-JE|La Néthe Rue}} road name (meaning ''the black road'') shows the ''th'' digraph representing the voiced dental fricative.]]

Or in final position:
{|
|-
|width="120em"| '''Jèrriais'''||width="120em"| '''French'''||width="120em"| '''English'''
|-
| ||
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|méthe}}|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|mère}}|| mother
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|braithe}}|| {{lang|fr|italic=no|braire}} (bray)|| to cry
|}

The fricative devoices to assimilate with a neighbouring unvoiced consonant in words such as {{lang|nrf-JE|paqu'thie}} (packing) or {{lang|nrf-JE|malaûc'theux}} (disgusting).

The fricative developed from {{IPA|/r/}} + front vowel, but evidently after the 16th century as this feature is unknown in the language of Sark (colonised by Jersey families). Although the voiced dental fricative is standard in the literary language, it is not found in the eastern dialects.

[[File:George Francis Le Feuvre grave.jpg|thumb|This gravestone of George Francis Le Feuvre ("George d'la Forge"), at St. Ouen Parish Church, describes him as {{lang|nrf-JE|Auteur en langue Jèrriaîthe}} (Jèrriais author). The particular St. Ouennais form of {{lang|nrf-JE|Jèrriaise}} with final dental fricative is represented.]]

Some older speakers in St. Ouen use a dental fricative in positions where other dialects show a {{IPA|/z/}}. This may be represented in the orthography of particular writers.
{|
|-
! width="120em" | standard Jèrriais!! width="120em" | St. Ouennais !! width="120em" | English
|-
| || ||
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|maîson}}|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|maiethon}} || house
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ouaîselîn}}|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ouaiethelîn}}|| birds (collective)
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|tchaîse}} || {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|tchaîthe}}|| chair
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|anglyiciser}} || {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|anglyicîther}}|| anglicise
|}

The dental fricative in the dialect of such speakers may also be heard in [[liaison (linguistics)|liaison]]:
{|
|-
! width="120em" | standard Jèrriais!! width="120em" | St. Ouennais !! width="120em" | English
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ous êtes}}|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ous'th êtes}} || you are
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ches ôtis}}|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ches'th ôtis}}|| these tools
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|nou-s-a}} || {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|nou-th-a}}|| one has
|}

===Length===
Length is phonemic in Jèrriais. Long vowels are usually indicated in writing by a [[circumflex accent]]. A noun ending in a vowel lengthens the final vowel to indicate the plural (shown in writing by adding an ''s'').

[[Gemination]] occurs regularly in verb tenses, indicated by a consonant-[[Apostrophe (mark)|apostrophe]]-consonant [[trigraph (orthography)|trigraph]], for example: {{lang|nrf-JE|ou pâl'la}} (she will speak); {{lang|nrf-JE|jé c'mench'chons}} (we will begin); {{lang|nrf-JE|i' donn'nait}} (he would give). [[Gerund]]s will also regularly contain geminate consonants, for example: {{lang|nrf-JE|faîs'sie}} (doing, making); {{lang|nrf-JE|chant'tie}} (singing); {{lang|nrf-JE|tith'thie}} (shooting); {{lang|nrf-JE|brîng'gie}} (sweeping); {{lang|nrf-JE|gângn'nie}} (winning).

=== Orthography ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Consonants
!
!IPA
!English equivalent
!Examples
|-
|b
|{{IPAblink|b}}
|b
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|bé, bouon}}
|-
|c
|{{IPAblink|k}}
|k
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|couochi, cat}}
|-
|c (before e, i, y)
| rowspan="2" |{{IPAblink|s}}
| rowspan="2" |s
| rowspan="2" |{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|cidre, cŷnge}}
|-
|ç
|-
|ch
|{{IPAblink|ʃ}}
|sh
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|fache, scienche}}
|-
|d
|{{IPAblink|d}}
|d
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|dithe, d'vanté}}
|-
|dg
|{{IPAblink|dʒ}}
|j
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|dgèrre, Dgèrnésy}}
|-
|f
|{{IPAblink|f}}
|f
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|fé, f'nêntre}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |g
|{{IPAblink|ɡ}}
|g
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|Galles, g'nachon}}
|-
|{{IPA|∅}}
|silent
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|vîgnt}}
|-
|g (before e, i)
|{{IPAblink|ʒ}}
|zh (French j; s as in mea<u>s</u>ure or vi<u>si</u>on)
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|géniche, g'nors}}
|-
|  rowspan="2"|h
|{{IPA|∅}}
|silent
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|histouaithe, êbahi}}
|-
|{{IPAblink|h}}
|h
|{{lang|nrf-JE|happer, hâvre|italic=no}}
|-
|i
|{{IPAblink|j}}
|y
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ièrs, ieux}}
|-
|j
|{{IPAblink|ʒ}}
|zh (French j; s as in mea<u>s</u>ure or vi<u>si</u>on)
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|janne, Jèrri}}
|-
|k
|{{IPAblink|k}}
|k
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|kilomètre}}
|-
|l
|{{IPAblink|l}}
|l
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|labouother, oulle}}
|-
|l (before i or y)
''except l'ye''
|{{IPA|∅}}
|silent
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|pliat}} ''meubl'ye''
|-
| -ill
|{{IPAblink|j}}
|y
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|travailli}} (ex. {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|mille}})
|-
|m
|{{IPAblink|m}}
|m
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|méthe, èrmèrtchi}}
|-
|n
|{{IPAblink|n}}
|n
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|nouvé, nièr}}
|-
|ngn
|{{IPAblink|ɲ}}
|ny (o<u>ni</u>on); think Spanish "[[ñ]]"
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|gâgni}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |p
|{{IPAblink|p}}
|p
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|péthe, pommyi}}
|-
|{{IPA|∅}}
|silent
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|corps, sept}}
|-
|qu
|{{IPAblink|k}}
|k
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|qui, quédaine}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |r
|{{IPAblink|r}}
|rr in Spanish
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|vèr, hardi}}
|-
|{{IPA|∅}}
|silent
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|haler, aimer}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |s
|{{IPAblink|s}}
|s
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|saver, sé}}
|-
|{{IPAblink|z}}
|z
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|rose, loûser}}
|-
|sc
|{{IPAblink|s}}
|s
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|scîn}}
|-
|t
|{{IPAblink|t}}
|t
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|tither, té}}
|-
|tch
|{{IPAblink|tʃ}}
|ch
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|motchi, patchet}}
|-
|ti(on)
|{{IPAblink|s}}
|s
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|suffocâtion}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |th
|{{IPAblink|ð}}
|[[Voiced dental fricative|"hard" or "voiced"]] [[Pronunciation of English ⟨th⟩#Voiced dental fricative|th-sound]] (as in ''<u>'''th'''</u>at'')
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|péthe, muthâle}}
|-
|{{IPAblink|θ}}
|[[Voiceless dental fricative|"soft" or "voiceless"]] [[Pronunciation of English ⟨th⟩#Voiceless dental fricative|th-sound]] (as in ''<u>'''th'''</u>''in)
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|maqu'thé}}
|-
|v
|{{IPAblink|v}}
|v
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|vèrt, vyi}}
|-
|w
|{{IPAblink|w}}
|w
|loan words
|-
|x
|{{IPAblink|s}}/{{IPAblink|z}}
|s or z
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|souaixante}}
|-
|y
|{{IPAblink|j}}
|y
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|yi, preunmyi}}
|-
|z
|{{IPAblink|z}}
|z
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|gâzette, zoulou}}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Vowels {{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}
!IPA
!
!English equivalent
!Examples
|-
|{{IPA link|i}}
|i
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|iː}}
|î
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|y}}
|u
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|yː}}
|û
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|u}}
|ou
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|uː}}
|oû
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|e}}
|é
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|eː}}
|ée
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|ø}}
|oe
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|øː}}
|oê
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|o}}
|o
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|oː}}
|ô
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|ɛ}}
|è
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|ɛː}}
|ê
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|œ}}
|òe
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|œː}}
|òê
|
|
|- 
|{{IPA link|a}}
|a
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|aː}}
|â
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|ẽ}}
|in
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|ẽː}}
|în
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|ø̃}}
|un
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|ø̃ː}}
|ûn
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|õ}}
|on
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|õː}}
|ôn
|
|
|-
|{{IPA link|ɛ̃}}
|en
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|ɛ̃ː}}
|ên
|
|
|- 
|{{IPA link|ɑ̃}}
|an
|
|
|-
| {{IPA link|ɑ̃ː}}
|ân
|
|
|}

==Grammar==

===Verbs===

====Aspect====
Jèrriais distinguishes between simple, [[Progressive tense|progressive]] and [[perfect (grammar)|perfect]] [[grammatical aspect|aspect]]:

''Past'':
{|
|-
| [[preterite]] || {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|j'pâlînmes}}||we spoke
|-
| progressive|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ou 'tait à pâler}}|| she was speaking
|-
| perfect|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ous avez pâlé}}||you have spoken
|-
| imperfect|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|j'pâlais}}||I spoke
|}

''Future'':
{|
|-
| simple || {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|j'pâl'lai}}||I will speak
|-
| progressive|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|tu s'sa à pâler}}|| you will be speaking
|-
| perfect|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|oulle étha pâlé}}||she will have spoken
|}

''Present'':
{|
|-
| simple || {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|j'pâle}}||I speak
|-
| progressive|| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|i' sont à pâler}}|| they are speaking
|}

====Iterative====
Verbs can be made iterative in aspect by prefixing {{lang|nrf-JE|èr-}} (long form) or {{lang|nrf-JE|r'}} (short form):
{|
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|aver}}||have
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|èraver}}||have again
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|êt'}}||be
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|èrêt'}}||be again
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|netti}}||clean
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|èrnettit}}||clean again
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|muchi}}||hide
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|èrmuchi}}||hide again
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|èrgarder}}||watch
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|èrèrgarder}}||watch again
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|téléphoner}}||phone
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|èrtéléphoner}}|| phone again
|}

====Gerunds====
[[File:Faîs'sie d'Cidre 2008 êcritchieau.jpg|thumb|This sign for a [[cider]]making event demonstrates the [[gemination]] {{lang|nrf-JE|s's}} in the gerund {{lang|nrf-JE|faîs'sie}}.]]
Verbs can be transformed into [[gerund]]s, which are commonly used:
{|
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|chanter}}||sing
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|chant'tie}}||singing
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|faithe}}||make
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|faîs'sie}}||making
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|haler}}||pull
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|hal'lie}}||hauling, haulage
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|partchi}}||park
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|parqu'thie}}||parking
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|liéthe}}||read
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|liéthie}}||reading
|-
| &nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|faxer}}||fax
|-
| {{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|faxéthie}}||faxing
|}

== Vocabulary ==
Although Jèrriais is occasionally misleadingly described as a mixture of [[Old Norse language|Old Norse]] and French, it is more linguistically accurate to describe the language as Norse adapted to [[Oïl languages|langue d'oïl]]; when Norse-speaking [[Normans]] (lit. "North-man") conquered the territory now known as [[Normandy]], they began speaking the language of their new subjects, leading to its influence on the language. The Norman language is therefore in essence a Romance language with a certain amount of vocabulary of Norse origin, with the inclusion of later [[loanword]]s from other languages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jèrriais words of Norse origin |url=http://members.societe-jersiaise.org/sdllj/norse.html |website=members.societe-jersiaise.org}}</ref>

===Influence of Norse===
Norse origins can be seen in Jèrriais words such as these:
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:mielle|mielle]]}} (sand dune)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:mogue|mogue]]}} (mug)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:bel#Jèrriais|bel]]}} (yard)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:gradile|gradile]]}} (blackcurrant)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:mauve|mauve]]}} (seagull)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:graie|graie]]}} (to prepare)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:hèrnais|hèrnais]]}} (cart)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:bète|bète]]}} (bait)
*{{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:haûter|haûter]]}} (to doze)

===Influence of Breton===
Jèrriais has also adopted a small number of words from the [[Breton language]] (e.g. {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:pihangne|pihangne]]}} 'spider crab', from Breton {{lang|br|bihan}} 'small'; {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:quédaine|quédaine]]}} 'fast', from Breton {{lang|br|gaden}} 'hare'), although the influence on today's language has overwhelmingly been from French and, increasingly, English.

===Influence of French===
[[File:Welcome to French Lane Saint Helier Jersey.jpg|300px|right]]
[[File:Rue de la Pouclée et des Quatre Chemins, Jersey.jpg|thumb|300px|In this road sign, mostly in French, the word {{lang|nrf-JE|pouclée}} is Jèrriais for ''[[dolmen]]''.]]
[[File:Bîngue à r'cyclier Saint Hélyi Jèrri.jpg|300px|right]]

A large number of [[gallicism]]s have been introduced into the language due to the use of French as an official language and the cultural influence of France and French literature. Some French words have displaced in modern usage Jèrriais words that can still be found in older texts from the 18th and 19th centuries, for example:
*French {{lang|fr|leçon}} (in the form {{lang|fr|[[wikt:léçon#French|léçon]]}}) has displaced native {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:lichon#Norman|lichon]]}} (lesson)
*French {{lang|fr|[[wikt:garçon#French|garçon]]}} has displaced native {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:hardé#Norman|hardé]]}} (boy)
*French {{lang|fr|[[wikt:chanson#French|chanson]]}} has displaced native {{lang|nrf-JE|canchon}} (song)

Efforts are being made to maintain some Jèrriais words which are competing in usage with French forms, for example:
*native {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:hielle#Norman|hielle]]}} is being promoted over French {{lang|fr|huile}} (oil)
*native {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:huiptante#Norman|huiptante]]}} (eighty) is being promoted over French {{lang|fr|[[wikt:quatre-vingts#French|quatre-vingts]]}} (fourscore)

===Influence of English===
Some maritime vocabulary was borrowed from English at an early date, for example {{lang|nrf-JE|baûsouîn}} ([[wikt:boatswain|boatswain]]), but by the late 18th century some domestic vocabulary, such as:
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:bliatchinner|bliatchinner]]}} (to polish shoes, from ''blacking'')
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:coutchi|coutchi]]}} (to cook)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|grévîn}} (gravy)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|ouâchinner}} (to rub in soapy water, from ''washing'')
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:scrobbine-broche|scrobbine-broche]]}} (scrubbing brush)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:sâsse-paine|sâsse-paine]]}} (saucepan)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:stchilet|stchilet]]}} (skillet)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:ticl'ye|ticl'ye]]}} (from ''tea-kettle'')
entered the language through the employment of Jèrriais-speaking servants in the houses of bourgeois English-speaking immigrants.

Other words borrowed from English before 1900 include:
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:chârer|chârer]]}} (to share)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:drâses|drâses]]}} (underpants, from ''drawers'')
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:ouothinner|ouothinner]]}} (to worry)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:ouadinne|ouadinne]]}} (cotton wool, from ''wadding'')
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:nosse|nosse]]}} (nurse)
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:souîndgi|souîndgi]]}} (to throw, from ''swing'')
* {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:sténer|sténer]]}} (to stand, to endure)
 
However, care needs to be taken in attempting to identify [[anglicism]]s because some words, such as {{lang|nrf-JE|[[wikt:mogue|mogue]]}} (mug) and {{lang|nrf-JE|canne}} (can), which are often assumed to have been borrowed from English, were in fact Norman words exported to England in the wake of the [[Norman Conquest]]; and words such as {{lang|nrf-JE|fliotchet}} (flock) and {{lang|nrf-JE|ridgi}} (rig) are Norman [[cognate]]s of English words.

More recently, words such as {{lang|nrf-JE|boutchi}} (to book), {{lang|nrf-JE|partchi}} (to park) and {{lang|nrf-JE|tyeur}} (tyre) have been absorbed into the language, although current initiatives in creating [[neologism]]s for technological and social innovations prefer to avoid wholesale borrowing where possible. Among recent coinings are words such as {{lang|nrf-JE|textéthie}} for ''[[Short message service|texting]]'', {{lang|nrf-JE|maître-pêtre}} for ''[[webmaster]]'' (literally ''master-spider'') and {{lang|nrf-JE|mégabouochi}} for ''[[megabyte]]''.

== Literature ==
{{main|Jèrriais literature}}

The tradition of literature in Jèrriais can be traced back to [[Wace]], a 12th century Jersey-born poet, although there is little surviving literature in Jèrriais dating to before the introduction of the first printing press in Jersey in the 1780s. The first printed Jèrriais appeared in the first newspapers at the end of the 18th century, and the earliest identified dated example of printed poetry is a fragment by {{lang|nrf-JE|Matchi L'Gé|italic=no}} ([[Matthew Le Geyt]] 1777–1849), dated to 1795. A boom in competing newspapers and journals throughout the 19th century provided a platform for poets and writers to publish regularly – typically, satirical comment on the week's news, elections, Jersey politicians and notables. The first printed anthology of Jèrriais poetry, ''Rimes Jersiaises'', was published in 1865.

Influential writers include "Laelius" (Sir [[Robert Pipon Marett]] 1820–1884, [[Bailiff (Channel Islands)|Bailiff]] of Jersey, 1880–1884), "A.A.L.G." ([[Augustus Aspley Le Gros]], 1840–1877), and "St.-Luorenchais" ([[Philippe Langlois]], 1817–1884). "Elie" ([[Edwin J. Luce]], 1881–1918) was editor of the French language newspaper {{lang|fr|La Nouvelle Chronique de Jersey}}, and a poet who wrote topical poems for the newspaper. He was also active in promoting the development of drama in Jèrriais and organised performances, ultimately leading to the establishment of a Jèrriais section of the [[Jersey Eisteddfod]] in 1912.

During the [[German occupation of the Channel Islands]], Nazi censors permitted little original writing to be published. However, many older pieces of literature were re-published in the newspapers as an act of cultural self-assertion and morale-boosting. Following the end of Occupation, and with the re-establishment of the free press, [[Edward Le Brocq]] (1877–1964) revived a weekly column in 1946 with a letter from {{lang|nrf-JE|"Ph'lip et Merrienne"|italic=no}}, supposedly a traditional old couple who would comment on the latest news or recall times past.

The most influential writer of Jèrriais in the 20th century was a U.S. citizen, [[George F. Le Feuvre|George Francis Le Feuvre]] (1891–1984), whose pen-name was "George d'la Forge". He emigrated to North America after the [[World War I|First World War]], but for almost forty years maintained a flow of articles in Jèrriais back to Jersey for publication in newspapers. Selections of his articles have been published in book form.

[[Frank Le Maistre]] (1910–2002), compiler of the dictionary {{lang|fr|Dictionnaire Jersiais–Français}}, maintained a literary output starting in the 1930s with newspaper articles under the pseudonym {{lang|fr|"Marie la Pie"|italic=no}}, poems, magazine articles, research into toponymy and etymology. Since Le Maistre, [[Geraint Jennings]] has been influential in preserving the language by compiling thousands of pages of Jèrriais text online in {{lang|nrf-JE|[[Les Pages Jèrriaises]]|italic=no}}, including parts of the [[Bible]].

==Examples==
[[File:Make Poverty History banner 2005 Jersey.jpg|thumb|Bilingual banner for [[Make Poverty History]], July 2005, reading {{lang|nrf-JE|Nânnîn à la pouôrreté}} (No to poverty)]]
{| cellspacing="7px" width=15%
|-
! width="30%" |Jèrriais!! width="30%" |French !! width="30%" |English
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|Jèrri}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|Jersey}}||Jersey
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|beinv'nu}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|bienvenue}}||welcome
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|bel}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|cour}}||garden (yard)
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|bieauté}} ||{{lang|fr|italic=no|beauté}} ||beauty
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|bouônjour}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|bonjour}}||hello
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|{{audio-nohelp|Jer-Braies.ogg|braies}}}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|pantalon}}||trousers
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|brînge}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|brosse}}||brush
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|chièr}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|cher}}||dear
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|compather}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|comparer}}||compare
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|l'êtrangi}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|l'étranger}}||abroad
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|janmais}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|jamais}}||never
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|lian}} ||{{lang|fr|italic=no|lien}} ||link
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|{{audio-nohelp|Jer-Pouque.ogg|pouque}}}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|sac}}||bag
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|tchaîse}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|chaise}}||chair
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|{{audio-nohelp|Jer-Tchian.ogg|tchian}}}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|chien}}||dog
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|ticl'ye}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|bouilloire}}||kettle
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|viages}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|voyages}}||journeys
|-
|{{lang|nrf-JE|italic=no|yi}}||{{lang|fr|italic=no|œil}}||eye
|}

==See also==
{{interwiki|Norman language (including Jèrriais)|code=nrm}}
*[[Auregnais]]
*[[Culture of Jersey]]
*[[Sercquiais]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Literature==
* ''Lé Jèrriais Pour Tous'' by Paul W. Birt, 1985.
* ''Dictionnaire Jersiais–Français'', 1966.
* ''A Grammar of the Norman French of the Channel Islands: The Dialects of Jersey and Sark'' by Anthony J. Liddicoat, 1994. {{ISBN|978-3-11-087728-1}}
* ''Jersey Norman French: A Linguistic Study of An Obsolescent Dialect ''. Mari C. Jones, 2001
* ''Jèrriais: Jersey's Native Tongue'' by Mari C. Jones, 2003. {{ISBN|978-1-904210-03-0}}
* ''Dictionnaithe Jèrriais-Angliais''. 2005. {{ISBN|0-901897-40-X}}
* ''Les Chroniques du Don Balleine''/''Les Nouvelles Chroniques du Don Balleine'' (magazine). Jersey 1979 – current.

==External links==
*{{Commonscatinline}}
*[https://www.jerriais.org.je/ L'Office du Jèrriais]
*[https://societe.je Société Jersiaise]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080403005322/http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/langsec/ La Société Jersiaise – La Section de la langue Jèrriaise (archived)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080422195456/http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/geraint/jerriais.html La Société Jersiaise – Les Pages Jèrriaises (archived)]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/about_jersey/general_info/about_jerriais.shtml BBC Radio Jersey – Jèrriais]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050205065538/http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/JPN-jerriais.html The Lord's prayer in Jèrriais]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/multilingual/jerriais.shtml Jèrriais and Sercquiais today] by Mari C. Jones – from the [[BBC]]
* [https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230716-jerrais-the-secret-british-language-that-was-used-to-outwit-the-nazis “The secret British language that was used to outwit the Nazis”, BBC]
{{Jersey topics}}
{{Norman language}}
{{Gallo-Romance languages and dialects}}
{{Romance languages}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jerriais}}
[[Category:Culture of Jersey]]

[[Category:Languages of the Channel Islands]]
[[Category:Norman language]]
[[Category:Endangered Romance languages]]
[[Category:Critically endangered languages]]
[[Category:Endangered languages of Europe]]