Burgundian language (Oïl)
Encyclopedia
The Burgundian language, also known by French
names Bourguignon-morvandiau, Bourguignon, and Morvandiau, is an Oïl language spoken in Burgundy and particularly in the Morvan
area of the region.
The arrival of the Burgundians
brought Germanic
elements into the Gallo-Romance speech of the inhabitants. The occupation of the Low Countries
by the Dukes of Burgundy also brought Burgundian into contact with Dutch; e.g., the word for gingerbread
couque derives from Old Dutch kooke (cake).
Dialects of the south along the Saône
river have been influenced by Arpitan language.
Eugène de Chambure published a Glossaire du Morvan in 1878.
from before the nineteenth century. In 1854 the Papal Bull
Ineffabilis Deus
was translated into the Morvan dialect by the Abbé Jacques-François Baudiau, and into the Dijon
dialect by the Abbé Lereuil. The Abbé Baudiau also transcribed storytelling.
Folklorists collected vernacular literature
from the mid-nineteenth century and by the end of the century a number of writers were establishing an original literature. Achille Millien (1838–1927) collected songs from the oral tradition
in the Nivernais. Louis de Courmont, nicknamed the “Botrel
of the Morvan,” was a chansonnier who after a career in Paris returned to his native region. A statue was erected to him in Château-Chinon
. Emile Blin wrote a number of stories and monologues aimed at a tourist market; a collection was published in 1933 under the title Le Patois de Chez Nous. Alfred Guillaume published a large number of vernacular texts for use on picturesque postcards at the beginning of the twentieth century, and in 1923 published a book in Burgundian, L’âme du Morvan. More recently, Marinette Janvier published Ma grelotterie (1974) and Autour d’un teugnon (1989).
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
names Bourguignon-morvandiau, Bourguignon, and Morvandiau, is an Oïl language spoken in Burgundy and particularly in the Morvan
Morvan
The Morvan is a mountainous massif lying just to the west of the Côte d'Or escarpment in Burgundy, France. It is a northerly extension of the Massif Central and is of Variscan age. It is composed of granites and basalts and formed a promontory extending northwards into the Jurassic sea.-Music:The...
area of the region.
The arrival of the Burgundians
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
brought Germanic
Burgundian language (Germanic)
The Burgundian language is an extinct East Germanic language, spoken by the Burgundians in the 4th and 5th centuries.Little is known of the language...
elements into the Gallo-Romance speech of the inhabitants. The occupation of the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
by the Dukes of Burgundy also brought Burgundian into contact with Dutch; e.g., the word for gingerbread
Gingerbread
Gingerbread is a term used to describe a variety of sweet food products, which can range from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger biscuit. What they have in common are the predominant flavors of ginger and a tendency to use honey or molasses rather than just sugar...
couque derives from Old Dutch kooke (cake).
Dialects of the south along the Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
river have been influenced by Arpitan language.
Eugène de Chambure published a Glossaire du Morvan in 1878.
Literature
Apart from songs dating from the eighteenth century, there is little surviving literatureLiterature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
from before the nineteenth century. In 1854 the Papal Bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
Ineffabilis Deus
Ineffabilis Deus
Ineffabilis Deus is the name of a Papal bull by Pope Pius IX. It defines ex cathedra the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary...
was translated into the Morvan dialect by the Abbé Jacques-François Baudiau, and into the Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
dialect by the Abbé Lereuil. The Abbé Baudiau also transcribed storytelling.
Folklorists collected vernacular literature
Vernacular literature
Vernacular literature is literature written in the vernacular—the speech of the "common people".In the European tradition, this effectively means literature not written in Latin...
from the mid-nineteenth century and by the end of the century a number of writers were establishing an original literature. Achille Millien (1838–1927) collected songs from the oral tradition
Oral tradition
Oral tradition and oral lore is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to another. The messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants...
in the Nivernais. Louis de Courmont, nicknamed the “Botrel
Théodore Botrel
Jean-Baptiste-Théodore-Marie Botrel was a French singer-songwriter, poet and playwright. He is best known for his popular songs about his native Brittany, of which the most famous is La Paimpolaise. During World War I he became France's official "Bard of the Armies".-Life:Born in Dinan, Botrel was...
of the Morvan,” was a chansonnier who after a career in Paris returned to his native region. A statue was erected to him in Château-Chinon
Château-Chinon (Ville)
Château-Chinon is a commune in the Nièvre department in France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.The villages around the town are grouped in another commune named Château-Chinon ....
. Emile Blin wrote a number of stories and monologues aimed at a tourist market; a collection was published in 1933 under the title Le Patois de Chez Nous. Alfred Guillaume published a large number of vernacular texts for use on picturesque postcards at the beginning of the twentieth century, and in 1923 published a book in Burgundian, L’âme du Morvan. More recently, Marinette Janvier published Ma grelotterie (1974) and Autour d’un teugnon (1989).