Joret line
Encyclopedia
The Joret line is an isogloss
used in the linguistics of the langues d'oïl
. Dialects north of the line have preserved Vulgar Latin
/k/ and /ɡ/ before /a/; dialects south of the line have palatalized
/k/ and /ɡ/ before /a/. This palatalization gave Old French /tʃ/ and /dʒ/, then modern French
/ʃ/ and /ʒ/. The line was first identified by Charles Joret and published in 1883.
To the north of the line lie the Picard language
and some dialects of the Norman language
. To the south and the east lie other Oïl dialects including southern Norman and French
. The area north of the ligne Joret is sometimes called the Normano-Picard domain.
(including Jèrriais
, Guernésiais and Sarkese) and across the continent from Granville
to the linguistic border with the Flemish language in the North of France and Belgium
.
It passes through Normandy
north of Granville and Villedieu-les-Poêles
and divides the département of Manche in two linguistically, separates the Calvados
and the Orne
départments along with the Eure département.
In Picardy
, the line runs with the Amiénois and Thiérache
, up to the west of Rebecq
, Beaumont
and Chimay
in Belgium
.
, Lorraine
and a part of Burgundy.
Germanic /w/ (sometimes Latin /v/ was affected as well) was kept north of the line (written w or v), but became /g/ (written g or gu) south of the line.
(corresponding to Chambray
), Camembert, Carentan
(corresponding to Charenton
), Caen
(Wace
gallicized it as Chaem).
Norman place-names derived from the Gallo-Romance word Campaniacum
show initial C- in some cases (Campigny
, north) and initial Ch- in others (Champigny-la-Futelaye
, south).
Isogloss
An isogloss—also called a heterogloss —is the geographical boundary of a certain linguistic feature, such as the pronunciation of a vowel, the meaning of a word, or use of some syntactic feature...
used in the linguistics of the langues d'oïl
Langues d'oïl
The langues d'oïl or langues d'oui , in English the Oïl or Oui languages, are a dialect continuum that includes standard French and its closest autochthonous relatives spoken today in the northern half of France, southern Belgium, and the Channel Islands...
. Dialects north of the line have preserved Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin is any of the nonstandard forms of Latin from which the Romance languages developed. Because of its nonstandard nature, it had no official orthography. All written works used Classical Latin, with very few exceptions...
/k/ and /ɡ/ before /a/; dialects south of the line have palatalized
Palatalization
In linguistics, palatalization , also palatization, may refer to two different processes by which a sound, usually a consonant, comes to be produced with the tongue in a position in the mouth near the palate....
/k/ and /ɡ/ before /a/. This palatalization gave Old French /tʃ/ and /dʒ/, then modern French
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...
/ʃ/ and /ʒ/. The line was first identified by Charles Joret and published in 1883.
To the north of the line lie the Picard language
Picard language
Picard is a language closely related to French, and as such is one of the larger group of Romance languages. It is spoken in two regions in the far north of France – Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy – and in parts of the Belgian region of Wallonia, the district of Tournai and a part of...
and some dialects of the Norman language
Norman language
Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified as one of the northern Oïl languages along with Picard and Walloon...
. To the south and the east lie other Oïl dialects including southern Norman and French
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...
. The area north of the ligne Joret is sometimes called the Normano-Picard domain.
Geography
The Joret line extends from the Channel IslandsChannel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
(including Jèrriais
Jèrriais
Jèrriais is the form of the Norman language spoken in Jersey, in the Channel Islands, off the coast of France. It has been in decline over the past century as English has increasingly become the language of education, commerce and administration...
, Guernésiais and Sarkese) and across the continent from Granville
Granville, Manche
-Sights:The old town preserves all the history of its military and religious past. The lower town was partly built on land reclaimed from the sea. The upper part of the old town is surrounded by ramparts from the fifteenth century...
to the linguistic border with the Flemish language in the North of France and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
It passes through Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
north of Granville and Villedieu-les-Poêles
Villedieu-les-Poêles
Villedieu-les-Poêles is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.Its inhabitants are called Sourdins from the French sourd meaning deaf...
and divides the département of Manche in two linguistically, separates the Calvados
Calvados
The French department of Calvados is part of the region of Basse-Normandie in Normandy. It takes its name from a cluster of rocks off the English Channel coast...
and the Orne
Orne
Orne is a department in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne.- History :Orne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Normandy and Perche.- Geography :Orne is in the region of...
départments along with the Eure département.
In Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
, the line runs with the Amiénois and Thiérache
Thiérache
The Thiérache or Grande Thiérache is a region of France and Belgium united by similar geography and architecture, including the presence of hedgerows, grassland, hilly terrain, scattered settlements, and traditionally-built stone or brick houses with stone dividing walls and slate roofs.Located in...
, up to the west of Rebecq
Rebecq
Rebecq is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 10,241 inhabitants. The total area is 39.08 km², giving a population density of 262 inhabitants per km².-Notable people:...
, Beaumont
Beaumont
-Canada:* Beaumont, Alberta* Lushes Bight – Beaumont – Beaumont North, Newfoundland and Labrador* Beaumont, Quebec- France :The following communes:* Beaumont, Ardèche* Beaumont, Corrèze* Beaumont, Gers* Beaumont, Haute-Loire* Beaumont, Meurthe-et-Moselle...
and Chimay
Chimay
Chimay a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006, Chimay had a total population of 9,774. The total area is 197.10 km² which gives a population density of 50 inhabitants per km²...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Examples
- Norman Picard /k/ ~ Southern Norman, French /ʃ/ (palatalizationPalatalizationIn linguistics, palatalization , also palatization, may refer to two different processes by which a sound, usually a consonant, comes to be produced with the tongue in a position in the mouth near the palate....
)
- Latin cattu (cat) gave rise to /ka/ cat north of the line and /ʃa/ chat to the south.
- Low Latin *captiare (to catch) gave rise to cachier / cacher (> English catch) north of the line and chasser (> English chase) to the south.
- Frankish *pokka (bag) gave rise to /puk/ pouque (> English dial. poke) north of the line and pouche (> English pouch) to the south. French poche (pocket), Norman pouquette (> English pocket).
- Latin candela (candle) gave rise to candelle (> English candle) north of the line and chandelle to the south.
- Celtic *carros > Latin carrus gave rise to car (> English car) north of the line and char (wain, carriage), chariot (> English chariot) to the south.
- Celtic *kagio-, Gaulish caio- > Norman Picard kay, cay (> ME kay) > French quai (> English quay); Old French chay > French chai (wine cellar)
- Norman Picard /ɡ/ ~ Southern Norman, French /ʒ/ (palatalization)
- Latin gamba (leg) gave rise to /ɡãb/ gambe north of the line and /ʒãb/ jambe to the south.
- Frankish *gard- (yard) gave rise to gardin (> English garden) north of the line and jardin to the south.
- Late Latin *galleto > Norman Picard gal(l)on (> English gallon) ; Old French jallon , French jalon (measure)
Second isogloss
Another effect of the palatalizations a bit further to the north, but quite parallel- Norman Picard /ʃ/ (or /tʃ/) ~ Southern Norman /ts/ or /s/, French /s/.
- Low Latin *captiare > Norman Picard cacher, cachi(er) (> English catch); Southern Norman, French chasser
- Low Latin ceresiu(m) > Norman Picard cherise, chrise, chise (> English cherry) ; Southern Norman srise French cerise
Third isogloss
A third isogloss, marking a consonantal change unrelated to the others, more or less follows the Joret line throughout Normandy and continues through northeastern France. It includes all of Picardy, Wallonia, ChampagneChampagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
, Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
and a part of Burgundy.
Germanic /w/ (sometimes Latin /v/ was affected as well) was kept north of the line (written w or v), but became /g/ (written g or gu) south of the line.
- Northern French /v/ ~ French /g/
- Latin vespa / Frankish *waspa (wasp) > Picard Wespe, Norman Vêpe ~ French guêpe (wasp)
- Frankish *wahla hlaupan (S. English well and leap) > Picard, Old Norman waloper (> English wallop) ; French galoper (> English gallop)
- Frankish wahtôn (S. English wake and watch) > Picard Old Norman wait(i)er (> English wait) ; Old French guaitier, French guetter
- Frankish *werra > Old Picard Old Norman werre, warre (> English war) ; French guerre (war)
Toponymy
The Joret line affects toponyms in Normandy and Picardy ; for example : CambraiCambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
(corresponding to Chambray
Chambray
Chambray is a commune in the Eure department in northern France, located 13 km northeast of Évreux on the north bank of the Eure River.-Population:-References:*...
), Camembert, Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
(corresponding to Charenton
Charenton
-France:* Charenton-le-Pont, in the Val-de-Marne département, a commune which has a common border with Paris* Saint-Maurice, Val-de-Marne, a neighboring commune that was called Charenton-Saint-Maurice until 1842** Charenton...
), Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
(Wace
Wace
Wace was a Norman poet, who was born in Jersey and brought up in mainland Normandy , ending his career as Canon of Bayeux.-Life:...
gallicized it as Chaem).
Norman place-names derived from the Gallo-Romance word Campaniacum
Campaniacum
Campaniacum was an etymon of numerous toponyms in France. Ernest Nègre, author of Toponymie générale de la France indicated an origin from the Roman word Campanius and the Gaulish -acum...
show initial C- in some cases (Campigny
Campigny
Campigny may refer to places in France:*Campigny, Calvados*Campigny, Eure...
, north) and initial Ch- in others (Champigny-la-Futelaye
Champigny-la-Futelaye
Champigny-la-Futelaye is a commune in the Eure department in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
, south).