Joret line

The Joret line or ligne Joret is an isogloss used in the linguistics of the Oïl languages. The line was first identified by Charles Joret and published in 1883. It distinguishes dialects of Oïl languages to the north of the isogloss that have preserved /k/ and /g/ before /a/ (from Latin) and dialects to the south in which /k/ before /a/ became /ʃ/, and /g/ before /a/ became /dʒ/.

To the north of the line lie the Picard language and some dialects of the Norman language. To the south lie other Oïl dialects including southern Norman and French. The area north of the "ligne Joret" is sometimes characterised as the Normano-Picard domain.

Geographical description

The Joret line extends from the Channel Islands (including Jèrriais, Guernésiais and Sarkese) and across the continent from Granville to the Belgian border.

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.

ignificant examples

* /k/

Latin "cattu" (cat) gave rise to /ka/ "cat" north of the line and /ʃa/ "" to the south.

Low Latin "*captiare" (to catch) gave rise to "cachier" north of the line and "chasser" to the south.

Frankish "pokka" (bag) gave rise to /puk/ "pouque" north of the line and "pouche" to the south. French "poche" (pocket), Norman "pouquette".

Latin "candela" (candle) gave rise to "candelle" north of the line and "chandelle" to the south.

Celtic "*carros" > Latin "carrus" gave rise to "car" (carriage, wain) north of the line and "char" to the south.
* /g/

Latin "gamba" (leg) gave rise to /gãb/ "gambe" north of the line and /ʒãb/ "jambe" to the south.

Frankish "gard-" (yard) gave rise to "gardin" (garden) north of the line and "jardin" to the south.

The effects of the isogloss can also be seen in toponyms in Normandy and Picardy: for example, Cambrai, Camembert, Campigny, Carentan, Caen.

ee also

*Campaniacum: for the difference in its commune names and names originating from Celto-Latin, a remark on Eure and one other name known as Champigny-la-Futelaye.

References

*"La Normandie dialectale" Lepelley, Caen 1999 ISBN 2-84133-076-1