Languages of Jersey

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Languages of Jersey
Official	English (Majority), Jersey Legal French Jèrriais
Vernacular	Channel Island English
Minority	Jèrriais, (Norman language)
Immigrant	Portuguese
Signed	British Sign Language
Keyboard layout	British QWERTY

The Bailiwick of Jersey, a crown dependency in the Channel Islands, off the French coast of Normandy, has three official languages: English, French and Jèrriais. Traditionally, Jèrriais, a variety of the ancient Norman language, has been the dominant language of the Bailiwick, but the past century has seen a great decline in its usage, as well as in the use of French.

As a crown dependency of the British monarch, English has a special place in the island, and is now the dominant, as well as an official, language.

The English language has been allowed in parliamentary debates in the States of Jersey since February 2, 1900.

Most signs are written in English, sometimes with French or Jèrriais subtitling. There are around 107,000 people in Jersey, and 20% are of British (traditionally English-speaking) descent. Most of the Norman-descended population now speaks English as well. All demographics combined, English is spoken by 94.6% of the population.

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  Sign explaining street names of Saint Helier in English, French and Jèrriais
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  Public entrance to States Chamber in St. Helier, Jersey, showing bilingual signage in French and English

Jersey Legal French is the official variety of French used in administration. The States of Jersey is part of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie. The current use of French in the parliament is generally restricted to formalities (prayers, ceremonies, formulae).

Due to proximity, there has been a French-speaking community in Jersey for centuries, though now it has shrunk considerably, although the language is still official. The national anthem, "Ma Normandie", is in the French language. At various points in history the indigenous French-speaking population of Jersey was supplemented by political refugees from France, including for example Victor Hugo.

The last French-language newspaper in Jersey, Les Chroniques de Jersey, closed at the end of 1959.

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  First newspaper published in Jersey, 1784
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  1881 boundary stone in French
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  2000 boundary stone in French
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  Bilingual sign in Jèrriais and French
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  Constable's Office

Jèrriais, sometimes referred to as "Jersey French" or "Jersey Norman French", a variety of Norman, was the dominant language of the Bailiwick for most of its history. Now, however, the language is spoken by around 2,600 of the 87,000 inhabitants of the island, down from 5,720 in 1989. The language is most prominent in rural areas, where the proportions of speakers are highest, although the capital, Saint Helier, has the highest total number of speakers.^[2] Around 200 children are learning the language in schools as of 2006, and the Jersey Evening Post, the island's main newspaper, runs articles in Jèrriais every week. Up to 15% of the island has some understanding of the language.

Sercquiais, a descendant of Jèrriais spoken by settlers from Jersey in Sark, is also near the brink of extinction, with fewer than 20 native speakers.

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  Bilingual signage, with English displayed more prominently than Jèrriais
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  Bilingual school sign
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  Bilingual supermarket sign
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  A Bilingual welcome sign on which English and Jèrriais are given equal prominence

Immigrants of Portuguese (mostly Madeiran) ethnicity make up 9.4% of Jersey.^[3] The Portuguese language was spoken by 8.4% of the total population as a first or second language in 2011,^[4] and is commonly used in signage, notices, and the like.

The Deaf community on Jersey use British Sign Language.^[5][6]

• Jèrriais literature

•  This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2006 edition.)

• Jersey Government Language Page and Links (Jèrriais)