Languages of Monaco

A bilingual French-Monégasque street sign

Official| French
Minority| Monégasque, Italian
Foreign| English
Signed| French Sign Language
Keyboard layout|

AZERTY

The official language of Monaco is French. Monégasque, a variety of Ligurian, is the national language of the Monégasque people. However, it is the primary language of very few people. There are several other languages spoken in addition to French and Monégasque, including Italian and English.

## French

[edit]

See also: Franco-Monégasque Treaties

French is the only official—and by far the most common—language in Monaco, a result of the role France has had over the microstate, since the annexation of the County of Nice, which surrounds Monaco, in 1860.

## Monégasque

[edit]

Monégasque is the traditional national language of the Monegasque people (who represent only 21.6% of the total population[1]). It is a dialect of Ligurian, and is somewhat similar to Italian.

Because the Monégasques are a minority in Monaco, their tongue was threatened with extinction in the 1970s.[citation needed] However, the language is now being taught in schools. In the old part of Monaco, the street signs are marked with Monégasque in addition to French.

During his accession ceremonies in 2005, Albert II, Prince of Monaco, made a speech to his people in Monégasque.

## Italian

[edit]

Standard Italian is also a major language in Monaco. Italian nationals make up 19% of the total population.[1]

Italian was the ancestral language of the ruling House of Grimaldi, and was the official language of Monaco until 1860, when it was replaced by French.[2] This was due to the annexation of the surrounding County of Nice to France following the Treaty of Turin (1860).[2]

Italian is also spoken by Caroline, Princess of Hanover and her children Andrea Casiraghi, Charlotte Casiraghi and Pierre Casiraghi, as her late husband was Italian.[3]

## English

[edit]

There is also an Anglophone community in Monaco (8.5% of which are from the United Kingdom or the United States, with English-speakers from other nations as too insignificant and thus listed within the category of "other," below),[1] in addition to English-speaking tourists visiting the city.

Princess Grace was born an American, and all three of her children (including the reigning Prince) grew up speaking English among other languages.[4] The current princess consort of Monaco, Princess Charlene, is a native English speaker, having been born a Rhodesian in what is now Zimbabwe.

## Occitan

[edit]

Occitan (Lenga d'òc) has also traditionally been spoken in Monaco, particularly when it covered a larger geographical territory, but is rarely used today.

## Other

[edit]

Intemelio is a Ligurian dialect spoken historically from the Principality of Monaco to the Italian province of Imperia.

## See also

[edit]

* Outline of Monaco
* History of Monaco
* Constitution of Monaco

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Monaco IQ (English language), referencing Chapter One of Files and Reports&InfoSujet=General Population Census 2008&6Gb|2008 census (gouv.mc not an English source) Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
2. ^ a b "Il monegasco, una lingua che si studia a scuola ed è obbligatoria" (in Italian). Retrieved 6 June 2022.
3. ^ Biographie de Stefano Casiraghi.
4. ^ Grace Kelly's last interview, 22 June 1982, on ABC's 20/20

* v
* t
* e

Monaco articles

History|

* François Grimaldi
* Republic of Genoa
* France–Monaco relations
* Treaty of Tordesillas (1524)
* Treaty of Péronne (1641)
* Treaty of Stupinigi
* Franco-Monégasque Treaties
* House of Grimaldi
* Anarchism in Monaco
* 1918 succession crisis
* Monégasque Revolution
* Rulers of Monaco

Geography|

* France–Monaco border
* Land reclamation in Monaco
* Mont Agel
* Port Hercules
* Rock of Monaco

Politics|

* Cabinet
* Communal Council
* Concordat
* Constitution
* Court of Appeal
* Court of Revision
* Crown Council
* Elections
* Justice of the peace
* European microstates and the European Union
* Foreign relations
* High Council of Judges and Prosecutors
* Law enforcement
* Mayors
* Military
* Minister of State
* Monarchy
* Parliament
* Political parties
* Supreme Court

Economy|

* Banks
* Energy
* Euro coins
* Telecommunications
* Transport
* Rail

Culture|

* Anthem
* Architecture
* Coat of arms
* Cuisine
* Demographics
* Flag
* Languages
* Music
* Orders, decorations and medals
* Public art
* Public holidays
* National Day
* Religion
* Sports
* Santos Dumont's experiments in Monaco

* Outline
* Index

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

Languages of Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
*   * Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* England
* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Wales
* Vatican City

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

Other entities|

* European Union
* Sovereign Military Order of Malta

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template