Are we not French?: Regional identity and language in Eastern BrittanyShaun Nolan (University of Limerick)Southampton 9 June 2004

IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholar

What is Gallo and where is it spoken?

Brittanys historic Latin language A langue dol.

Historically spoken in the eastern half of Brittany also known as Upper-Brittany or Haute-Bretagne. Western Basse-Bretagne is the Breton Zone.

Were the zones linguistically exclusive? No. Historical Brittany has always been bi or multilingual.

Map 1: The Linguistic division between Gallo and Breton (Hoare 2001: 74)

How many speak Gallo today?Census being carried out by the CREDILIF with the cooperation of Bertayn galeizz and Mazoe and the Gallo teachers association.

One of the best estimates of 28 300 by the INSEE dates from 1999 making it the 4th most used language in Brittany after French, Breton and English.

Table 1: Speaker Estimates of Languages Practiced in Brittany (other than French)Sample: 20% of total French sample made up of persons 18 years and older. Total Breton population: 2 906 197. Source: INSEE survey on family history 1999.

The status of GalloGallo is recognised as a parler in the Charte culturelle de la Bretagne (1977)

Taught as optional subject in:Primary schoolLower-Secondary schools (Collges)Upper-Secondary schools (Lyces)

It is currently the only Langue dol that is examined at Baccalaurat level (since 1982).

Optional subject for 1st and 2nd years at the University of Rennes (2) since 1996. No longer offered.

Optional subject in Teacher Training College (IUFM) from 1994. Withdrawn 2002.

Table 2: Pupils of Gallo in the school systemSource: Situation du bilinguisme: Enseignement optionnel 2003-2004. Dos/Rectorat 17/11/2003, Acadmie de Rennes.

Map 2: Primary schools, Collges and Lyces where Gallo is taught

There are 10 Gallo teachers between all of these schools. (NB. IUFM status withdrawn)

The current researchQuestionnaires distributed to three respondent categories since October/November 2003:

To the 10 Teachers of Gallo (4 collected, more forthcoming)To the 569 (AY 2003/4) Pupils of Gallo (87 collected)Parents of these pupils (44 collected).

Extended interviews with Gallo language activists and teachers.

AnalysisInformants perception of:Gallo Gallo identity Gallos place in Breton identityGallo in the future of Brittany

Perception of Gallo

School Pupils (n = 87)2.A) What term would you use to describe Gallo? For you it is a

Parents (n = 44)2.A) What term would you use to describe Gallo? For you it is a

The existence of a Gallo identity

School Pupils (n = 87)3.A)For you, is there a Gallo identity?

Parents (n = 44)3.A)For you, is there a Gallo identity?

Gallos place in Breton identity

3.C) For Breton identity:A.Gallo is as important as Breton Pupils 49.9% ---- Parents 36.4%B. Gallo is more important than Breton Pupils 2.3% ---- Parents 0%C. Gallo is less important than Breton Pupils 42.5% ---- Parents 45.5%D. Gallo is not all important Pupils 1.1% ---- Parents 11.4%No response Pupils 4.6% ---- Parents 6.8

Gallo in the future of Brittany

Pupils (n = 87)4.A) Does Gallo have a role to play in the future of Brittany?

Parents (n = 44)4.A) Does Gallo have a roleto play in the future of Brittany?

Summary of main pointsNegative value judgment of Gallo. But some pupils are more inclined to see it as a language or dialect than parents.Confusion among pupils as regards the concept of a Gallo identity.Parents do not share this confusion but a greater number do not accept it than do.

Conflict of opinion between parents and pupils in that:More pupils accept that Gallo is as important as Breton, whilst their parents show the inverse tendencyMore pupils think that Gallo has a positive role to play in Brittanys future whilst their parents are more categorical in indicating that it does not.

ConclusionsParents appear negative as regards GalloBut, the presence of Gallo in the education system seems to have had some positive effect in raising the status of Gallo for pupils.Despite this, there seems to have had only limited success in raising Gallos status.Whilst there is some hope for Gallo, will this be enough to help Gallo maintain or regain lost ground?