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Let's Talk About Jerriais

As part of our Voices 2005 season, Jenna Johnson spoke to five Jerriais speakers about their experiences of Jersey's native language.

There is little doubt that Jerriais is a language much diminished by the progress of the twentieth century.

Brian Gilbert

Once commonly spoken across the island with a surprising range of parochial accents, Jerriais was revealed by the 2001 census to be spoken by a mere 3.3% of Jersey's population.

As efforts continue apace to retain the language's place in local culture, it is not an easy task. Children who would once have learnt at 'mother's knee' are almost all growing up in homes when no one speaks the language.

As troubling as this is for the remaining Jerriais speakers, there is hope in the schemes running in local primary schools and the lessons which are on offer to older learners.

Percy Le Masurier

Both 大象传媒 Radio Jersey and the Jersey Evening Post have provided forums for the spoken and written forms of Jerriais which have attracted new enthusiasts whilst keeping the tongue alive and in the public eye.

With the launch of the Voices 2005 campaign, 大象传媒 Radio Jersey's Jenna Johnson went to meet five Jerriais speakers to discover something of their experiences of speaking Jersey's native language.

Clifford Laisney, Brain and Joyce Gilbert, Percy Le Masurier and Ursula Taylor, have all known Jerriais since childhood and are members of the Assemblie Jeriaisse. They come from different parishes across the island; something evident in the precise vocabulary they know and use and the accents with which they speak.

Clifford Laisney

Percy Le Masurier recounted and experience when one of his friends went to fetch a spade from the farm, but his request was interpreted rather differently because of the differences in pronunciation between Jerriais speakers in Trinity and St. Ouen. To listen to this clip, click on the 'Calling a spade a..?' audio link at the right hand side of this page.

The rivalry between the parishes often interfered with the course of true love when your accent would give away the fact that you came from a different island parish. To listen to Clifford Laisney describe how his now brother in law was pelted with turnips when he was courting his sister, click on the 'Love & Turnips' audio link at the right hand side of this page.

Ursula Taylor

When couples from different parishes married, they often discovered a great deal about each others ways of speaking Jerriais. Ursula Taylor describes one such instance from her the early days of her marriage in the 'How To Say Ants!' audio clip.

Jerriais has always been most strongly preserved in the country parishes, something that the speakers felt was looked down on by those who spoke only English. As young people, insults would be exchanged over such a sensitive issue when they ventured into St. Helier as Joyce Gilbert explains in the Country v. Town audio clip.

Joyce Gilbert

To keep up with the 'Wonderful World of Jerriais' why not tune into 大象传媒 Radio Jersey's 'The Morning Show with John Uphoff between 10.00 and 13.00. Each Monday from 11.00 Tony Scott-Warren recounts stories and anecdotes in Jerriais and English for the native speaker and beginner alike.

Tune in to 大象传媒 Radio Jersey at 88.8 FM and 1026 MW or listen online by clicking on the Listen Live button on our homepage.

last updated: 29/04/2008 at 13:25
created: 17/01/2005

Have Your Say

Ardit Pergjergji
Bonjour! Je voudrais dire que le peuple Jarien, ou Jerien c'est un tres vieux peuple en Europe. Je ne sais pas si serait-il possible de nous donner plus concernant la culture du peuple Jerrian et de sa langue. Parler Jerian c'est parler Europien.

Fatmir Xharri
Hello! I'm writing from Tirana, Albania. As I'm quite and deeply interested in such an issue, I would to be in touch with some more individuals, authorities and subjects concerning to Jerrias issue. My e-mail address is Jareah_Center@yahoo.com. I think it would be good enough for all to reveal Jerrias culture, language and people life style. We think the Jerian people to be an old people in Europe and wider, with deep precious culture spread everywhere on earth.

Jean-Marc
Hello,I think it's a real pity to see that Jersey-French (or jerriais) is now spoken by so few since the Channel Islands are so close to France. I know that during World War II, young men who managed to escape from German occupied Jersey to Normandy could easily pass as Frenchmen and it would be a good thing if most young people in Jersey were given access to "Jerriais" so sthat they might use it first to find their roots and second to express themselves in a European language close to their 'dialect', i.e. French.People in Alsace speak a German dialect which enables them to communicate with their German and Swiss neighbours, don't you think it's a good example of what could be done? By the way: sorry I'm writing in English!!!

Crappaud
no chance, there will be a time when it's dead, long and gone, just like the local post offices, and corner shops where you used to be able to get things on 'tick'. Anyway, I've not heard the language whatsoever, but then again i don't go to st.ouens village

Bill
Channel Islands Fan - ironic that you're saddened at the demise of Jerriais, when you obviously have difficulty stringing a sentence together in English. Or are you only six years old?

mr b
all this is just proof that this island has no true jersey people left so stop going on about immergants.jersey wouled be nothing without them

jack
i am learning welsh in school, and i hope to take it to a level. Welsh will not die out, the percentage of welsh speakers is increasing all the time. I think Jerriais shoud be taught in all jersey schools, and, when children leave school, they should be fluent in the language-it's the culture of jersey

Channel Islands Fan
I am saddened to hear that there are not many true jersey beans left true islanders left here in Jersey someone told me recently that is such a shame and i wish id have been born here on this delightful island St Brelaids is my favourite parish as is gorey and rozelI love the names of the french names of places like Rouge Bouilion and la mare vineyards and la colomberie etc it makes me feel like im in France instead of United Kingdom Jersey and feel Jersey should keep its Jerriais language just like wales in United kingdom shud have its language etc

Brands
Jerriais, like Erse,Manx and Cornish should be left to linguists,gramaticians and lexicographers.Unlike English and Standard French, Jerriais has little place in the modern world.

Emilie
I have lived in Jersy my whole life, and I find it very sad that this language is 'dying' as people put it... I myself cannot speak the language as the chance to learn it at school didnt arrive until the year after I left...

I am currently studying at university in Wales, and Jersey could preserve the language even by just using it on road signs, just like in Wales.

It doesnt cause any confusion in Wales (I still manage to get around by using the bilingual signs!)Its sad that there isnt any pride left in this island... its just money!

malquamme
bouonjour, man nom est malquamme et j'sis d'meuthe en st. ouennais. Tch'est qu'ch'est le tchennevais ach'teu?

Revd Malcolm Brookes
I was a Methodist minister in the island and it's a great joy to hear some of my friends speak of the language they know and love. Thank you.

Lorna Williams
what happened to Richard Johnson (circa 1982)

Mary Burke
I love your accent so much!

Rob
You could promote the use of French instead as France is only a hop away? Saying that it is nice to keep your heritage. I mean there are enough stubborn Cornishmen who try to keep the Cornish launguage alive and have the barmy idea that it can help win them independance from England!

Ron Fallows
Unfortunately Mairead's comments illustrate the gap between the 'old' amd new visions of Jersey - Mairead I honestly wish what you said was realistic and/or possible - but facts have to be faced - The guy who sweeps the streets, and every States employee is more or less paid by the tax paid by the finance sector - Harsh, but true. Jerrias is a nice old anachronism that has no place in the modern world.

Mairead Kerwin
As long as there are any speakers how can a language be dead? There must be more to life than banking. we limit ourselves by thinking we only have one choice of income. Farm produce, arts and crafts can be exported and historical holidays can be a good and pleasant sourse of income. Keep the language alive; it is your right to have your own culture in your own words.

Ron Fallows
As a Welsh Speaker, I fully understand the concerns with the 'vanishing language' - however there comes a point when some facts have to be faced, in this case it is that Jerriais is a 'dead' language, that has not evolved - and as such it has historical interest, but no relevance today.

It is also important to recognise that Jersey is a much changed Island.

Whether one likes it or not, Jersey has got itself into a position where the Island would collapse without the finance sector - 拢250 million in tax was paid by the sector alone last year I believe.

The finace sector (which is the Island) needs highly skilled immigrants - who by definition have no interest in the language.

We (I've been here for over 40 years) have to recognise that although we are geographically an Island - we are part of the 'modern' Global financial world in which Jerriais will inevitably die - any effort to sloe the death is pointless.

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