Jura dialect recognized as minority language in Switzerland
Until the 19th century “Franc-Comtois" was spoken in what is now the Swiss canton of Jura and the neighbouring region known as the Franche-Comté in France.
Keystone
The Swiss government has decided to recognize the dialect of the Jura region as a minority language in Switzerland, reports the Swiss broadcaster RTS.
This content was published on
2 minutes
RTS/jc
Español
es
Suiza reconoce un dialecto del Jura como lengua minoritaria
This decision, made discreetly at the beginning of the month, is in line with a recommendation from the Council of Europe and its Charter on regional or minority languages.
Some 3,000 to 4,000 people speak or understand the dialect known as “Patois jurassien” and they are delighted at the decision, reports RTSExternal link. They hope it will bring federal funding for initiatives to keep the language alive. Maurice Jobin, president of the Jura patois speakers’ association, also told RTS that Jura will host the francophone Swiss and international patois festival (“Fête romande et internationale des patois”) in September 2021.
The federal government has already recognized the “patois” of cantons Valais, Fribourg and Vaud as minority Swiss languages, but the roots of “Patois jurassien” are different. The Jura dialect is “Franc-Comtois”, whereas the others are Franco-Provençal.
The decision gives new visibility to the dialects of francophone Switzerland, says RTS. These endangered languages are the subject of research and of numerous cultural projects supported by the cantons.
Switzerland has already recognized Romansh and Italian as minority languages in Switzerland in the sense of the European Charter. It also recognizes Yenish and Yiddish as languages that are not territorially tied.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss oddities
Mennonite movement turns 500 in Zurich, where it all began
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
This content was published on
The Fête de l'Epouvantail (scarecrow festival) is celebrating its 30th anniversary and returns to Denens in canton Vaud for its seventh edition from July 10-20.
This content was published on
A 35-year-old man has died in a work accident at the valley station of the Heimwehfluh toboggan run in Matten near Interlaken, canton Bern.
This content was published on
The Swiss embassy in Tehran re-opened on Sunday after being closed on June 20 owing to the unstable situation in the country.
This content was published on
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and her youngest daughter Princess Ariane attended the Netherlands' women's European Championship football match against Wales in Switzerland on Saturday.
Swiss want to better protect military airfields from spying
This content was published on
Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister says he wants to better protect Swiss military airfields against espionage activities.
Man charged with flying drone at women’s Euro 2025
This content was published on
A man flew a drone around the venue on Wednesday evening during the first match of the Women's EURO 2025 in St. Gallen. The 30-year-old violated the absolute ban on flying during match days. He was reported to the police.
More than 250 Swiss companies sign CO2 reduction initiative
This content was published on
A total of 257 companies from Switzerland have signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In doing so, they are committing to CO2 reduction targets that are compatible with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Swiss accident prevention group sees federal targets at risk
This content was published on
The Swiss government's target for accident figures is at risk, reckons Mario Cavegn, member of the executive board of the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention.
Feminicide: Swiss justice minister calls for electronic monitoring
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans has called for electronic monitoring and an ankle bracelet warning system for perpetrators of violence against women.
Swiss parliamentarians invited to speak more languages
This content was published on
Members of the Swiss parliament and civil servants are being invited to speak another language for a day in September next year.
How many Swiss regularly use at least four languages?
This content was published on
Almost two-thirds (64%) of Swiss use more than one language at least once a week, with 38% using two, 19% three and 7% four or more.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.