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====== Occitan in Italy ======

==== Language designations: ====
  * In the language itself: //lenga d'òc//
  * [[general_information:glossary_of_terms#ISO 639-3|ISO 639-3]] standard: //oci//

==== Language vitality according to: ====
^ [[https://en.wal.unesco.org/languages/occitan|UNESCO]] ^ [[https://www.ethnologue.com/language/oci|Ethnologue]] ^ [[http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/945|Endangered Languages]] ^  [[https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/occi1239|Glottolog]]  ^
|  {{:endangerment:blue.png|Potentially vulnerable}}  |  {{:endangerment:orange.png|Endangered}}  |  {{:endangerment:yellow.png|Endangered}}  |  {{:endangerment:green.png|not endangered}}  |
==== Linguistic aspects: =====
  * Classification: //Indo-European// → //Italic//. For more information, see [[http://http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/occi1239/|occi1239]] at [[http://glottolog.org/|Glottolog]]
  * Script: //Latin//

==== Language standardization ====
There is no standard orthography (([[http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/Occitan/Occitan.html|Orbilat - "Occitan Language"]])).





===== Demographics =====

==== Language Area ====

Occitan is best known as a language spoken in France, but it is also spoken in parts of Monaco, Spain and Italy. In Italy it is spoken in the Piedmont region in the upper valleys (Val Mairo, Val Varacho, Val d'Esturo, Entraigas, Limoun, Vinai, Pignerol and Sestriero). It is also spoken in the Imperia province of the Liguria region and it is perhaps spoken in Calabria in the Guardia Piemontese (([[https://www.ethnologue.com/language/oci|Ethnologue - "Occitan"]])).
==== Speaker numbers ====
The exact speaker numbers are not known. The population of the Occitan region in Italy is about 100.000. However, the estimated amount of speakers across all regions where Occitan is spoken is only 218,310, with 110.000 of these speakers living in the French Occitan region (([[https://www.ethnologue.com/language/oci|Ethnologue - "Occitan"]])).


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====== Education of the language ======
===== History of language education =====
In the past there have been schools that offered Occitan as a subject. At all of these schools the subject was extracurricular (([[https://www.uoc.edu/euromosaic/web/document/occita/an/i3/i3.html#3.1 | Institut de Sociolingüística Catalana - "Occitan in Italy"]])). One of the schools where it was taught, was the school of Santa Lucia di Monterosso Grana. At the school of Guardia Piemontese primary pupils and pupils at the first stage of secondary education could take up four hours of Occitan outside official school hours. This initiative received some support from the provincial authorities, from the Comunità Montana dell'Appennino and from the local authorities. In the Chisone valley there were also optional courses offered outside of school hours. The Soulestrelh association and the Saluzzo education office organized in-service courses on Occitan language and culture for teachers,
 but this was in 1993 (([[https://www.uoc.edu/euromosaic/web/document/occita/an/i3/i3.html#3.1 | Institut de Sociolingüística Catalana - "Occitan in Italy"]])). It is unclear whether these options still exist now.

In the past finance through the government of Italy was possible, due to the laws from 1999 protecting and promoting the use of minority languages in Italy. This finance could also be used for teacher training. The idea came from the Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (the Ministry of Education, University and Research) (([[http://hubmiur.pubblica.istruzione.it/web/istruzione/cm64_08 | MIUR - "Piano di interventi e di finanziamenti per la realizzazione di progetti nazionali e locali nel campo dello studio delle lingue e delle tradizioni culturali appartenenti ad una minoranza linguistica" (Legge 15 dicembre 1999, n. 482 art. 5) a. s. 2008/09.]]))


===== Legislation of language education =====

The Occitan language community has been recognized in Italy as a 'historical language minority' since 1999 (([[http://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm | Italian Parliament (1988). "Norme in materia di tutela delle minoranze linguistiche storiche", Legge 15 Dicembre 1999, n. 482, Art. 2, comma 1.]])). Occitan is not recognised as a regional language in the region where it is spoken, however usage of the language is being promoted and a law ensuring so has been passed and implemented in 2009 (([[http://arianna.consiglioregionale.piemonte.it/base/coord/c2009011.html | Consiglio Regionale del Piemonte (2009). "Valorizzazione e promozione della conoscenza del patrimonio linguistico e culturale del Piemonte", Legge regionale 7 aprile 2009, n. 11, Art. 1]])). The older law, from 1999, also ensures that "its usage is allowed in the administration, education, and media anywhere local authorities choose to request so" ((Latin Union. (2011). //Occitan.// Soroso. [[http://www.sorosoro.org/en/occitan/]].)).\\

The 1999 law and recognition and promotion of minority languages was well-received and according to Van der Jeught (2016) it deserves more attention and international acclaim. He says that "it strikes an ingenious balance between issues of national cohesion and unity, protection of minorities and territorialism, involving also the local (municipal) level. Italy has managed to make a clean break with an uneasy and even violent past in this respect, and could serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges" (([[http://www.ecmi.de/fileadmin/downloads/publications/JEMIE/2016/van_der_Jeught.pdf | Jeught, S. van der. (2016). The Protection of Linguistic Minorities in Italy: A Clean Break with the Past. Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe. Vol 15, No 3, 2016, 57-81.]])).


Italy has signed the European Charter for Regional or minority Languages, but it has yet to ratify the charter.
===== Institutional support for education of the language: =====
There are various institutes that vouch for the preservation of the Occitan language. The institutes that are based in Italy are listed below. This list was based on information from Sorosoro ((Latin Union. (2011). //Occitan.// Soroso. [[http://www.sorosoro.org/en/occitan/]].)). There are many more institutes, mostly international, that support Occitan language and culture.

  * [[http://www.espaci-occitan.org/|Associazione Culturale Occitano]] – Guardiola \\ The Espaci Occitan Association "deals with the promotion of Occitan culture, particularly in terms of language, music, dance, traditions and territory."((Associazione Espaci Occitan. (n.d.) //Chi Siamo.// [http://www.espaci-occitan.org/associazione/chi-siamo/]].))
  * [[http://www.chambradoc.it/chambraDoc.page| Chambra d'Oc]]\\ La Chambra d’Oc "is a cultural association whose main purpose is the protection, promotion and dissemination of the Occitan and Franco-Provençal and French languages."((Chambra d'Oc. (n.d.) Chi Siamo. Chambra d'Oc. [[http://www.chambradoc.it/associazioneInfo.page]].))
  * [[http://www.coumboscuro.org/centre_prouvencal/index.php | Combouscuro Cèntre Prouvençal]]\\ "The association's aim is to safeguard and enhance the culture, literature, history of European traditions - with particular reference to the Provencal language and culture - through every form of activity and action that guarantees its promotion, dissemination and enhancement. In particular, this action is carried out through the organization of events, manifestations, public conferences, refresher courses, competitions, exhibition reviews, festivals, publishing of information journals, printed matter, editorial and record products of all kinds, didactic and training actions."((Coumboscuro Centre Prouvençal. (n.d.). //Centro Internazionale di Cultura Edizione Spettacolo// Coumboscuro Centre Prouvençal.[[http://www.coumboscuro.org/centre_prouvencal/index.php]].))
  * [[http://www.espaci-occitan.com/ | Èspaci Occitan]]\\ Èspaci Occitan "aims to defend and promote the Occitan language and culture in the department of Hautes-Alpes and Alpes de Haute Provence, but also throughout the PACA region."((Espaci Occitan. (n.d.). //Bienvenu sur le site officiel de l'Institut d'Etudes Occitanes 04-05//. Espaci Occitan. [[https://www.espaci-occitan.com/]].))
  * [[http://www.lavaladdo.it/ | La Valaddo]]\\  La Valaddo "has been particularly active in the cultural and environmental field, with particular reference to the activities of protection and enhancement of historical linguistic minorities, with a view to collaboration with entities, institutions, individuals and other cultural associations."((La Valaddo. (n.d.) //Benvenuto.// L'Associazione Culturale "La Valaddo" .[[http://www.lavaladdo.it/chi-siamo.html]].))
  * Movimento Autonomista Occitano 
  * [[http://www.chambradoc.it/ousitanioVivo/cheCosEOusitanioVivo.page | Ousitanìo Vivo]]\\ 
  * [[https://lousoulestrei.com/soulestrelh/|Soulestrelh]]\\ An association "with the purpose to protect and promote the Occitan language and culture. Its area of activity includes all the Occitan Alpine Valleys of Piedmont (provinces of Turin and Cuneo)."((Lou Soulestrel. (n.d.) //Soulestrel//. [[https://lousoulestrei.com/soulestrelh/]].))
  * Valados Usitanos
==== Language learning materials: ====
Teaching material for all ages is available, although perhaps this material is not always easy to find. Most of the material is already older than 10 years. A good example of a book suitable for use in primary education is [[http://www.chambradoc.it/catalogDOc/chantarJuarEDan-ccedilarL-rsquoapprendimentoDellaLinguaOccit.page|"Chantar, juar e dançar: L’apprendimento della lingua occitana nella scuola dell’infanzia e primaria attraverso esperienze ludiche"]].
===== Education presence =====
Education in the language is possible only when schools are interested. As mentioned above, there is teaching material available for all ages. However, there are very few schools that offer education in Occitan and the courses that are available are extracurricular.

[[http://www.minoranze-linguistiche-scuola.it/occitano/ | Lingue di Minoranza e Scuola]] //(broken link) //lists some schools and ongoing projects that focus on the Occitan language. It includes the following schools:
  * Istituto comprensivo di Cervasca
  * Istituto comprensivo di Corigliano d'Otranto Lecce
  * Istituto comprensivo "Don Milani" di Paesana
  * Istituto comprensivo "F. Marro" di Villar Perosa
  * Istituto comprensivo "L. Murialdo" di Ceres
===== Online learning resources =====

Online learning resources for Occitan are widely available. Most of these are from French institutions such as the [[https://ieo-oc.org/?lang=fr|Institut d'Estudis Occitans]]. \\ However, there are  Italian institutions promoting and preserving the language as well. Below are some links to the websites where you can find online learning resources.

  * [[http://www.chambradoc.it/chambraDoc.page | Chambra d'Oc]], with [[http://www.chambradoc.it/insegnamentoOn-line.page| online lessons]]
  * [[http://www.librinlinea.it/search/public/appl/list.php?search_string=&submit=cerca&adv_search=y&from_search=1&ord=numero_visualizzazioni|online Occitan library]] with more than 3 million sources, in several languages.
  * [[http://www.occitania.online.fr/aqui.comenca.occitania/en-oc.html|Occitania]] list of words English/Occitan.
  * [[http://occitan.provencal.free.fr/index_uk.php|Occitan on Langoland]] list of words English/Occitan, sorted per theme.
  * [[http://www.languedoc-france.info/190312_sayings.htm|Langue D'Oc]] list with sayings.
  * [[http://www.aprenemloccitan.com/ | Aprenem l’occitan! L’occitan je m’y mets]] with an overview of courses in the region. 

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====== Presence of the language outside of education ======
The Occitan language is surprisingly present in the media. Most of the media is based in France, but there is Italian media that includes the Occitan language as well. The Occitan media coming from Italy consists almost solely of papers and magazines, therefore a seperate list was created below. This information was taken from Sorosoro ((Latin Union. (2011). //Occitan.// Soroso. [[http://www.sorosoro.org/en/occitan/]].)), where you can find a list of all Occitan media.

===== Papers and magazines =====
  * **A Vastera** - A quadrimestral journal including 10-20% of text in Occitan;
  * **Coumboscuro** - A monthly bilingual publication (Provençal/Italian) including 20% of text in Occitan;
  * **La Valaddo** - A trimestral trilingual journal (Provençal/Italian/French) issued in the Provence and Occitan Italian valleys  (see [[http://www.alpimedia.it/lavaladdo |La Valaddo]]);
  * **Novel Temp** - A quadrimestral issue including 20-30% of text in Occitan;
  * **Ousitanio Vivo / Occitania Viva** - A political monthly review in French, Italian and 20-30% Occitan;
  * **R Nid’Aiigura** - A semestral journal including 10-20% of text in Occitan;
  * **Soulestrelh** - A quadrimestral issue including some text in Occitan;
  * **Valados Usitanos** - A quadrimestral cultural review including 20-30 % of text in Occitan.

For a more complete list including the publications issued in France and Spain, please visit [[http://www.sorosoro.org/en/occitan/ | Sorosoro]].