What Is Occitan? Discover Its History and Unique Factors

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What is the Occitan language? While Occitan is sometimes associated with Spanish, it’s actually a separate language spoken in parts of France and Catalonia and is more closely related to French and Catalan. In Spain, it’s referred to as Aranese, and those who speak Occitan there are primarily from a small region called Val d’Aran. In France, the lower third of the country is home to many Occitan speakers.

Imagine yourself taking in the breathtaking views of the Pyrenees, with its natural beauty and charming villages, or wandering the picturesque towns in Provence—home to the Occitan language and its six dialects. Find out more about the heritage of these regions and whether basic French travel vocabulary will help you understand Occitan if you find yourself in an area where it’s still commonly spoken. 

What is Occitan? 

The Occitan language is a Romance language with its basis in Vulgar Latin. Occitan has six major dialects, all of which are identified as endangered or severely endangered by UNESCO. 

• Provençal
• Gascon
• Languedocien
• Limousin
• Alpine
• Auvergne

It’s also called la langue occitane (the Occitan language in French) and el occitano (Occitan in Spanish). People have referred to the general Occitan language as Provençal, but that is technically one of the six dialects. 

Where is Occitan spoken? 

The Occitan language doesn’t fit neatly within the borders of any one country. The region where it’s spoken straddles southern France, Italy, and Spain. Occitan is spoken primarily in rural areas of the southern third of France, Monaco, the Val d’Aran region in Spain, and the Occitan Valleys in Italy. It’s one of the official languages in Cataluña (Catalonia), and as a regional language has been declared part of French heritage by Article 75-1 of the 2008 Constitution.

According to a survey by the Ofici Public de la Lenga Occitana (OPLO), there were around 542,000 speakers of the language in 2020. This number included those who use it as a first language and those who say they can hold a basic conversation in Occitan without difficulty. Other noteworthy findings of the survey were that:

• More than half of Occitan speakers live in rural areas;
• The average age of Occitan speakers was 66 years;
• In Occitan-speaking regions, the average percentage of Occitan speakers fell to 7%, a few percentage points lower than the previous decade;
• The highest percentage of people who could speak Occitan in one region was in Val d’Aran in Spain, at 62%. 

The History of the Occitan language

Occitan has a rich history as the “lingua franca” (common language) of Southern France. It derived its name from the term Langue d’Oc (language of “Oc”), which referred to the way speakers in the South of France pronounced the word for “yes.” 

The language was once widely recognized among European nobility as the tongue in which troubadours, who frequently came to court, sang and wrote poetry. However, in 1539, King François signed the edict of Villers-Cotterêts to make French the official language of France.

From that point in French language history, official documents and government business were conducted in French. Occitan speakers continued to teach their children the language and communicate in Occitan at home and in villages throughout southern France. In 1863, even after three centuries of suppression by the government, much of the population in the French region of Dordogne still spoke Occitan.

In 1904, the Occitan poet Frédéric Mistra was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, and his work kicked off a revival of the language. In the early 20th century, however, the French government launched a campaign to standardize language across the country, and as a result, Occitan was not permitted to be taught in schools.

Is Occitan a dead language?

Not yet, but as a language named en danger sérieux de l’extinction (in serious danger of extinction) by UNESCO, it has an uncertain future. This is why advocates for the language are making plans and programs to prevent it being lost. 

In the 2020 survey, the Institut d’Estudis Occitans (Institute for Occitan Studies) found 92% of respondents were in favor of promoting the language. Ideas included increasing the presence of the language in the region, in the media, on public transports and signage, and in public education.

Some of these initiatives seem to have revived an interest in learning this regional language of France. 

Is Occitan closer to French or Spanish? 

The answer is neither, as it’s considered closest to Catalan. But if you speak another Romance language, you’re likely to see some similarities due to their shared roots in Vulgar Latin. In the table, you can see the similarities Occitan words share with Catalan, Spanish, and French. Explore the Glosbe online dictionary for more Occitan to English translations. 

The Occitan alphabet shares the same types of accent marks as French, and Occitan pronunciation features a lot of the same sounds as French and Spanish, so knowing one or the other would be helpful if you want to learn Occitan. 

Are Catalan and Occitan mutually intelligible? 

Because they are both Romance languages, Catalan and Occitan share many similarities in vocabulary and grammar. While the Occitan pronunciations of words do differ from Catalan, most speakers of Catalan can understand Occitan and vice versa.

Knowing more than one Romance language is a huge advantage in the regions where Occitan is spoken. Learning a language like Spanish and French can unlock partial comprehension of a language like Occitan, especially using a proven method like Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion, because the vocabulary and grammar is more likely to make sense and the information will stay with you long-term. 

Frequently asked questions about Occitan

Occitan is such an interesting language, you’re bound to be curious about more details.