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Jèrriais Language Strategy 2022 to 2025

​Stratégie du Jèrriais 2022 to 2025

Jèrriais Language Strategy 2022 to 2025

Avant-propos (Foreword)

The 20th century was enormously hard on Jèrriais, which is my national language that I’ve sadly, never been able to speak. The 21st century however, is already looking increasingly positive and this strategy is the next step forward in developing a vibrant future for Jèrriais.

For the first time in my lifetime, it feels as though we’re making real progress in the development of Jèrriais and whilst there is still a very long road to travel before we can say that the language’s future is secure, there are exciting signs that the goal is actually achievable.

This 2022 to 2025 strategy builds on the work of the 2017 to 2019 Jèrriais Plan, which led to significant growth in the number of learners of all ages and saw the launch of La Fête du Jèrriais and the translation of 3 children’s books, which have been distributed to over 3000 children.

As a result of the excellent work and incredible enthusiasm of everyone at L’Office du Jèrriais in developing this strategy, we can expect to see a range of initiatives in the coming years that will help deliver on its 5 themes and will ensure that Jèrriais remains a living language that is relevant to Islanders in the 21st century.

Among those initiatives are:

  • an early-years programme
  • a cross-curricular Jèrriais programme in schools
  • online lessons for adults and younger students

The government also has a role to play in building on the success of these past years by seeking ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, in respect of Jèrriais. This is something that is being worked on at the moment and which will help ensure future governments are bound to continue to support our Island’s language. 

There’s no doubt in my mind that continuing political support is vital if we are ever to reach a point where Jèrriais might sustain itself. Happily, in the few years that I’ve been a States Member, I’ve seen crucial support offered from the Assembly. Notably from my predecessor in the role of Assistant Minister, Deputy Montfort Tadier, who continues to champion the language and whose successful amendment ensured that Jèrriais became one of three official languages of the States. 

That amendment was a development of a successful proposition that places a responsibility on the Government to use the public sector to promote Jèrriais. As a result, we are already seeing the language appear around us on letterheads, signs and so on, all of which raises its profile and ensures Islanders are aware of its importance. Making the language visible is a vital step forward and one in which the States has a key role to play.

Despite all this great work, the fact is that Jèrriais remains endangered and will require significant ongoing support to survive and thrive. I passionately believe that this can be done and that Jèrriais will have an increasingly important role to play as a key cultural component of our Island community that all Islanders can enjoy and be proud of using. 

This strategy gives me enormous hope that the darkest days for our language are in the past and that a wonderful future for it lies ahead.

Deputy Kirsten Morel
Assistant Minister with Responsibility for Culture

Întroduction (Introduction)

The first Jèrriais Plan 2017 to 2019 was presented to the States of Jersey on 16 June 2017 by the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture. Since then, great strides have been taken to implement the ambitions of that plan and the revitalisation of Jèrriais is gaining momentum.

Good progress has been made in increasing the number of students learning the language at every age. More social opportunities to use Jèrriais have been established and the status of the language has been elevated.

The Government of Jersey has demonstrated a firm commitment to supporting Jèrriais by adopting it as an official language and agreeing to implement bilingual branding. This commitment has been further cemented by a pledge to fund the expansion of the Jèrriais teaching service. The Government Plan 2020 to 2023 states:

“We are acting to deliver on the strategic policies to which the States Assembly has agreed, as well as on its decisions for funding for arts, culture and heritage, to protect Jèrriais and to confront the climate emergency.

Recognising the importance of Jèrriais to our Island culture, we will provide funding to enhance the Jèrriais teaching service, to cover up to seven members of staff and cover teaching and other costs during 2020 to 2023.”   

While significant progress has been made, there is still much work to be done and the Jèrriais Language Strategy 2022 to 2025 outlines the aims and objectives for the immediate future of the language.

A concerted effort will be needed to bring relevant parties together to ensure endeavours are coordinated and in line with the aims of this strategy. Foremost amongst those aims is the need to increase the acquisition of the language by growing the number of learners and, ultimately, speakers.

In order to provide additional incentives to learn Jèrriais, initiatives will need to be developed that provide opportunities to increase the use of the language outside the classroom.

As well as the importance of being able to hear and speak more Jèrriais, the increased visibility of the language will be vital in motivating islanders to learn their native tongue. This strategy suggests ways in which the status of Jèrriais could be enhanced further.

Underpinning these aims is the essential task of developing the corpus of Jèrriais. That is, undertaking work that contributes to a comprehensive linguistic picture of the language and ensuring that Jèrriais continues to develop and evolve, as all living languages must.

At this crucial juncture for Jèrriais, the immediate challenge is to establish a critical mass of learners, such that a sufficient level of interest can be maintained in the language, while stabilising and ultimately reversing the decline in the number of speakers.

Coupled with this is the need to provide ample opportunity for Jèrriais learners to exercise their language skills, supported by a rich body of material and resources.

Vîsion (Vision)

Our vision is that Jèrriais will be:

Spoken

Jèrriais will be learned and used by people of all ages. We will give the children of Jersey the best start in life with all the cognitive benefits of multilingualism.

Shared

Jèrriais will be celebrated as part of what makes Jersey unique. It is part of our cultural identity as a small Island nation and has the ability to bring us together, connect us to our environment and attract visitors to our island.

Supported

Jèrriais will be valued by our community, businesses and government. Our language will bring social, economic and educational benefits to Jersey.

Sustained

Jèrriais will thrive with the commitment of people from across the community, be they native speakers, learners or enthusiasts. Together, we will ensure Jèrriais develops as a living language.

Direction stratégique (Strategic direction)

The strategic direction of L’Office du Jèrriais is aligned to the:

  • Education Business Plan 2015 and Business Plan Update 2017 to 2019
  • Government of Jersey Common Strategic Policy 2018 to 2020
  • Government of Jersey Government Plan 2022 to 2025
  • Draft Heritage Strategy 2021
  • Government of Jersey Language Policy for Jersey Education 2022
  • Government of Jersey Early Years Foundation Stage

The branding of L’Office du Jèrriais covers the developing:

  • Jèrriais Teaching Service (JTS) at Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES)
  • Jèrriais Promotion Team (JPJH) at Jersey Heritage, using intellectual property by agreement of Le Don Balleine Incorporated Association

Education Business Plan

The key objective for curriculum in the Education Business Plan 2015 is: ‘To reshape the Island’s curriculum so that children and young people can not only achieve recognised qualifications but also understand and learn from Jersey’s history and culture and benefit from a vocational programme aligned to the Island’s economy and economic needs.’

Actions from 2015 included collaborating with cultural services and accessing local expertise in order to ‘provide an entitlement for children and young people… to learn about local history, geography and culture in the Jersey Curriculum’, supported with the introduction of a ‘Jersey Cultural Passport’. The Jèrriais Teaching Service is supporting schools in delivering this entitlement through the provision of extra-curricular Jèrriais language lessons, as well as working with the School Improvement and Advisory Service to look at how Jèrriais can be incorporated into humanities subjects. Furthermore, the Teaching Service has been liaising with Jersey Heritage and National Trust for Jersey and Jèrriais now features in an increasing number of their publications produced for children.

A review into how languages are taught in schools was launched in 2018 with the aim of ensuring more children in Jersey have the opportunity to learn and enjoy using ‘a range of other languages, including Jèrriais’. Actions from 2015 included agreeing a ‘single island-wide approach to the teaching and learning of languages in primary schools’ and the Jèrriais Teaching Service has been working with the French Lead Teacher to ensure a pedagogical approach that is consistent with the teaching of other languages in Island schools.

Furthermore, the Teaching Service has forged strong links with Jersey Library and is working to help ‘support informal life-long learning… and opportunities to explore and be creative’. Jèrriais taster sessions have taken place at the library and some well-known picture books have been translated into Jèrriais for younger learners to enjoy. L’Office du Jèrriais has also had a presence at Library events such as the Local History Fair.

Government of Jersey Common Strategic Policy

Jèrriais has a part to play in helping the Government of Jersey achieve each of the 5 strategic priorities within its Common Strategic Policy.

The Policy aims to put children first ‘by improving their educational outcomes’ and giving them ‘the best start in life’ so they go on to ‘fulfil their potential’. As stated in the Jèrriais Plan 2017 to 2019 there is evidence to suggest that language learning and bilingualism has cognitive benefits. When the Jèrriais Teaching Service visited bilingual co-educational comprehensive secondary school Ysgol Brynhyfryd in Ruthin in 2018, headteacher Geraint Parry highlighted the advantage of bilingualism for Welsh learners. Recently, the school celebrated the highest GCSE and A Level results in Denbighshire, exceeding results achieved by children in English medium schools.

The Government of Jersey ‘plans to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)’. Article 30 of the UNCRC gives children ‘the right to learn about and practice their own culture, language and religion’. In addition, Article 31 gives children the right to ‘join in a wide range of cultural… activities’. The Jèrriais Teaching Service offers children in Jersey these opportunities by enabling them to learn about their culture through the Island’s indigenous language. The high level of uptake of lessons in primary schools and the popularity of new adult classes demonstrates that there is demand for cultural enrichment in the form of Jèrriais language learning.

The Government of Jersey aims to ‘improve Islanders’ wellbeing and mental and physical health’ through ‘investment in sport, culture and the environment’. L’Office du Jèrriais is one of the community interest groups and organisations that already works to improve Islanders’ wellbeing by organising social activities and supporting initiatives that celebrate our culture and promote social cohesion. For example, L’Office co-ordinates conversation groups in different parts of the Island that enable elderly Jèrriais speakers to meet and talk together on a regular basis, while also giving them the opportunity to socialise with younger learners. L’Office has also collaborated with Jersey Heritage on the creation of a Jèrriais version of the Memory Box app, designed to help ‘stimulate memories and start conversations’.

In addition, the Teaching Service has been working to reinvigorate the Jèrriais section of the Jersey Eisteddfod with the introduction of two new classes in 2018. The opportunity to take part in a Dramatic Presentation and join in with Choral Singing encouraged much greater participation and a larger audience in November 2018 and for two years running St Ouen’s Parish Hall was full to capacity.

The Strategic Policy aims to create a ‘sustainable, vibrant economy’ by enhancing the Island’s ‘international profile’ and promoting ‘our Island identity beyond financial services’. Jèrriais is unique and has an important role to play in promoting and protecting Jersey’s interests and international profile. Examples such as Cornwall and the Isle of Man demonstrate how difference has value and garners interest. Jersey’s language is what sets it apart. A great deal of progress has been made in terms of raising the profile of Jèrriais and increasing its visibility. With the help of L’Office du Jèrriais the Government of Jersey has adopted bilingual English-Jèrriais branding, government departments are increasingly displaying bilingual signage and States Members are carrying bilingual cards. L’Office is also working with local businesses to help them exploit the Jèrriais language for promoting products and services.

Furthermore, as previously established, bilingualism boasts cognitive benefits and Jersey’s children have the opportunity to learn a variety of languages in schools, including Jèrriais. Such opportunities increase the chances of raising attainment and improving skills in the future local workforce.

The Government of Jersey aims to ‘reduce income inequality and improve the standard of living’. Part of this effort includes tackling loneliness and social exclusion by working with parishes and community groups to support the provision of social and cultural activities that bring different people together. A large percentage of the children choosing to take up Jèrriais lessons are of Polish and Portuguese heritage, demonstrating a desire among the migrant population to learn more about the island they have chosen for a home. Children have demonstrated greater pride and enthusiasm in learning the local language above other languages and students on the adult programme have reported feeling a growing sense of connection to Jersey since starting Jèrriais lessons.

The Strategic Policy aims to ‘protect and value’ as well as ‘improve the built environment, to retain the sense of place, culture and distinctive local identity’. Jèrriais is fundamental to this aim. L’Office du Jèrriais has been working with the Parish of St Helier to increase the visibility of Jèrriais in and around Town and offers a translation service to enable interested organisations to include Jèrriais in their branding and communications. Jèrriais also features in a number of Island publications including:

  • the JEP
  • Rural magazine
  • parish newsletters

In addition, l’Office has been working to develop closer relationships with other cultural organisations. The first annual Fête du Jèrriais took place in September 2018 and incorporated events from the Jersey Song Project and Festival of Words. The second festival took place in May 2019 in association with Jersey Heritage.

Draft Heritage Strategy

The Jersey Heritage Strategy aims to 'Realise the value of intangible heritage including Jèrriais in Island identity'. Jersey’s native language, experienced by Islanders on a daily basis, today mostly only through place-names, is arguably our most important intangible heritage asset, deeply intertwined with our environmental and cultural heritage.

Why we think this is important

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) includes the traditions, practices or living expressions of groups and communities, such as:

  • oral traditions
  • performing arts
  • social practices
  • rituals
  • festive events
  • traditional crafts

While these may not be tangible, they are a very important part of our cultural heritage. They are a living form of heritage which is continuously recreated, evolving as communities adapt their practices and traditions in response to their environment. It provides a sense of identity and belonging in relation to our own cultures which, in turn, promotes respect and understanding for the cultures of others. An inclusive approach to ICH respects the diversity of Jersey's communities and is referred to as 'ICH in Jersey' rather than 'Jersey ICH’.

Having established the post of Jèrriais Promotion Officer at Jersey Heritage in 2019 to work in collaboration with the Jèrriais Advisory Group and the Jèrriais Teaching Service at CYPES, the intention is to appoint additional staff to develop a small Jèrriais promotion team.

The results of new work on this programme will be:

Research to create an inventory of intangible heritage assets

The parameters of a national inventory of ICH in Jersey should accord with the 2003 UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage domains and be a reflection of ‘living’ practices and knowledge rather than a record of purely historical ICH.

Publication of the inventory

A flexible, customised Wiki-style database will allow the specification of the inventory to grow organically with its development mirroring the dynamic nature of ICH knowledge, allowing for monitoring and review of fragility. This will act as a prompt for early safeguarding intervention.

Safeguarding programmes for ICH through education

The use of the inventory for educational purposes will facilitate the transmission of ICH from generation to generation. Jersey Heritage will develop and publish a programme of support for practitioners.

Model Language Plan

Jersey Heritage will develop and implement a Language Plan as a model for roll out in public administration, including guidance on social and professional use of Jèrriais and public programmes to increase the visibility and status of Jèrriais.

Government of Jersey Language for Education Policy

The Government of Jersey will launch an important language policy in 2022 that aims to support multilingual learners in all educational settings in the Island. Through the implementation of this policy, Jèrriais will become more audible and visible in and beyond our educational settings as well as a logical addition to the linguistic repertoire of our learners. It is the aim of this policy that Jèrriais becomes fully integrated with Jersey’s curriculum, with the potential for students to receive instruction through the medium of Jèrriais. The use of languages other than English will be encouraged (home languages, Jèrriais and French) through the Island’s physical and digital environments. For example:

  • signage in multiple languages
  • quality dual language texts
  • visiting speakers

Schools and colleges will ensure that the linguistic landscape of the school celebrates the languages of their staff and students, as well as Jèrriais, as the local heritage language. Schools will, as is feasible, broaden their language teaching provisions to include the languages spoken by significant numbers of Jersey students, and the teaching of Jèrriais. The Jèrriais Teaching Service will provide support to schools in widening the scope of exposure to Jèrriais by providing:

  • teaching materials
  • support for special events
  • connections for Island-based field trips
  • experiential learning

Language teams responsible for EAL, MFL, the French Experience, and Jèrriais will work together to connect and enhance language teaching and learning across provisions.

Government of Jersey Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The Jèrriais Teaching Service will work more closely with Early Years services in future to help implement some of the aims of the EYFS. For example, Early Years practitioners will be encouraged to “include in their daily practice the principles laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; primarily that all children have the right to an education that lays a foundation for the rest of their lives, maximises their ability and respects their family, cultural and other identities and languages.” 

Facilitating access to Jèrriais will also help to ensure that “children have many opportunities to experience a rich and stimulating language environment to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves,” and that “children are supported and encouraged to speak and listen in range of situations.” The Jèrriais Teaching Service will also offer support to care and educational settings in ensuring that, “displays and resources reflect and promote the language and development of the cohort” and that “practitioners can access CPD opportunities based around supporting children’s language development and these are embedded into daily practice.”  

Thèmes et Întentions (Themes and Aims)

Theme 1: Language acquisition

Language acquisition: to increase the number of Jèrriais speakers.

Language acquisition is the most obvious and pressing goal for any language revitalisation programme. Jèrriais will survive when new learners emerge who then go on to become the speakers of the future. A concerted effort will be made to grow the numbers of learners in as many schools as possible, initially in Key Stage 2, but in the medium to long term it will be important to ensure that children in pre-school and early years settings are exposed to the language. In addition to young students, it will be necessary to teach adults so that a critical mass of learners can be established, thereby stabilising the language and eventually reversing the decline in the number of speakers. A digital platform for learning Jèrriais will offer learners the flexibility they need and, in the long term, an option to offer an accredited qualification will be explored, initially at GCSE level.

Aim 1.1

Increase the number of children and young people learning Jèrriais by:

  • continuing to develop and expand the Jèrriais education programme within schools
  • developing opportunities for very young children to learn Jèrriais. For example, in pre-schools, nurseries, and parent-toddler groups
  • securing a place for Jèrriais in the Jersey Curriculum
  • creating opportunities to enable children and young people to gain an appreciation of the social, cultural, geographical and historical influence of the Jèrriais language

Aim 1.2

Increase the number of adults learning Jèrriais by:

  • further developing an adult education programme

Aim 1.3

Work towards offering accredited qualifications in the Jèrriais language by:

  • working with other minority language groups to research and explore the possibility of offering a GCSE equivalent qualification in Jèrriais

Aim 1.4

Create a digital platform for learning Jèrriais by:

  • developing a Jèrriais Language Learning App
  • creating an online learning resource for Jèrriais

Theme 2: Language use

Language use: to increase the social and professional use of Jèrriais.

Language acquisition cannot happen in a vacuum and so it will be vital that learners are incentivised to learn Jèrriais by developing a number of opportunities for Language Use. Students of Jèrriais will be more motivated to learn knowing that they will have an outlet for their new found language skills. Having the chance to listen, converse and perform using Jèrriais will help to foster a sense of purpose amongst learners that will enable them to feel that their endeavours are meaningful and worthwhile. Genuine revitalisation is achieved when the language becomes used widely beyond the four walls of the classroom. Demonstrating that we value Jèrriais by using it widely will bring confidence and a sense of pride to those learners passionate enough to take an interest in the heritage and culture of their island.

Aim 2.1

Increase the number, variety and locations of settings where Jèrriais can be learned and spoken socially by:

  • recruiting and coordinate volunteers to organise social events
  • developing a variety of social opportunities for Jèrriais use that will appeal to a wide demographic; families, children, young people and adults
  • developing initiatives to encourage the use of Jèrriais in the home and amongst family and community members
  • offering professional development and enrichment opportunities to workplaces

Aim 2.2

Increase and develop the use of Jèrriais on social media platforms by:

  • increasing the visibility of the Jèrriais brand on social media and expand use to platforms that reach a younger audience. For example, Instagram and TikTok
  • encouraging young people to increase their use of Jèrriais on social media platforms

Aim 2.3

Increase and develop the use of Jèrriais in local media by:

  • working with radio, online and print media to increase the prevalence of Jèrriais and developing a greater variety of content that appeals to a wider demographic

Aim 2.4

Increase and develop the use of Jèrriais in terms of arts and entertainment by:

  • developping and expanding the programme of La Fête du Jèrriais
  • developping stronger links with local arts, culture and heritage organisations and community groups
  • continuing to publish contemporary literature that will reach a wider demographic
  • encouraging the use of Jèrriais by local artists, creatives and sports organisations
  • continuing to diversify the Jèrriais Section of the Jersey Eisteddfod in order to encourage greater participation and attract larger audiences

Theme 3: Language status

Language status: to increase the visibility and status of Jèrriais.

Another important factor in motivating learners is that of Language Status. As well as having opportunities to use Jèrriais, it will be important for learners that the language gains greater prominence in public life. Furthermore, according a higher profile to Jèrriais demonstrates to visitors and those beyond our shores that we have a unique identity and cultural heritage of which we can all feel proud. Learning from and working with other jurisdictions with programmes in place to revitalise their own minority languages will be invaluable in providing the support needed to help Jèrriais thrive. Applying good practice from around the world will ensure that efforts to revitalise Jèrriais can be maximised.

Aim 3.1

Increase the status of the Jèrriais language by:

  • securing ratification for Jèrriais and measure progress against the benchmark of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages 
  • building relationships and work with colleagues involved in the revitalisation of other minority languages
  • representing Jèrriais externally by engaging with the work of:
    • the British Irish Council
    • the European Language Equality Network
    • Cambridge University
    • Région Normandie

Aim 3.2

Increase the use of Jèrriais by the Government of Jersey and by the wider public, private and voluntary sectors by:

  • supporting government departments in adopting an appropriate Jèrriais language plan tailored to their internal and external activities
  • supporting government in strengthening its guidance for publicly funded bodies, and in using its influence with utilities and other bodies to normalise use of Jèrriais 
  • working with CYPES to facilitate signage and usage of Jèrriais in schools and other facilities within its remit 
  • developping the use of Jèrriais in bilingual signage, letter-headings, publications, websites and social media in both the public and private sectors
  • lobbying and raising awareness in support of the wider use of Jèrriais as a unique selling point that can add value to Jersey’s economy

Aim 3.3

Increase the visibility of Jèrriais in and around the local environment by:

  • working with parishes to increase the use and visibility of Jèrriais in signage, communications and branding
  • encouraging engagement with Jèrriais by parish communities with the support of parish administrations

Theme 4: Language Corpus

Language Corpus: to standardise Jèrriais and ensure it develops as a living language.

Whilst there exists a significant body of Jèrriais literature, it will be vital to ensure that work continues on enriching the Language Corpus. Extensive work has been undertaken in recording native speakers, a precious resource Jèrriais is very fortunate to possess. This work must be continued and intensified without delay, given the critical situation of the language. Comprehensive lexical and grammatical titles will be essential in offering future learners invaluable reference material with which to further their knowledge of Jèrriais. In addition to this, the important role of the Jèrriais Language Academy must be developed in ensuring that a standard written form of Jèrriais is agreed and that relevant vocabulary is established for future use.

Aim 4.1

Develop the Jèrriais Promotion team at Jersey Heritage:

  • the Jèrriais Promotion team to lead the development of Language Corpus

Aim 4.2

Develop a standard written form of Jèrriais by:

  • developing the role of the Jèrriais Language Academy
  • offering a platform to revitalise Jèrriais literature and literacy by establishing a regular publication that seeks contributions from across the Jèrriais speaking community
  • providing an official translation service to government, with requests being directed to Jèrriais Promotion at Jersey Heritage in the first instance 
  • providing translation guidance and, where practical, a translation service for  commercial bodies, private individuals and the voluntary sector

Aim 4.3

Create a searchable, editable online repository for Jèrriais by:

  • creating searchable, online dictionaries

Aim 4.4

Publish new comprehensive grammar materials for Jèrriais by

  • producing a contemporary and accessible grammar text for Jèrriais

Aim 4.5

Capture the voices and stories of native Jèrriais speakers by:

  • creating both audio and audio-visual recordings of native Jèrriais speakers
  • telling the story of the Jèrriais language in the form of a documentary film

Theme 5: Language planning

Language planning: to centralise and coordinate efforts surrounding the Jèrriais language.

Language Planning underpins all the other themes in this strategy and will be central to the success of the revitalisation of the Jèrriais language. As such, the Jèrriais Language Strategy 2022 to 2025 sets out a series of ambitious yet achievable targets that will need to be met if the language is to continue on its current upward trajectory towards significant revitalisation. A coordinated effort is key to ensuring that the considerable passion and energy of staff, volunteers and enthusiasts can be harnessed and deployed in an effective and meaningful way.

Aim 5.1

Bring all interested parties together to identify clearly defined roles and responsibilities and ensure a coordinated effort by:

  • developing, implementing and maintaining a language plan framework for Jèrriais, to be applied by government departments and other bodies
  • bringing the Jèrriais Teaching Service under the stewardship of CYPES
  • developing the roles of Jèrriais Head of Service and Jèrriais Promotion Officer as  central points of contact for respective functions
  • continuing to train and support Jèrriais teachers, as well as recruit and train additional teachers
  • continuing to train and support Jèrriais promotion staff, as well as recruit and train additional staff
  • employing a part-time administrative officer to coordinate and assist with promotional and educational efforts
  • implementing the aims of the Jèrriais Language Strategy and evaluate outcomes
  • placing Jèrriais at the heart of a Jersey Schools Language Policy
  • placing Jèrriais at the heart of Jersey Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategies
  • developing the role of the Jèrriais Advisory Group (JAG)

Aim 5.2

Identify and develop funding streams to support the programme of work by:

  • seeking and securing additional funding for extraordinary projects

Êpilogue (Afterword)

Jèrriais is in the DNA of Jersey. To quote Professor of Linguistics, Paul Birt, “There are few languages I know with such a richness of expression, some of her idioms are poetry…Jèrriais belongs to Jersey, and without it Jersey would, I believe, stop being Jersey.” We have an opportunity now to reanimate a vital part of our culture, comprised of thousands of words, poems, stories and histories in a language that traces its origins back to the time of William the Conqueror, himself a speaker of a close linguistic cousin of Jèrriais.

At a time when identity seems to have taken on a renewed significance, despite being increasingly difficult to define, Jèrriais can instil in all inhabitants of Jersey a sense of belonging, a means of feeling part of their community in a way that arguably no other cultural phenomenon can. Jèrriais can be an integral part of our Island identity, promoted by businesses and organisations and used as a unique selling point to those beyond our shores. Our precious language can play a significant role in fostering social cohesion and a sense of self-confidence amongst Islanders and, as such, we should treasure it, nurture it and be proud of it.

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