Gallo is a regional language of France, traditionally spoken in Eastern Brittany.
In contrast to Breton, the Celtic language which is traditionally spoken in the Western territory of the country, Gallo is a Romance language, one of the Oïl languages (closely related to Norman, Picard and Poitevin-Saintongeais among others).
One of the metro stations of the Breton capital, Rennes, has bilingual signage in French and Gallo, but generally the Gallo language is not as visibly high-profile as the Breton language, even in its traditional heartland of the Pays Gallo (which includes the two historical capitals of Rennes and Nantes).
Although a written literary tradition exists, Gallo is more noted for extemporised story-telling and theatrical presentations. Given Brittany’s rich musical heritage, it is also the case that some contemporary performers produce a range of music sung in Gallo (See Music of Brittany).
The vocabulary of Gallo has been influenced by contact with Breton, but remains overwhelmingly Latinate.
Examples
| English
| Gallo
| French
|
| bee
| avètt
| abeille
|
| chair
| chaérr
| chaise
|
| cheese
| fórmaij
| fromage
|
| exit
| desort
| sortie
|
| to fall
| cheir
| choir (tomber)
|
| goat
| biq
| (chèvre)
|
| house
| ostèu
| (maison)
|
| lip
| lip
| lèvre
|
| mouth
| góll
| gueule [throat] (bouche)
|
| number
| limerot
| numéro
|
| pear
| peirr
| poire
|
| school
| escoll
| école
|
| squirrel
| chat-de-boéz
| chat-de-bois [wood cat] (écureuil)
|
| star
| esteill
| étoile
|
| timetable
| oryaer
| horaire
|
| to smoke
| betunae
| (fumer)
|
| today
| anoet
| (aujourd'hui)
|
| to whistle
| sublae
| siffler
|
