Can anyone explain this about the Provencal language of France?

Question

In Spain , the Galician and Catalan languages are cherished & spoken proudly by those regions. w/radio, TV , books & media & education in those languages. These Latin derivatives are alive & well.

What exactly happened in France with the Provencal language of the South, this ancient latinate tongue once spoken all along the coast and southern portion of France.?? Why did it get shunned & ignored. Why don't these natives of Nice, marseilles, Arles, and all of southern France speak it proudly and use it fluently?? It is a beautiful-sounding Latin language, far nice than the stuffy nasal Gothic sound of regular French. Why even in Italy, regional languages, like Venizian, Sardinian, etc. are still around and are not shunned.

Anyone care to explain the demise of Provencal in France, once so widespread and now nearly dead?? And in France today, where would one hear it spoken naturally??? Any ideas????

A baffling puzzle - among the Latinate derivatives.

I can only agree with your observation but We must add that the population of southern France, unlike the northern Spaniard, lacked a fierce pride in their language & traditions. They themselves shied away from using their beautiful provencal language in daily life. As if they were ASHAMED of Provencal. They were as much responsible as the Kings of france themselves. In Spain, Franco tried to eradicate the Basque, Galician & Catalan cultures, but he never succeeded. The temperament of the southern French must be very timid and lacking in regional pride. Provencal was such an important language in the history of France (the troubadours, and much more).. what a shame!!!

Answer 1

Well, it is in France. The French Academy (L'Académie française) is charged with maintaining the 'purity' of the French language. In so doing, they have stifled any normal growth of the language by refusing to accept 'borrowed' words fron other languages. They would rather coin four or five word phrases of 'pure' French than use a one-word borrowing. Never mind that French itself is a bastard version of Latin larded with Celtic, Germanic, Gothic, and who knows what else.

To the Academy, Provencal/Rousillon/Languedoc are infections that are a threat to classic French that must be removed. The Academy gives no support to maintaining the languages other then their version of French. Without some governmental help or at least recognition, they are withering. It's sad.

ADDED: You make a good point. To the Catalans and Galegos, the language was a rallying point. Speaking it gave them a feeling of unity and pride, and that was an in-your-face response to Franco. But east of the Pyrenees, this same spirit seemed absent. Perhaps, in a warped way, Franco helped preserve the languages of Spain. His drastic actions caused the people to come together and spurred effort toward maintaining the minority languages. In France, the government never came down with such a heavy hand. instead just maintaining callous indifference. Maybe Provencal just needed a spark, a rallying point - and never got one.