Abstract EN:

The area formerly placed under the authority of the archpriest of souvigny stretches along the left bank of the river allier from neuvy to the north, in "oil" speaking territory down to saint-germain-de-salles to the south, in "oc" speaking territory. A study of the vocabulary reveals the existence of rich and varied forms of local speech with relatively clear-cut borderlines. As regards phonetics, many of the "oc"-language characteristics only occur in the southernmost part of the area limited to the north by bayet : masculine part participle ending in (a), masculine endings in (a) contrasted with feminine endings in (o), infinitive ending in -a stemming from -are, numerous diphtongs. The consonant system also has its characteristics : final consonants dropped, (p) altered into intervocalic (pr), palatalization, initial (k) or (g) altered. As regards the lexis, two dividing lines delimitate areas in which different words going in pairs are used to name the same things. One line, running through monetay marks the boundary between the north of the area and its central and southern parts. The second line, running trough bayet contrasts words spoken in the north and center with words spoken in the south. Besides, isolate areas with apparently archaic speech forms can be delimited in the centre of the zone. The study therein throws light on the way the "oil" dialects and french language gradually spread southwards