Occitan language

Occitan (English pronunciation: /ˈɒksᵻtən, -tæn, -tɑːn/;Occitan: [utsiˈta];French: [ɔksitɑ̃]), also known as lenga d'òc (Occitan: [ˈleŋɡɔ ˈðɔ(k)]; French: langue d'oc) by its native speakers, is a Romance language. It is spoken in southern France, Italy's Occitan Valleys, Monaco, and Spain's Val d'Aran; collectively, these regions are sometimes referred to unofficially as Occitania. Occitan is also spoken in the linguistic enclave of Guardia Piemontese (Calabria, Italy). However, there is controversy about the unity of the language, as some think that Occitan is a macrolanguage. Others include Catalan in this family, as the distance between this language and some Occitan dialects (as the Gascon language) is similar to the distance among different Occitan dialects. In fact, Catalan was considered an Occitan dialect until the end of the 19th century.

Today Occitan is an official language in Catalonia, where a subdialect of Gascon known as Aranese is spoken in the Val d'Aran. Occitan's closest relative is Catalan. Since September 2010, the Parliament of Catalonia has considered Aranese Occitan to be the officially preferred language for use in the Val d'Aran.

Occitan (local currency)

Occitan is the name of a community currency started in 2010 in Pézenas, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. It is named after the Occitan language.

The Occitan program is intended to promote local commerce. The Occitan operates with a fixed exchange rate: 1 Occitan = €1. There is a fixed commission of 4% for members (shops) and 6% for individuals.

Creation and objectives

An initiative of a local shopkeeper organization, ACA, the Occitan is intended to stimulate of local economy.

Currency issue, exchange and acceptance

They have a 1-year validity.

Bills of 1, 2, 5, and 10 Occitans are issued. They feature an Occitan cross and the portrait of Molière who started his career in Pézenas.

To maintain an individual bill's validity, a "scrip" corresponding to 2% of the banknote value must be paid every six months. (This system, called demurrage, is a form of currency circulation tax and was invented by Silvio Gesell.)

See also

References