Lo Pitit Prinço — in Vaudois.
Vaudois refers to the dialects of Franco-Provençal (also known as Arpitan) and French spoken in the Canton of Vaud, located in the western part of Switzerland. Vaudois is part of the wider spectrum of Arpitan dialects that were historically spoken across regions that are now parts of France, Italy, and Switzerland. Similar to other regional languages and dialects in this area, Vaudois has experienced varying degrees of influence from standard French, reflecting the complex linguistic heritage and ongoing language dynamics within the region.
Vaudois Arpitan dialects exhibit unique phonological, grammatical, and lexical characteristics that distinguish them from both standard French and neighbouring dialects. These include specific vowel sounds, verb conjugation patterns, and a vocabulary that contains words not found in standard French.
Given that French is the official language of the Canton of Vaud and is used in education, government, and the media, the Vaudois dialects have been significantly influenced by French. This has led to a degree of language shift, with many speakers being bilingual or favoring French in formal and public contexts.
Within the Canton of Vaud, there may be variation in the Vaudois dialects spoken in different areas, reflecting local linguistic traditions and the influence of migration and communication patterns.
