Walloon (walon)

Walloon is a Romance language with about a million speakers mainly in Walloonia (southern Belgium) and Brussels. It is also spoken in parts of northern France, Luxembourg and in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. Walloon began to appear as a distinct language between the 8th and 12th centuries and started to appear in writing in the early 15th century. It is one of oïl languages and is closely related to Champagneois and Picard.

Walloon has no official status in Belgium and is not used in education, though there are many evening classes in the language. The majority of the population of Walloonia can understand the language, about a quarter can speak it and only a few can write it.

Walloon alphabet
A a	B b	C c	D d	E e	F f	G g	H h	I i	J j	K k	L l	M m
a	bé	cé	dé	e	effe	gé	ache	i	ji	ka	elle	emme
N n	O o	P p	Q q	R r	S s	T t	U u	V v	W w	X x	Y y	Z z
enne	o	pé	qu	erre	esse	té	u	vé	wé	icse	î gréc / yod	zède

Walloon pronunciation

For a more complete description of Walloon pronunciation, see: http://users.skynet.be/lorint/croejh/node18.html

Sample text

Tos lès-omes vinèt-st-å monde lîbes, èt so-l'minme pîd po çou qu'ènn'èst d'leu dignité èt d'leus dreûts. I n'sont nin foû rêzon èt-z-ont-i leû consyince po zèls, çou qu'èlzès deût miner a s'kidûre onk' po l'ôte tot come dès frés.

A recording of this text

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)