Norman is a
Romance language and one of the
Oïl languages. The name
Norman-French is sometimes used to describe not only the modern Norman language, but also the administrative languages of
Anglo-Norman and
Law French used in
England.
Norman is spoken in mainland Normandy in France where it has no official status, but is classed as a regional language.
In the Channel Islands, the Norman language has developed separately, but not in isolation, to form what are recognised as Jèrriais (in Jersey), Guernésiais or Guernsey French (in Guernsey) and Sercquiais (or Sarkese, in Sark). Jèrriais and Guernésiais are recognised as regional languages by the British and Irish governments within the framework of the British-Irish Council.
Sercquiais is in fact a descendant of the 16th century Jèrriais used by the original colonists from Jersey who settled the then uninhabited island.
