The

official language An official language is a language given supreme status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically the term "official language" does not refer to the language used by a people or country, but by its government (e.g. judiciary, ...

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...

is French. In addition, there are several other languages spoken, including Italian, English, and Monégasque, the

national language A national language is a language (or language variant, e.g. dialect) that has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a nation. There is little consistency in the use of this term. One or more languages spoken as first languages in the te ...

of the Monégasque people.

French

French is the only official—and by far the most common—language in Monaco, a result of the role

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

has had over the microstate, since the annexation of the

County of Nice The County of Nice (french: Comté de Nice / Pays Niçois, it, Contea di Nizza/Paese Nizzardo, Niçard oc, Contèa de Niça/País Niçard) is a historical region of France located around the southeastern city of Nice and roughly equivalent t ...

, which surrounds Monaco, in 1860.

Monégasque

Monégasque is the traditional national language of the Monegasque people (who represent only 21.6% of the total populationMonaco IQ (English language)
referencing Chapter One o
Files and Reports&InfoSujet=General Population Census 2008&6Gb, 2008 census (gouv.mc not an English source)
). It is a dialect of Ligurian, and is somewhat similar to

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

. Because the Monégasques are only a minority in Monaco, their tongue was threatened with extinction in the 1970s. However, the language is now being taught in schools. In the old part of Monaco, the street signs are marked with Monégasque in addition to French. During his accession ceremonies in 2005, Albert II, Prince of Monaco, made a speech to his people in Monégasque.

Italian

Standard

is also a major language in Monaco. Italian nationals make up 19% of the total population. Italian was the ancestral language of the ruling House of Grimaldi, and was the official language of Monaco until 1860, when it was replaced by the French. This was due to the annexation of the surrounding

to France following the Treaty of Turin (1860). Italian is also spoken by Caroline, Princess of Hanover and her children

Andrea Casiraghi Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi (born 8 June 1984) is the elder son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband Stefano Casiraghi. He is the eldest grandchild of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and American actress Grace Kelly. Casir ...

Charlotte Casiraghi Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi (born 3 August 1986) is a Monégasque model, socialite, writer, editor, equestrian, journalist, film producer, and humanitarian. She is the second child and only daughter of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and S ...

and Pierre Casiraghi, as her late husband was Italian.''Biographie de Stefano Casiraghi''.
/ref>

English

There is also an

Anglophone Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the ''Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest language ...

community in Monaco (8.5% of which are from the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

or the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, with English-speakers from other nations as too insignificant and thus listed within the category of "other," below), in addition to English-speaking tourists visiting the city. Princess Grace was born an American, and all three of her children (including the reigning Prince) grew up speaking English among other languages.Grace Kelly's last interview, 22 June 1982, on ABC's 20/20
/ref> The current

princess consort of Monaco Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince. Princess as a subst ...

, Princess Charlene, is a native English speaker, having been born a Rhodesian in what is now

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...

Occitan

Occitan ('' Lenga d'òc'') has also traditionally been spoken in Monaco, particularly when it covered a larger geographical territory, but is rarely used today.

Other

Intemelio Intemelio is a Ligurian dialect spoken historically from the Principality of Monaco to the Italian province of Imperia. History Since the Renaissance the Ligurian language was spoken in all the territories of the Republic of Genoa; in the we ...

is a Ligurian dialect spoken historically from the Principality of Monaco to the Italian province of Imperia.

References

{{Languages of Europe