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Article published In: Researching Occitan in the 21st Century: Un dialòg interdisciplinari
Edited by Marc Olivier and Anna Paradis
[Revue Romane 60:1] 2025
► pp. 5–29

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“Mais ça existe encore ça, l’occitan ?”

Exploring careers among new speakers of Occitan in the context of Calandreta immersion schools

ORCiD logo with link | University of Helsinki
Published online: 25 November 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/rro.25005.and
Abstract
This paper investigates the transmission of the Occitan language among new speakers within a social movement framework, emphasising the importance of language activist careers in the language policy aiming to revitalise Occitan transmission. Focusing on Calandreta immersion schools in the Occitanie region, the study analyses the trajectories of individuals who have adopted Occitan in their active linguistic repertoire, exploring how their political and professional commitments shape their engagement with the language. Through qualitative interviews, it highlights the evolving nature of language commitment, and the challenges faced by new speakers in navigating their identities within the French monolingual social context. Ultimately, the research underscores the significance of institutional support and sociopolitical activism in fostering Occitan’s linguistic and cultural vitality amidst ongoing sociolinguistic changes.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • 1.Context
    • Occitan “new” speakers today
    • Occitanism as a social movement
  • 2.Theoretical and methodological views
    • On the heuristic concept of career
    • Data and methodology
  • 3.Analysis
    • Commitment
    • Language awareness
    • Language learning
    • Performing Occitan speaker social identity
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (40)
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