Dialect comparison

Meridional French vs Metropolitan French

Compare two dialects of French side by side — where they're spoken, what they're called, and how they relate.

Meridional French

Southern French · Français méridional

The southern French of Marseille, Toulouse, and the broader Occitan-speaking belt. Marked by realisation of mute vowels and a distinct intonation contour.

Spoken in
Approximate centre
43.61°, 3.88°
Metropolitan French

Parisian French · Standard French

The Paris-area standard of European French. Carried nationally by education and broadcasting; the reference point for most French taught abroad.

Spoken in
Approximate centre
48.86°, 2.35°

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