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A bedtime story that's sold over nine million copies worldwide, enchanting parents and kids for decades, will this month be published in Jèrriais to make learning the island's native tongue a more bear-able experience.
Over 1,000 Jèrriais copies of Michael Rosen's ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ will be given out for free in local schools, while islanders will also be able to buy the translated classic.
Also known as Jersey French, Jèrriais is still spoken by some, but has been on the decline over the past century. The translated book aims to inject excitement about the language into younger generations.
Ben Spink, the islander heading up the translation project, said that other books will be translated in future, but that the children's classic was first on the list due to its simplicity.
The Jèrriais Teaching Service is excited to announce that we are having a #Jèrriais translation of Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt published this month. Get in quick and pre-order your copy now... https://t.co/7g5A4l4osQ #learnjèrriais pic.twitter.com/ANgnJVlyYK
— L'Office du Jèrriais (@le_jerriais) 5 September 2018
“Everybody knows the book; it's a really popular choice amongst parents and teachers. The language used is basic and full of repetition which makes the translation to Jèrriais easy," he told Express.
Explaining how it will be used, he said: “It’s going to be published with the aim of using it as a teaching resource to introduce children to basic entry-level Jèrriais, and encouraging young people to pick up the language.”
The book will be released on 30 September to tie in with the first ever Fête Du Jèrriais, which is being held to raise the profile of the language.
— L'Office du Jèrriais (@le_jerriais) September 5, 2018
It coincides with the European Day of Languages, which also falls in that week on 26 September.
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