Gallo

Gallo (endonym galo) is one of the Oïl languages spoken in Upper Brittany, in western France. It is traditionally spoken in Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Atlantique, and the eastern parts of Morbihan and Côtes-d'Armor, on the eastern side of the Breton linguistic boundary running roughly from Plouha to the Pénerf river [fr]. The eastern limit of Gallo is less clearly defined, owing to the existence of a dialect continuum with neighboring Oïl languages such as Mayennais [fr], Norman, and Angevin. Some linguists therefore consider Gallo to extend into areas adjacent to historic Brittany, particularly within the broader region of the Armorican Massif.

Because there are no universally accepted criteria for distinguishing languages from dialects, there is no full consensus regarding the status of Gallo. Although it is primarily an oral language, it has been the subject of academic research and standardization efforts, and books in Gallo are published on a regular basis. Unlike Breton, however, Gallo does not benefit from a long tradition of political or institutional advocacy. Both languages were nevertheless jointly recognized as "languages of Brittany" by the Regional Council of Brittany in 2004.