Dictionnaire du patois du pays de Bray

Nestled in the mid‑nineteenth century, this meticulous glossary preserves the spoken language of the Bray countryside before it faded from everyday use. Compiled by a parish priest who spent his life among the local families, the work captures not only isolated words but also the idioms, proverbs and customs that colour everyday conversation. The introduction explains the urgency of rescuing a dialect that children were already beginning to lose.

The dictionary covers the Norman side of the Bray, tracing a circuit from Neuf‑marché along the Epte, through villages such as Gournay, Formerie and Aumale, and back again, giving readers a vivid linguistic map of the region. Each entry reflects the compiler’s commitment to authenticity: no term is recorded unless heard directly, and every usage is noted from personal observation. For anyone interested in the evolution of French, regional folklore, or the texture of rural life in 1800s Normandy, the volume offers a rare window into a world where language and landscape were inseparable.