The publishing house Elix (Entreprendre), located in the PACA region, published a children’s book this February, centered around the adventures of a young boy from Nice and his family, who frequently use local expressions. The author, Sabrina Dailliez, also originally from Nice, was eager to pass on to children the expressions that had a significant impact on her own youth.
Practical and fun, this work also includes a very accessible quiz that gathers all the Niçois terms encountered throughout the story, allowing for both memorization and enjoyment.
About the book
The collection “Le petit niçois” tells the story of a little boy and his family. They will take you on their adventures with a vocabulary enriched by the heritage of the most well-known Niçois expressions. A particularly rich vocabulary! Nice is a city where knowing some typical words can really make you feel at home. If you’ve just arrived in the city for a vacation or plan to visit soon, here is a book that will introduce your children and yourself to the essentials of the Niçois dialect to help you integrate successfully. For locals, enjoy sharing this read with your little ones to pass on this colorful language to future generations.
About the author
Sabrina Dailliez, born in Nice and passionate about drawing, worked for 15 years as a graphic designer and is now a mother of two girls. Wanting to pass on the Niçois expressions she heard from her grandmother, she came up with the idea of incorporating them into a story. This is how the Petit Niçois came about, without a first name to represent all little ones. “It’s a project close to my heart. This colorful language reminds me of many happy moments from my childhood that I wanted to share with my children.”
“I don’t speak Niçois, but on my maternal grandmother’s side, my family, who worked hard in the countryside, spoke a bit of the local language. My grandmother, in particular. After her passing last December, I dedicate this book to her,” reveals the author, still touched by the loss of her close relative.
In some ways, it’s an excellent means of spreading and transmitting the Nissart language, which seems to be gradually losing popularity in the region. “There are many means of transmitting the Nissart language, but it is not accessible to everyone. To speak it fluently, even in Nice, you have to enroll in Nissart language courses. This is why I included Niçois expressions in this children’s book.”
About the publisher
“Le Petit Niçois” is the story of every local child. It’s a book that will delight little ones and big kids alike! The first in a series that is both cultural and entertaining, it is a true pleasure for both the eyes and the mind.
In addition to a funny story, readers can discover an easy and quick quiz reviewing all the expressions encountered throughout the pages. “At first, we were torn between two ideas: either we put a glossary with the definition of each expression in Niçois at the end of the book, or include a quiz to test children’s knowledge after reading. We chose the latter option. This allows young people to improve their reading comprehension and spelling skills. This rather ‘fun’ quiz brings them a touch of culture while having fun.”
