Patuet

Patuet (from the French pataouète) is the dialect of the Catalan language that was spoken in the Maghreb, mainly in Algeria, during the French administration. Mainly of Menorca, Alicante and Roussillon origin, it was characterized by French and Arabic influences and, in turn, influenced the French slang of the Pieds-Noirs. After the Pieds-Noirs exodus that followed the independence of Algeria, in 1962, most of the population was dispersed throughout France (majority), Roussillon and a minority in the province of Alicante, Spain. The Fort-de-l'Eau Neighborhood Association holds an annual meeting of Algerians of Menorcan descent in the Provencal commune of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. In 2001, some participants in the event still spoke Patuet.