What is "sercquiais"

also known as Sarkese or Sark-French () is the Norman dialect of the Channel Island of Sark ( Bailiwick of Guernsey). In the island it is sometimes known, slightly disparagingly, as the " patois", a French term meaning " regional language".

Sarkese is in fact a descendant of the 16th century Jèrriais used by the original colonists, 40 families mostly from Saint Ouen, Jersey, who settled the then uninhabited island, although influenced in the interim by Dgèrnésiais ( Guernsey dialect). It is still spoken by older inhabitants of the island. Although the lexis is heavily anglicised, the phonology retains features lost in Jèrriais since the 16th century. Most of the local placenames are in Sarkese. In former times, there may have been two subdialects of Sercquiais. It is also closely related to the Auregnais ( Alderney) dialect, as well as Continental Norman.

It has suffered greatly in recent years due to a large influx of tax exiles from England who have moved to the island, as well as official neglect.