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History of French

Spoken Description

Apprenez la chronologie de l'évolution du français : du latin aux dialectes régionaux, chutes du français ancien, renaissance de la langue, impact de la Révolution française, et l'état actuel. Parfait pour contextualiser la langue et enrichir votre vocabulaire historique.

Learn the timeline of French history: from Latin to regional dialects, Old French decline, language revival, the impact of the French Revolution, to today. Perfect for contextualizing the language, expanding your vocabulary, and understanding linguistic shifts.

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French evolved over many centuries from Latin, shaped by invasions, regional languages, and political power. This brief overview highlights key stages in its development.

Origins

Le français a commencé comme latin vulgaire parlé par les colons romains après la conquête de la Gaule au Ier siècle av. J.-C. Les langues celtiques locales ont influencé la prononciation et le vocabulaire de ce latin ancien.

French began as Vulgar Latin spoken by Roman settlers after Gaul was conquered in the 1st century BCE. Local Celtic tongues influenced the sound and vocabulary of this early Latin.

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Old French

Entre environ le IXe et le XIIIe siècle, le vieux français s’est développé à partir du latin à travers des dialectes régionaux comme la langue d’oïl. C’était la langue de la littérature et du droit médiévaux.

From roughly the 9th to 13th centuries, Old French developed from Latin through regional dialects like langue d'oïl. It was the language of medieval literature and law.

Key Texts

Important works such as La Chanson de Roland and Roman de la Rose show the vocabulary and grammar of Old French in use. These texts were written in various dialects that would later influence Standard French.
In Old French, you might readlichevalierscarollentau champ.

The knight sings/shouts on the field.

Middle French

Entre le XIVe et le XVIe siècle, le français a subi des changements phonétiques et des simplifications grammaticales. La langue est devenue plus standardisée grâce à l’influence de la cour royale et des imprimeurs.

Between the 14th and 16th centuries, French underwent sound changes and grammar simplifications. The language became more standardized through the influence of the royal court and printers.

The Renaissance

The Renaissance brought many loanwords from Latin and Italian as scholars sought to enrich French vocabulary. François I's 1539 Ordonnance de Villers-Cotterêts made French the language of administration.

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Modern French

À partir du XVIIe siècle, des institutions comme l’Académie Française ont travaillé à réguler la langue. Le français est devenu une langue de diplomatie et de culture.

From the 17th century onward, institutions like the Académie Française worked to regulate the language. French became a language of diplomacy and culture.

Global Spread

Colonial expansion spread French to Africa, the Americas, and Asia, creating many regional varieties. Today, French is spoken by millions worldwide and continues to evolve.

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Summary

French grew out of Latin through stages known as Old French, Middle French, and Modern French, each shaped by social and political forces. Standardization and global spread have made it a major world language.

All content was written by our AI and may contain a few mistakes. We may earn commissions on some links. Last updated: Mon Dec 8, 2025, 6:25 AM