Old French

Old French (franceis, françois, romanz; Modern French: ancien français) was the language spoken in Northern France from the 8th century to the 14th century. Rather than a unified language, Old French was really a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligible yet diverse, spoken in the northern half of France.

History

Old French was used as a literary language in France from the 11th to the 14th century. It evolved from Vulgar Latin and was later replaced by Middle French in the 14th century. The transition from Old French to Middle French was a gradual process and is marked by changes in phonology, morphology, and syntax.

Phonology

The phonology of Old French was quite different from that of Modern French. It had a number of phonemes that have since disappeared, and the pronunciation of certain letters has changed over time.

Morphology

Old French had a complex system of morphology, with a rich array of inflections for nouns, verbs, and adjectives. This system was simplified in Middle French and has largely disappeared in Modern French.

Syntax

The syntax of Old French was also more complex than that of Modern French. It had a freer word order and made greater use of subordination and conjunction.

Literature

Old French was the language of some of the greatest works of medieval literature, including the Chanson de Roland and the Lais of Marie de France.

See also

• History of French
• Oaths of Strasbourg
• Gallo-Romance languages

External links

• Old French Online from the University of Texas at Austin

Old French Resources
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