The origins of the French language are fascinating. But did you know that the events that shaped this language are still relevant in modern times? French is a major global language, which validates a trip down memory lane to explore its roots, history, and origins!
As a Romance language, French is an official language in 29 countries worldwide, and it’s the 16th most widely spoken one on the planet. Some 77 million people speak French as their native language across more than 54 countries.
Origins of the French Language
Modern-day France used to form part of a region occupied by Celtic-speaking Gauls, who were conquered by the Romans in 121 BC when the region formed part of the Roman empire in 52 BC. Falling under Roman rule, the Gauls had to adopt the Latin language, but their native language resulted in them speaking Latin, which contained many Celtic words.
Fast forward to the 3rd century, Western Europe had been invaded by tribes from Germany, many of whom settled in the north of France. When the Franks enforced the use of their Frankish language, it further diluted the Latin that was spoken in the region.
The Frank invasion is perhaps the most significant reason why French sounds so different from other Romance languages. When the Franks arrived, their language played a significant role in the evolution of the French language of modern times. Although the people were allowed to speak Latin, the Franks imposed the use of their native stress patterns on the local language, and this forever altered the sound patterns of this Romance language.
Timeline of the Evolution of French
The evolution of the French language happened pretty hard and fast. Here’s a look at the key events that shaped the language most of us are familiar with today:
5th – 8th Century
Vulgar Latin and Gaulish combine to form Gallo-Romance.
9th -13th Century
Northern Gaul gives rise to Old French, or Francien, a language with its own grammar.
14th to 15th Century
Changes in pronunciation and grammar occur to form Middle French, a dialect that evolved from the French spoken in Ile de France.
16th Century
For literary pursuit purposes, users of the language tried to raise French to the level of Latin. This led to the adoption of Early Modern French. During this period, French became the official government language.
17th – 18th Century
Key grammar elements were added that led to the rise of Modern Classical French. Due to the rise of France’s colonies, French also became an international language during this period.
19th Century Onward
Contemporary Modern French was refined and gave way to the pronunciation and grammar we know today. Today, Standardized French is France’s official language, and it’s also used in its colonized regions in Belgium and Africa.
Modern French
The French that we hear today was born from a mix of Celtic, Germanic, and Latin languages. Every language had a unique and distinctive impact on the French vocabulary, but many other languages also enriched the lexicon of the French language.
When Cardinal Richelieu founded the Académie Française in 1634, he worked hard to preserve the language. This was, after all, a language of diplomacy from the 17th to the mid-20th century. Although French lost its power to English after WWII, the academy still exists to help police the language in terms of loanwords and foreign expression adaptations.
Modern French is still the official language of the United Nations. It is widely used in the European Union Court of Justice. The European Union still uses French as its federal procedure language too.
It is true that there are various dialects of the French language still in existence. However, Parisian French is the model, and Paris remains the literary and political center of the country and its official language.
Wrapping Up on the Origins of the French Language
As you can see, the French language was influenced by various languages, and its roots are widespread. Since there are so many variants of the language in use today, it’s essential to ensure that you’re targeting the correct dialect when it comes to translating and interpreting this language.
Get in touch with Day Translations today to learn more about our French language translation and interpreting services!