Middle French

Middle French ("le moyen français") is a historical division of the French language which covers the period from (roughly) 1340 to 1610. It is a period of transition during which:

Related Topics:
French language - 1340 - 1610

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• the French language becomes clearly distinguished from the other competing Oïl languages which are sometimes subsumed within the concept of Old French ("l'ancien français") ;
• the French language is imposed as the official language of the kingdom of France in place of Latin and other Oïl and Occitan languages;
• the literary development of French prepares the vocabulary and grammar for the Classical French ("le français classique") spoken in the 17th and 18th centuries.
 
Middle French: History ►