The **French language** has a rich and fascinating history, punctuated by astonishing events that explain its current identity. Far from being set in stone, it has been shaped by cultural exchanges, conquests and social change. Let’s take a look at 10 anecdotes to discover how our language became this linguistic jewel. Understanding the **evolution of French** through its history gives us a greater appreciation of the richness of our linguistic heritage.
1. The little-known Celtic roots of French
Although French belongs mainly to the Romance language family, it still has some unexpected Celtic influences. For example, the word “lark”, that familiar little songbird, comes from the Gallic word “alauda”. Similarly, place suffixes ending in “-dun” or “-ac” recall ancient Gallic tribes. These linguistic vestiges bear witness to the cultural continuity between ancient Celtic peoples and today’s speakers of French.
2. Medieval lexicon and popular expression
In the Middle Ages, the fusion of regional dialects shaped the identity of the French language. Surprising words, often of popular origin, were actively circulating: for example, “baragouiner” comes from Breton, literally meaning “wine bread” (“bara gwinn”), to humorously designate those who spoke roughly. The medieval expression “payer en monnaie de singe” (“to pay in monkey money”) recalls a time when you could enter a show free of charge in exchange for an original animal act, often performed by monkey trainers.
3. The influence of kings and the royal court on French
François I played a crucial role in the **evolution of the French language**, formalizing its use in administrative documents in 1539 with the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts. Louis XIV, for his part, imposed a linguistic style marked by elegance and courtesy, gradually reducing the presence of expressions considered too “vulgar”. Dozens of terms from the processional life of the Sun King enriched **French**, describing everything to do with the royal court (“Courtisan”, “Majesté”, “Étiquette”).
4. Unexpected linguistic borrowings from the colonial era
In the days of the colonies and the great voyages of exploration, our language was enriched by many borrowed words, still in use today. For example, “pyjama” comes from the Hindi “paijama”, a loose-fitting garment worn by Indians. Chocolate” has its origins in the Central American Nahuatl “xocolatl”. At the same time, Arabic culture, with its influence in Andalusia and the whole Mediterranean basin, brought a number of terms to French, including “zéro”, “sirop” and “magasin”.
5. The first modern dictionaries
Until the 17th century, the French language had many different spellings for the same word. In 1694, the publication of the first dictionary by the Académie Française brought a degree of linguistic cohesion. The word “abricot”, for example, was the subject of intense spelling debates, as it passed through the forms “apricot” and “abricost”. From the outset, dictionaries have been invaluable arbiters in the evolution of our common language.
6. Revolutionary upheavals and republican vocabulary
The French Revolution gave rise to a wealth of revolutionary terminology. Terms such as “guillotine”, directly linked to Doctor Guillotin, unwitting inventor of an infamous revolutionary procedure, were coined. The expression “sans-culottes” emerged to designate the citizens involved, refusing the traditional aristocratic garb. These words became an enduring part of our heritage, a reminder of the nation’s turbulent history.
7. The literary influence of great writers
French writers have strongly influenced the evolution of the French language. Victor Hugo introduced over 1,000 new words and expressions into everyday language, enriching the vocabulary with colourful imagery. Similarly, Marcel Proust coined the expression “madeleine de Proust”, a now internationally recognized symbol of memory and nostalgia. Numerous literary works have thus contributed to the popularization of certain expressions still in use today.
8. Passionate debates about spelling in the 19th century
In the 19th century, spelling became a veritable affair of state. In 1835, for example, the term “nénufar” was spelled “nénuphar”, wrongly considering its Greek origin. This arbitrary change is still the subject of heated debate today. Numerous rules of agreement and verbal concordance were then firmly established, shaping the French we use in writing today.
9. The growing influence of English in the 20th century
English, the dominant language of new technologies and international trade, is gradually transforming modern French. As early as the 20th century, terms such as “week-end”, “parking” or “shopping” were adopted. While some regret this evolution, others see it as a natural dynamism: a living language is always enriched by contact with other cultures.
10. Digital French: a constantly renewed language
Finally, today, with the massive arrival of the Internet and social networks, digital expressions are flourishing. “Selfie”, “Emoji” or “hashtag”, initially foreign, are now naturally integrated into the ordinary practice of French. This constant dynamism demonstrates that the evolution of French continues unabated, embracing the new challenges of its time and ensuring its cultural breadth for generations to come.
