If you’re intrigued by the French language, you’ll love learning more about the history of the official language of France. As one of the five main Romance languages that descended from Latin, French is a fun and popular language to learn. With how many people speak French today, it’s well worth studying.
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Origins of the French language
French is categorized as one of the main Romance languages because it’s based on Latin—the language once spoken by the Romans. The language we know as French has its own unique blend that carries evidence of its history within its structures and vocabulary. Knowing a bit more about the history of the language can help you identify patterns and understand the rules of French a little better.
How the Gaulish language influenced French
It all begins in a region of Western Europe known as Gaul. This area, which comprises modern-day France and Belgium, was conquered by the Romans in the first and second centuries B.C. Then, the Gaulish language, which belonged to the Celtic language group, came under attack.
The Romans took power and integrated many of the local populations into their culture. To progress up the social ladder, citizens had to fully embrace Latin as it became the region’s predominant language. Most words of the Gaulish dialects disappeared, but some theorists have attempted to trace the etymology of over 100 French words from these languages to Latin, and eventually modern French. This is difficult to do through the murkiness of centuries past, so scholars don’t always agree.
| French Word | Potential Gaulish Origin | English Meaning |
| alouette | aloe | lark |
| battre | battu | to fight |
| boue | bawa | mud |
| cloche | clocca | bell |
| luge | sludio | sled/toboggan |
| mouton | multon | sheep |
The “ou” sound in the words fou (crazy) and loup (wolf) can be traced back to Gaulish roots. Names of places ending in “-ac” and “-eux” reflect these Celtic origins.
How Latin influenced French
The Roman Empire expanded and carried Latin to the inhabitants of the region known as France. As the common classes of people communicated in Latin, it diverged from its classical roots and absorbed regional indigenous influences to become a true language of the common people.
This evolution is known as Vulgar Latin and is a significant step in the history of the French language. It’s also why it might be easier to learn French if you already know another Latin-based language, such as Spanish.
There are many examples of vocabulary in modern French that look more similar to Vulgar Latin than its classical form. This was due to both direct and indirect changes as French evolved.
| French Word | Vulgar Latin | Classical Latin | English Meaning |
| beau/belle | bellus | pulcher | beautiful |
| bouche | bucca | os | mouth |
| chat | catta | feles | cat |
| penser | pensare | cogitare | to think |
| soir | sera | vesper | evening |
| tous | totus | omnis | all |
The impact of Germanic languages on Old French
The Germanic invasions that followed the Roman Empire’s collapse in Gaul left the region in the hands of the Franks. The Frankish dialects diluted Vulgar Latin. This influence included differences in stress patterns and shifts in vocabulary, which are recognizable today.
As the Gallo-Roman population merged with Germanic settlers, the mix of languages gave rise to what we now call the French language. The Frankish language family particularly left its mark on French pronunciation and accent because it was the language of the powerful nobility, and therefore influential. The verb-subject inversion in French questions may also be attributed to Germanic influence.
By the late 8th century, Old French was no longer similar enough to Latin to be considered the same language.
| French Word | English Meaning |
| canard | duck |
| gagner | to win |
| garçon | boy |
| la hache | axe |
| marcher | to walk |
The modern French language
Between the 14th and 16th centuries, French developed into the form we would recognize today.
Creating a unified French language
The Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts is the oldest law still in effect in France today. In 1539, King François I made French the official language of the Kingdom of France, giving it the political power of a language. He decreed French, not Latin, the official language of legal and official documents in France.
The period of the Renaissance increased interest in systematizing the French language so that it could be used for literature, philosophy, and science.
In 1635, a significant event was the founding of the Académie française. It provided a structure and set of rules for what was considered “correct” and standard French. The Academy developed a dictionary, French grammar rules, and became an authority on spelling. This linguistic governing body still exerts considerable influence today, though French continues to evolve.
Paris became a center of political power and cultural significance, so the dialect spoken in Paris, known as Metropolitan French, was considered the most “standard.” Under Napoleon Bonaparte, the French government established a national school system that used standardized French. Education became compulsory, so French-speaking citizens all learned the same way of writing and speaking.
The spread of French through colonization
There are dozens of French-speaking countries, and Francophone communities are found throughout the globe, a phenomenon deeply tied to the history of French colonization. Over centuries, the French language was imposed and used throughout Canada, the Caribbean, West Africa, Louisiana, and Asia.
Because these periods of influence varied by region over the course of centuries, and due to geographic separation, the French dialects can vary greatly between these areas. Many former French colonies fought and won their independence over the 20th century, but the influence of the French language remains strong in education, government, and public life.
The French language today
French remains a powerful language spoken around the globe. French figures prominently in international business, politics, competitive sports, and the internet. The Académie Française continues to protect linguistic heritage and resolve doubts, all while approving changes to the French alphabet, dictionary, and spelling rules.
French speakers from around the world keep the language vibrant with adaptation to change and French slang. Fall in love with both the traditional and modern varieties of the French language.
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