Old French facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old French |
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| Franceis, François, Romanz | ||||
| Region | northern France, parts of Belgium (Wallonia), England, Ireland, Kingdom of Sicily, Principality of Antioch, Kingdom of Cyprus | |||
| Era | evolved into Middle French by the 14th century | |||
| Language family |
Indo-European
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Old French was a group of related languages spoken a long time ago. It was used in the northern part of what is now France, and also in parts of Belgium and Switzerland. This happened between the years 1000 and 1300.
People at the time called this language the langue d'oïl. It was different from the langue d'oc, which was spoken in the southern parts of France. The langue d'oc is now known as Occitan.
Contents
How Old French Was Formed
Old French developed from Latin, the language of the ancient Roman Empire. When the Romans conquered Gaul (which is now France), their language mixed with the local languages. Over time, this mix changed and became Old French.
The Influence of the Franks
A group called the Franks conquered parts of Roman Gaul. This happened during a time called the Migration period. The Franks spoke a language called Old Frankish.
Old Frankish added many new words to Old French. This made Old French unique and different from other languages that came from Latin.
Where Was Old French Spoken?
Old French was mainly spoken in northern France. But it also spread to other places.
Beyond France
People spoke Old French in parts of Belgium, especially in an area called Wallonia. It was also used in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Normans, who spoke a dialect of Old French, became the rulers of England.
Old French also traveled to places like Norman Ireland, the Kingdom of Sicily, and even faraway lands like the Principality of Antioch and the Kingdom of Cyprus. This shows how important and widespread Old French was in the Middle Ages.
What Happened to Old French?
Old French didn't disappear completely. It slowly changed over time. By the 14th century, it had evolved into a new language called Middle French.
Middle French then continued to change, eventually becoming the French we know today. So, Old French is like the great-grandparent of modern French.
Images for kids
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This map shows where the langues d'oïl (in green) and other related languages are spoken today.
See also
In Spanish: Francés antiguo para niños
