Re: Old french Was: cases

En réponse à Florian Rivoal <florian@...>:

> I am french, but i have actualy no idea of what old french is supposed
> to be. The oldest form i have been given to read was "garganuta" from
> Rablais, and at the time, i was not at all into linguistics, so i didn't
> pay any attention to how it worked. Can someone give me some information
> about what is different and what is common between modern, middle, and
> old french. Sample texts would be welcome too.
>
Go to the nearest FNAC and buy the "Que Sais-Je?" "L'ancien français" and "Le
moyen français". They contain everything you need ;))) .

But as a quick summary:

Old French is basically French between the 11th and the 14th century, while
middle French is French between the 14th and the 16th century. Those limits are
taken because they correspond approximately to big periods where French as a
recognisable structure. After the 16th century, we arrive at the period when
grammarians arrived and began to talk about a "correct" French, and thus began
to try and freeze its evolution and kill its dialects.

Old French, Middle French and Modern French are the three usual steps
recognised in the evolution from the Latin language spoken in Gaulle to the
French spoken nowadays. If you want examples, I can always send a mail tonight
with some things coming from my Que Sais-Je? :)) .

Christophe.

http://rainbow.conlang.free.fr

Take your life as a movie: do not let anybody else play the leading role.

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