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Periodization, Translation, Prescription and the Emergence of Classical French

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


Type

Article

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Authors

Ayres-Bennett, W 
Caron, P 

Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pIn this article we demonstrate how fine‐grained analysis of salient features of linguistic change over a relatively short, but significant period can help refine our notions of periodization. As our case study, we consider whether it is appropriate to distinguish a period called jats:italicfrançais préclassique</jats:italic> (‘Pre‐Classical French’), and if so, what its temporal limits are. As our contemporary informants we take, on the one hand, the comments of writers of remarks on the French language, who were highly conscious of language change, and, on the other, usage in successive French translations of the same Latin source text which can be exploited to track and date the adoption of ‘modern’ linguistic variants. We find atypical patterns of change – and notably changes which move rapidly through Labov's different stages – that contribute to the sense of discontinuity or periodization. However, this sense of ‘rupture’ does not coincide with the chronological boundaries hitherto suggested for jats:italicfrançais préclassique</jats:italic>, thus throwing the validity of this period into question.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

French language (Middle), syntax, syntactic change

Journal Title

Transactions of the Philological Society

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0079-1636
1467-968X

Volume Title

Publisher

Wiley