Old French refers to the variant of the French language that was spoken in France during the period from approximately the 9th to the 14th centuries. It emerged from the Vulgar Latin spoken by the Romanized population of Gaulish areas after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Old French was primarily used in written texts, such as poetry, literature, and legal documents, and was the dominant language of the French court and aristocracy during the Middle Ages.
Old French displayed significant linguistic evolution from its Latin roots, particularly in terms of pronunciation, morphology, vocabulary, and syntax. During this period, the language underwent changes such as the loss of Latin declensions and the emergence of a more complex verbal system. Old French also underwent heavy influence from other languages, including Germanic and Nordic languages, Celtic languages, and Occitan, resulting in further linguistic diversification.
The earliest Old French texts were typically written in a form known as "Anglo-Norman," which emerged in the 11th century and was heavily influenced by the Norman Conquest of England. These texts include the writings of the troubadours, which contributed greatly to the development of medieval poetry and literature.
Old French eventually gave way to Middle French in the 14th century, as a result of linguistic changes and the political and cultural transformations of the time. Nonetheless, Old French remains an important stage in the evolution of the French language and continues to influence modern French vocabulary and grammar.
