French

A language derived directly from the Latin, as adopted by the Romanised Celts of ancient Gaul, and subsequently intermingled with the Teutonic dialects of Frankish and other Allemanic invaders, whence the name. It is the vernacular tongue of the modern European state known as France, and one of the most polished languages of the Universe. Migne: “ Dict. de Linguist i que ,” folios 1018-21, quotes eighty-seven specimens from sub-dialects, called patois . “ Dict. de l’Académie ,” 2 vols., Paris; Fleming and Tibbins: “Royal Dict.,” 2 vols., Paris, 1866-7; Littré: “ His to ire, Etudes, Dictionnaire ,” . ☞