Langue d’oc, French and the Construction of a State in France

Abstract

The current chapter proposes a return to the past, which essentially leads us from the end of the Middle Ages to the beginning of Modern times. Initially, this return to the past can appear to be a detour in a symposium principally focused on the analysis of contemporary situations. However, there is a common ground to speak of that reveals “l’exception française” on the issue concerning linguistic policy, which has planted its roots in a very distant past. Another common ground that has come about, are the a prioris, understandings and cornmon sentiments which continue to structure the French attitude regarding the spoken languages on their national land. It is therefore not entirely useless to return to the past in order to examine the birth of the policies concerning the French language.