Wendy Ayres-Bennett Livres

This book offers a detailed examination of sociolinguistic variation during the seventeenth century in France, analyzing how social factors influenced language use and change. It explores the interplay between different social classes, regions, and linguistic practices, providing insights into the cultural and historical context of the period. Through a systematic approach, the study highlights the complexities of language as a social phenomenon, contributing to a deeper understanding of the linguistic landscape of early modern France.

Drawing on a range of case studies, this systematic study demonstrates the variety of language usage in seventeenth-century France, a time considered to be the most "standardizing" in the history of French. Variation is analyzed in terms of gender, age and socio-economic status, or by the medium, register or genre used. The case studies present phonological, morphological, syntactic and lexical issues, posing a range of methodological questions for sociolinguists and historical linguists.

The Romance languages offer a particularly fertile ground for the exploration of the relationship between language and society in different social contexts and communities. Focusing on a wide range of Romance languages – from national languages to minoritised varieties – this volume explores questions concerning linguistic diversity and multilingualism, language contact, medium and genre, variation and change. It will interest researchers and policy-makers alike.