NormanFrench

Norman French refers to the medieval Romance variety spoken in the Duchy of Normandy. It is part of the Langue d'oïl branch of Gallo-Romance and developed from Vulgar Latin in Gaul with influence from Old Norse after the Viking settlement of Normandy. By the 11th century it was the prestige language of administration, law, and literature in Normandy. After 1066, its Norman variant, Anglo-Norman, spread to England and shaped Middle English.

Norman French exhibited regional dialects within Normandy and, in England, the form known as Anglo-Norman served the Norman aristocracy and administration. From the 13th to 15th centuries, Parisian French became increasingly dominant, and Norman French declined as an official language in Normandy. Nevertheless, it left a lasting imprint on the vocabulary of English and on the development of French through its influence on legal, architectural, and literary terms.

Legacy and status: In Normandy today, Norman is considered a regional language with several dialects, though it survives largely in oral tradition and in literature. In academic contexts, Norman French is studied as a historical stage of the Langue d'oïl and as a contributor to the interaction between French and English. Revival and preservation efforts exist in cultural and linguistic communities.