Definition

Proper noun * Langue d'Oc French: A historical term for the medieval dialects of the Romance language spoken in the southern part of what is now France. It is the ancestor of the modern Occitan language. The name literally means "language of oc," derived from the word for "yes" (oc) used in these dialects, in contrast to the northern langue d'oïl (where oïl became modern oui).

Usage

This term is used in historical, linguistic, and academic contexts to refer collectively to the Romance varieties of southern France during the Middle Ages. * The poetry of the troubadours was composed in Langue d'Oc French. * Scholars study Langue d'Oc French to understand the linguistic history of France.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in contrast with langue d'oïl, the medieval northern dialects that developed into standard French.
• It is synonymous with Old Occitan or Provençal in a broad historical sense, though modern linguistics prefers "Occitan" for the medieval language to connect it to its contemporary descendants.

Variants and Related Words

• Occitan (n): The modern term for the Romance language historically referred to as Langue d'Oc. It includes several dialects such as Provençal, Gascon, and Languedocien.
• Langue d'oïl (n): The historical dialects of northern France, from which standard French evolved.
• Provençal (n): Specifically refers to the dialect of Occitan traditionally spoken in Provence.

Synonyms

• Old Occitan
• Medieval Occitan
• (Historically) Provençal

Notes

• "Langue d'Oc French" is a compound noun phrase. The core historical linguistic entity is "Langue d'Oc." The word "French" in this phrase is used in a broad, geographical sense (i.e., of France), not a linguistic one, as Langue d'Oc is a separate Romance language from French.

Noun

1. medieval provincial dialects of French formerly spoken in the south of France