Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.
English — From the time of the Conquest, England was a trilingual country. French was the language both of court and of the baronage, while French and Latin were used among the literate and educated clerics, Latin being the language of records and… … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
Franklin — Free man who held land but not of noble birth, a peasant immigrant; also known as francigena and francus homo in *DB, i.e. Frenchman, a free man. The term derives ultimately from the Germanic tribes known as *Franks. Cf. Francigenare; Vavasour … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
French — From the Conquest in 1066, all English kings down to Henry IV spoke French before English. French was the language of court, the law courts (with Latin) and the new aristocracy which William I created. A linguistic curiosity which remains is the… … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
