french-language
Meaning
The language spoken in France and in parts of some other countries, such as Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada.
Usage
She is taking a course in French-language literature.
The document was translated from the original French-language version.
Proficiency in the French-language is required for the diplomatic position.
Etymology
The term 'French-language' is a modern English compound that directly specifies a particular linguistic system. Its first element, 'French', traces back to the name of the Frankish tribes whose language and culture heavily influenced early medieval France. The second element, 'language', has a journey from the Latin 'lingua' (tongue, organ of speech) through Old French, where it came to mean the faculty of speech and a particular form of it. When combined, the compound transparently denotes the specific tongue associated with the French people and nation, moving from a tribal identifier to a national and cultural linguistic marker.
Analysis
This is a compound noun formed from the proper adjective 'French' and the common noun 'language'. 'French' originates from Old English 'Frencisc', meaning 'of the Franks', a Germanic people. 'Language' comes from Old French 'langage', ultimately from Latin 'lingua', meaning 'tongue, speech'.