`No other book on quite these lines is currently available in either English or French, and I envisage that this volume will be of great value as a textbook for courses on the history of the French language.' - Glanville Price, Research Professor at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth 'Th[e] approach and the issues it forces us to confront make this text an outstanding teaching manual for courses in the history of the French language.' - Professor Douglas Kibbe, The Modern Language Journal 'Wendy Ayres-Bennett's excellent book breaks the mould as far as histories of the French language are concerned ... This book will beinvaluable to researchers and students alike.' - Dr Janice Carruthers, French Studies