Norman Conquest Encyclopedia

The impact of the Normans on Anglo-Saxon society was in no form more evidently and oppressively made manifest than in the use of the French language by the new rulers and their officials. Thus, in spite of the retention of much of the existing government machinery and system, native English speakers were, in practice, excluded from government and from the courts. The French used was very different from that spoken today. The following passage from the chronicler Wace can, with effort, be understood and illustrates the point.

Raol de Conches, invited to inherit his father's role as carrier of the Duke's Banner, declines in order to be free to fight:

Grant merci, dist Raol, aiez, Ke nostre dreit reconoissiez; Miaz li gonfanon, par ma fei, Ne sera hui porté par mei.

I give you thanks, Raol did say, That you recognise our right, but the gonfanon, by my faith, Will not be carried by me today.

Sounds

Listen to examples of Norman French and Saxon English, along with their modern equivalents on our Sounds page