The Multilingualism of the Early Middle Ages: Evidence from Peripheral Regions of the Regnum orientalium Francorum

Recent research reveals that peripheral regions of the former Roman Empire, particularly along the Rhine and Moselle valleys, underwent significant linguistic transformation from Latin to Germanic during the early Middle Ages. These areas became 'interference zones' where Latin, emerging Romance languages, and Germanic vernaculars coexisted, creating a unique multilingual landscape. The study leverages evidence from toponyms, loanwords, inscriptions, legal texts, and charters to demonstrate this linguistic shift, highlighting how orthography and textual analysis further illuminate the complex interactions between written and spoken language during this period. The findings underscore the widespread multilingualism among the upper classes in these regions, particularly between the 8th and 10th centuries.

Haubrichs, W. (2020). The Multilingualism of the Early Middle Ages: Evidence from Peripheral Regions of the Regnum orientalium Francorum. The Languages of Early Medieval Charters, 68–116. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004432338_004