Anglo-Norman: translation
A French dialect which became after 1066 the vernacular of the court, law, the Church and parliament. It was also a literary language, from the 12c taking second place only to Latin. It was the language of the aristocracy in England; its use became necessary for merchants and traders. However, in the 14c, and during the *Hundred Years' War, feeling turned against France and the language began to fall out of favour, English reclaiming lost ground. Anglo-Norman persisted in the law for some time after English came to be deemed acceptable for use in parliament in 1362.