Page:Philological Museum v2.djvu/351

On Oc and Oyl. 341 during the minority of Charles VI., the kingdom was divided between the regents : Le due de Berry eut le gouvernement de la Languedoch, et le due de Burgogne de la Langue- doyl et de toute la Pieardie. Ducange seems not to have possestj or to have seen any documents, in which the ex- pression occurred, himself: at least he does not cite any according to his usual practice, but only refers to the opinion of others. — One should therefore be inclined to suppose that the term la7igue d'^oc did not come into use for the country before the 14th century, but that it then took such deep root that it has lasted to the present time. This arose from the want of a general name for all the countries in which the language was spoken. Indeed one might wish to recall it in this sense, since poets of the oc language is a more accu- rate expression, and less apt to cause confusion of ideas than Provencal, or any other local name that can be chosen. The general name, which was not meant to designate any politi- cal or geographical relation, but only identity of language, was afterwards appropriated to a definite region (when it assumed the masculine gender) because the other countries acquired proper names, and some of them recovered their ancient ones, as Provence from the Roman provincia. The name Langue d^oui was formed merely for a contrast, but seems never to have had any great currency, though perhaps it may have lasted awhile in common conversation ; but it was soon entirely lost : for in this case there was not the same need, which was supplied by the general terms, France and French, until all submitted to one master, and each province retained its own name, which now became more definite. In conclusion, we once more return to Dante, briefly to consider the affirmatives which he mentions. For the north of Europe he fixes upon jo. This however is evidently only a Germanic particle. It is true that under the same head he names the Sclavonians ; but the Russians say da and tak, the Poles tak^ the Bohemians a7io and tak. Jo is found in Otfried, but sometimes also ja ; Ulphilas has ja and jai ; jo is still used by the Danes and Swedes, and keeps its ground even in some German dialects. The Hollanders say ja^ as the modern Germans, the English yea and yesy Chaucer (who