| | In medieval times, French had evolved into two groups, a northern branch known as the "Langue d'oïl," and a southerly group known as the "Langue d'Oc." However, after the political influence of the southerly group was crushed by the [[Albigensian Crusade]], the northerly variety became dominant, and is the ancestor of modern "standard" French (though the southern variety still exists as the [[Occitan language]]). French is also spoken in many former French colonies in [[West Africa]] and the [[Carribbean]], the Canadian province of [[Québec]], by some people in [[Vietnam]], in [[Mauritius]], in many Pacific Ocean Islands and in other places. In [[Tunisia]], a former French colony, French is still one of the primary languages spoken. | | In medieval times, French had evolved into two groups, a northern branch known as the "Langue d'oïl," and a southerly group known as the "Langue d'Oc." However, after the political influence of the southerly group was crushed by the [[Albigensian Crusade]], the northerly variety became dominant, and is the ancestor of modern "standard" French (though the southern variety still exists as the [[Occitan language]]). French is also spoken in many former French colonies in [[West Africa]] and the [[Carribbean]], the Canadian province of [[Québec]], by some people in [[Vietnam]], in [[Mauritius]], in many Pacific Ocean Islands and in other places. In [[Tunisia]], a former French colony, French is still one of the primary languages spoken. |