Middle French

Middle French is a historical division of the French language that covers the period from the 14th to the early 17th centuries. It is a period during which the French language was in transition from Late Latin to Modern French. During this time, many regional varieties of French developed, most of which have since been replaced by Standard French. Middle French is characterized by a number of features, including a greater use of the imperfect tense, a greater use of verbal nouns, and a greater use of prepositions. Middle French also saw a shift in the use of pronouns, from the use of the pronoun "on" to refer to people in general, to the use of "nous" to refer to people in general. The use of Middle French was in decline by the early 17th century, as the use of Standard French became more prevalent. However, Middle French continues to be used in some regions of France, such as in the province of Quebec.