Language Name

[stickmaker]

I'm working on a story set in an alternate universe where the empire established by Charles the Great lasted several centuries longer than in our world. As a result, much of western and central Europe speak a common language. Not French, not German, not Spanish, not Italian, but something related to all three. What would be a good name for this tongue?

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I assume your research has revealed that post-Charlemagne the Franks split up--into 3 parts. Their language was Germanic, but the West Franks adapted the Gaulic Latin which evolved into French. The East Franks kept the Germanic (they call Charlemagne "Karl der Grosse"). The French name for Germany, "Allemagne" comes from the Roman name for a confederation of German tribes--Allemanni--which became a duchy after it was conquered by the Franks. Anyway, the upshot is that only one language is descended from both the French and the Germanic (though not the Frankish Germanic). We call it "English".