A Linguistic Analysis of the Language Surrounding Witchcraft in France from the 16th to 20th Centuries

While the history of witchcraft in France is a subject that has received significant scholarly attention, little research has been conducted on the linguistic implications of the language used in regard to the subject. This study attempts to analyze the texts written about witchcraft between the 16th and 20th centuries in order to draw conclusions as to how language and culture affect each other. The aim of this study was to conduct a discourse analysis of these texts to identify cultural connotations, language trends, and insights regarding how the French language has evolved to communicate complex, dividing concepts such as witchcraft and what influences these changes. Data were sampled from a variety of primary sources written between the 16th and 20th centuries such as treatises, books, and newspapers then organized chronologically to demonstrate changes in language over time. This study contributes primarily to the field of cultural evolutionary linguistics by investigating how the use of certain words or phrases changes over time to reflect the shifting mindsets of a language’s users. Additionally, this study attempts to recognize the role linguistic analysis can play in foreign language education and second language acquisition.