Covert multilingualism: The case of the translation policy in France and Belgium during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era

Abstract

The language policy of the French Revolution is known today especially for the imposition of the national language and the oppression of the dialects and regional languages in France. In my contribution, I want to focus on a less known aspect: the translation policy. From 1790 on, several decrees stipulated the translation of national laws and decrees into the regional languages in France. From the mid-1790s on, the translation policy was extended to other countries and regions under French rule. I will consider the case of the Southern Netherlands (Belgium), annexed by France in October 1795 and under French administration until the end of the Napoleonic era. According to the opinio communis, the period under consideration was strictly monolingual in France and Belgium, with French as the only language of administration and justice. I will argue that there was a covert multilingualism, that today is often ignored.