It's true that French had a significant influence on the English language, but it never replaced English as the primary language of England.
Here's why:
* The Norman Conquest (1066): The Norman Conquest brought French-speaking rulers to England. This led to:
* French becoming the language of the court, administration, and law.
* French words entering the English vocabulary.
* However, English remained the language of the majority of the population. While the upper classes spoke French, the common people continued to speak English.
* Over time, English gradually reasserted itself. This was due to factors such as:
* The decline of Norman rule.
* The rise of English nationalism.
* The development of a distinctive English literature.
Today, English is the official language of England, and French is a separate language. While English borrowed words and grammatical structures from French, it evolved into its own distinct language.
It's important to understand the difference between language *influence* and language *replacement*. French influenced English, but it did not replace it.