Antoine de Rivarol - De l'universalité de la langue française - 1785

On the Universality of the French Language is a famous essay written by Antoine de Rivarol, published in June 1784 and reissued in 1785 - Second edition - in Berlin, and available in Paris, at Prault and Bailly, 1785 - 148 pages - half-bound in calfskin of the period - octavo - 10 x 15.5 cm. State: Spine ends missing, hinges cracked, but the binding joints are solid, the spine smooth adorned with gold morocco ornaments and the title piece (some nicks on the spine), rare foxing, red edges. Complete. A solid copy of this famous essay. Key points of the work • Origin of the text: On 3 June 1784, this work (originally titled Discours sur l'universalité de la langue française) won the prize of the Berlin Academy, which had put to the test the question of the universality of French and the reasons for its predominance in Europe. • Rivarol's thesis: The author argues that the French language has acquired clarity, logic, and a natural order ("What is not clear is not French") that make it the ideal tool for human thought and European diplomacy. • Comparison with other languages: Rivarol contrasts French with other European languages (such as German, which he judges too rich, harsh, or less suited to universal syntax).

Estimate:£125.14

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