Des variations du langage français depuis le XIIe siècle / ou recherche des principes qui devraient régler l'orthographe et la prononciation

This study surveys the evolution of the French language from older historical stages to contemporary usage, analyzing how spoken sounds and written characters diverge and how orthography has been shaped by successive notation systems. It argues that writing must economize characters while preserving etymological links, explains the impossibility of a one-to-one sound-to-letter mapping, critiques simplistic reform proposals, compares orthographic tendencies in other languages, and outlines methodological principles for reform grounded in historical remnants, phonetic realities, and conventions, supplemented by examples and detailed notes.