Traduction biblique et genèse linguistique

The article describes a number of situations where Bible translation resulted in the birth of new or the expansion of existing languages. Examples of the first category are the Gothic, Armenian and Russian languages, for which even specific alphabets had to be invented. To illustrate the second category reference is made to English and German, which, although they had already emerged as vulgar competitors of Latin as early as the XlVth century, were given a boost by the many Bible translations generated by the Reformation. Both in England and in Germany these translations helped to unify and shape the English and German tongues and to develop their literary qualities.