“…1 In Vulgar Latin, which was spoken throughout much of France into the Middle Ages, non could 320 R É M I A . In Old French, "ne constituted sufficient negation in itself" (Rickard, 1989:54) and a variety of second-negatives (e.g., pas, point, mie, and so forth) could be added for emphasis. However, as the French language distinguished itself from Vulgar Latin, non weakened to nen in the preverbal position and eventually to ne (or n' immediately preceding a vowel).…”