Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The major aim of the thesis is to study the development of French spelling since the 16th century with main focus on the diacritical mark accent circonflexe. The individual centuries are analysed step by step from the linguistic perspective with the historical context addition. The most significant pieces dealing with the French spelling from the period of a formation of spelling rules to the current period of spelling reforms and their consequences in 2016 are analysed. This thesis focuses on the development of the mark accent circonflexe in detail. The main intention of the thesis is to describe the introduction of this mark to the French spelling, its struggle for survival, an extension and gaining its importance till its official status when it becomes the French spelling icon threatened by the reform of spelling in 1990 proposing the restriction of this mark. The research part in the form of a questionnaire is added to the master thesis. The opinion of native francophone people on the reform of spelling, especially on accent circonflexe is under examination.