La caricature du langage chez François Rabelais : une critique humaniste des dérapages rhétoriques
The caricature of language in François Rabelais: a humanist critique of rhetorical excesses

Summary/Abstract: This article aims to present how François Rabelais, in „Gargantua” and „Pantagruel”, uses linguistic caricature to deconstruct pretentious, empty, and authoritarian discourse. He contrasts corrupted academic, legal, and theological language with a natural, embodied, and popular mode of speech. Through satire, Rabelais critiques the misuse of language as a tool of power, exclusion, and indoctrination. Key episodes like Janotus’s nonsensical oration, the Limousin student’s pseudolearned jargon, and the absurd trial of Baisecul and Humevesne illustrate this critique. These scenes expose the failure of discourse disconnected from reality and common sense. The grotesque language and bodily humor champion a humanist vision of speech rooted in clarity and experience. The silent dispute with Thaumaste parodies scholastic logic, highlighting the limits of abstract reasoning. Rabelais mocks pedantic speech while defending authentic, sensory-based communication. His work promotes a living, liberating use of language. Ultimately, linguistic caricature becomes a tool for epistemological and social critique.

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