The term nation as used in mediaeval universities derives from Latin natio and originally described the colleagues in a college or students, above all at the University of Paris , who were all born within a pays, spoke the same language and expected to be ruled by their own familiar law.
Et quant à la nation, c'est au sens constitutionnel en France la notion juridique désignant au nom de quoi est exercé le pouvoir législatif — d'où la dénomination actuelle de l' Assemblée nationale , anciennement Chambre des députés .