Monday 4 April 2011

Franglais or Frenglish?

 
In 1994, M Jacques Toubon introduced a law in France (The Toubon Law), making it madatory for all official publications to be written in FRENCH. He also 'encouraged' all others to avoid the use of English.

Why? I hear you ask.... Don't the French speak French any more? Well, it seems not; they prefer English, hence the law!

Poor old Toubon (now universally known as Mr Jack Allgood) was fighting a losing battle. Even the manufacturers of this nearby, recently installed, box of electrical gubbins (above), couldn't resist one little bit of English. 'Outdoor' indeed; et pourquoi pas 'dehors'?

I'm with 'Allgood' on this; the French have a perfectly good language, why not stick to it?

9 comments:

  1. One country, one language? Good thing you don't live in Canada Cro. We have our Frenchies to the east and a few separate settlements to the West with English running rampant everywhere else. Our government has decreed that Canada has two official languages and is working on making sure our children are totally confused..and they are. Most of us older folks know only the language we were reaised with.

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  2. I'd be OK in Canada; I speak both English and French. Although Canadian French is quite different to here!

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  3. Someone told me yesterday that the French find the English accent sexy when speaking French, rather like us finding the same the other way round. I find this hard to believe - can it be true?

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  4. Of course it is. French women swoon when I speak!

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  5. Yes, I'm from Canada too and they make everything with both English and French. Cool insight into France!

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  6. Oh, by the way, not a man in drag but I do love many things blokes like: sports, cars, movies with lots of action! None of that chic stuff for me.

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  7. I can't believe what I'm reading. Wasn't it always that the French were so passionate about their language? Well, no matter. It's just become that much easier for me to go there and buy a cup of coffee.

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  8. Another little snippet for us to think upon,wonder what Australia will be like in 20 years we are so multicultural now that when we go to Sydney which is probably once a year it is pick an Aussie as the city has become so Asian as in Korean,Chinese and Japanese with a scattering of Phillipinos and then the outer suburbs Muslem,I think it is great but like I said we play the pick an Aussie game,I remember when I was in the Uk the first time we stayed at Earls Court and there were Indian people everywhere at the stores so guess it is the same all over,just the language thing will be interesting,most schools teaching Japanese as the language now where in the past it was French or Latin.

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  9. Well the French language is beautiful sounding no matter what! But making it a law?

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