Chirac does not like the english language...

[dplax]

No comment: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4840160.stm

[Link]

Chirac doesn't like anything English. He's practically the new de Gaulle.

[Stratos]

Some Frenchmen, like Chirac, refuse to accept that France is not the cultural superpower it used to be, and that the West have shifted to the Anglo-Saxon direction.

[Larry_OHF]

Isn't Mandarin the only other language in the world that is used by more people than is English? I read a couple years ago that if anybody wanted to get into global business, Mandarin was a requirement for the bigger paychecks...

After that, I think Spanish is third on the list...y no tengo ningún problema con esta idioma.

[Timber Loftis]

It has been well known among diplomatic circles for ages that you can actually get substantive concessions out of France in negotiations if you're willing to adopt their language in your treaties. Look at the UN job titles and see what you make of this. They're crazy nuts about protecting their language.

You know, about half of English is basically French-derived words that pervaded the language following 1066. I mean, how much influence do they really want to have on everyone else's language?

[johnny]

I laughed my ass off when Chirac was caught ranting about the British kitchen when he thought the microphone was off, but in reality, it gives a glimpse of what this man is about, a two timing arrogant little bitch.

Not that he was wrong about the British kitchen though, what those guys stuff in their bellies at breakfast makes me wanna throw up. And what's up with that weird habit of putting crisps on bread ?

[True_Moose]

I think that's it's easy political capital to attack America in France...much like it is to attack France in America.

Spanish is fourth, after Hindi. Of course, both Mandarin and Hindi are highly regional languages. Surprisingly, French is 10th on the list. Source => http://www.krysstal.com/spoken.html

As much as he may profess to not liking it, France French resembles English far more than Quebec French (think difference between England English and North American English.) I took full French Immersion from when I was 3 up until the end of high school, and was taught entirely by Quebecois teachers. My mom, on the other hand, is taking university courses taught by Frenchmen (and women.) In France, they use colloqualisms like "le CD" and "le week-end," while this is totally unacceptable in Quebec French.

Also, apparently French is having a real hard time because there is literally, an institute that decides what are words. English's big selling point is that it's not refined or centralised, so it can absorb local cultural expressions. As such, it's much easier to learn as a second language.

[Larry_OHF]

Also, apparently French is having a real hard time because there is literally, an institute that decides what are words.

Yeah, Spain has the same thing, and those from Mexico hate them for it. Its the Real Academia Española. If they say your word is not a word...its not! What pisses me off is that here in the US, I have to obey Spain's version of Spanish...not Mexico's. Now how many Mexican residents outnumber Spaniards in NC? It does not make since, therefore to be forced to obey Spain's rule in school. The US does not obey England's rule for English in school...

[Azred]

Only a politician would worry about how something is said rather that what is being said.

What a whiny prima donna.

[pritchke]

This is nothing new in Quebec if your business name is too english the language police will come and shut you down.

[ 03-24-2006, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]