This is one of the recurring debates. France. Is the French in danger? Was it seen as a secondary language in the face of the international hegemony of English and the growth of Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin Chinese? On the one hand, academics and opinion leaders – mostly right-wing – warn of a decline due to the economic crisis. loss of international influence, new phenomena such as youth use and inclusive language, with misspellings and word inventions. On the other hand, linguists and other experts call this discourse “alarmist” and argue that this language is in solid health.
While some academics warn that the language is in decline, others defend its robust health
“The unfortunate French language is in complete decline. (…) corrupted by English In 20 years it will be a beautiful but dead language like ancient Greek. We will study this, but no one will understand,” the writer argued in June. Jean-Marie Rouartone of 40 members French AcademyHe made a statement to the conservative newspaper network Le Figaro TV. Although it may seem exaggerated, such statements are frequently encountered in the French media. Therefore, a group of linguists responded to this thesis about linguistic decline by publishing a manifesto titled ‘Le français va très bien’, merci, a few months ago at the prestigious Gallimard publishing house.
French is spoken by 300 million people and is the fifth most spoken language after English, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese.
“There is no doubt that French is in decline. It does not have as many speakers as English, but there are millions beyond France’s borders, especially in Africa,” the linguist explains to EL PERIÓDICO. Michael LauneyProfessor emeritus at the University of Paris VII and one of the members of the collective ‘Les linguistes atterrés’, He promoted this manifesto. Although it has ceased to be the international language of elites and diplomacy as it was between the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century, More than 300 million speakers around the world. Chinese is the fifth language after English, Spanish and Arabic.
An ambitious museum
“It is one of the few global languages present on several continents,” he argues. Xavier North, cultural affairs inspector. with the linguist Barbara CassinNorth designed the permanent exhibition of the International City of the French Language. This museumLocated in Villers-Cotterêts (Northern France), most ambitious cultural initiative encouraged by the government Emmanuel Macron. “Never has a museum been dedicated to the history of our language,” the French president said last October 30, during the opening of the center in the town’s Renaissance castle, which had been half abandoned over the last decade and was rehabilitated for this project. . It cost 210 million euros in total.
Villers-Cotterêts museum is the most ambitious cultural initiative supported by the Macron Government
Villers-Cotterêts Castle is a place marked in red in the official history of France. HE king francois Hey Here in 1539 he signed a decree replacing Latin with French as the language of judicial registration. This measure is often presented as a precursor to this language’s role as standardizer of the nation, but many historians question such relevance. The creation of a French-related museum in such a place seems, at first glance, to be a project with chauvinist overtones.
But these prejudices are compensated by the French mastery of cultural projects. The use of French in literature, theater and cinema, as well as in humor and wordplay. Political use the language of great ideals — the same Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789 — and the answer. The constant evolution and changes in the meanings of words. International City tries to show a dynamic language that is not stuck in the past. There is also a large room devoted to the 70 “regional languages” of the neighboring country (Breton, Alsatian, Catalan…).
Imitate the Spanish model
“Living with other languages confused him”In one of the panels of the exhibition, the curators say: In a way, this museum represents a response to current debates about the situation of the French. “It no longer has the geopolitical weight of the past (…) but it has more and more speakers,” North emphasizes.
According to this senior official, “The structure of the French-speaking area is very different from that of the Spanish world. Four-fifths of Spanish speakers use Spanish as their native language. Among French speakers, on the other hand, the rate is much lower.” This rate refers to all African countries where French is learned in schools but whose residents speak other native languages.
Linguist Michael Launey He believes the French should imitating a model similar to that of the Spaniards, is less rigid in its rules and more diverse in its records. “The Hispanic world is fortunate that the majority of its speakers are outside Spain. This allowed him to develop a more intelligent vision of the language,” says this retired professor. Despite the more central character of French culture, increasingly intellectual and artistic voices Outside the hexagon – from Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe to Quebec filmmaker Xavier Dolan, who goes by Senegalese writer Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. A variety that represents the best antidote to the specter of decline.