What the French Academy doesn't seem to understand is that you can't control language.

I remember when they decreed new French words because the French were using Le week-end and Le hot-dog.

The new words didn't catch on.

 

In contrast, the English language takes words from all over the world and makes them it's own.

 

Indian - Bungalow, pajamas, veranda.

Malay - Amok.

Arabic - Safari, algebra, algorithm.

Dutch - Poppycock.

The list is endless.

I used to work in Belgium for Alcatel Espace, the French space company.  When holding international meetings with our German and Spanish partners, the French representatives always made their presentations in French, much to the annoyance of the German partners ????

 

I had to manage the meetings that were held between the Belgian, French and Spanish offices.  Again, French was the working language of the meetings, but I was required to take minutes in English.  Always gave me a headache trying to multitask in both languages.

 

I appreciate the French language and am looking forward to returning again to live in my new home in Luang Prabang, where French still has a presence among the older folk and where younger people also have an interest in learning the language.

 

 

19 hours ago, Tarteso said:

Joke apart, (Where in the world French is an official language?)

In Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and many countries in Africa.

11 minutes ago, LazySlipper said:

In Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and many countries in Africa.

Same countries colored in the picture? ????

1 hour ago, LazySlipper said:

In Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and many countries in Africa.

but only small parts of those countrys is it spoken as the main language ,even then nearly all speak English .

us English speakers of different nationalities are generally referred to by the French as 'roast beefs' :))))

Trying to speak "French" can be a challenge. 

 

Good Moaning. 

they ve been trying this for years and nothing works to stop it

On 8/5/2019 at 9:11 PM, noopin2014 said:

that's not all french thinking, only an idiot politician

 

Indeed. Idiocy knows no boundaries.

 

But politicians the world over seem to have a high propensity for idiocy.

13 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

In Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and many countries in Africa.

 

Canada - not all mainly Quebec; Belgium the Walloon part - the Flemish part ain't keen on speaking French!; Switzerland - one canton. Africa and Asia - former French colonies all most also have good English which they recognize as the world's prima lingua.

 

After English, Chinese, and Spanish are more useful than French.

Just another up-his-own-arse French politician trying to pretend France is still a world power and the French language is a world language.

 

I know many former French colleagues who traveled widely overseas on holiday and were always disappointed with their expectation that French was as widely spoken as English!

11 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

... former French colonies all most also have good English which they recognize as the world's prima lingua.

 

After English, Chinese, and Spanish are more useful than French.

Strange ... a part of my family lives in Africa (former French colonies ) since 1946, myself I stayed in Central Africa and Ivory coast 12 years, and every body speaks French, it's the national language, English is not at all as you say " world's prima lingua "; they speak English with foreigners when they don't understand French, like me on this forum ( are you sure they speak good English ? , I have not noticed ) 

 

if I were you, I would worry much more for English which in future will be the second language in USA, behind Spanish; no such problem in " Afrique francophone " , French has nothing to worry , after English, it's the second most widely spoken language in the world 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_territorial_entities_where_French_is_an_official_language

3 minutes ago, Aforek said:

Strange ... a part of my family lives in Africa (former French colonies ) since 1946, myself I stayed in Central Africa and Ivory coast 12 years, and every body speaks French, it's the national language, English is not at all as you say " world's prima lingua "; they speak English with foreigners when they don't understand French, like me on this forum ( are you sure they speak good English ? , I have not noticed ) 

 

if I were you, I would worry much more for English which in future will be the second language in USA, behind Spanish; no such problem in " Afrique francophone " , French has nothing to worry , after English, it's the second most widely spoken language in the world 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_territorial_entities_where_French_is_an_official_language

French, the second most widely spoken language in the world? I don't think so. It comes in at tenth.

Mandarin #1

English #2.

 

https://www.fluentin3months.com/most-spoken-languages/

Beware of Thais...

On 8/6/2019 at 3:14 AM, jesimps said:

Stupid, flowery language, uses ten words to the English one. Takes forever to say something, which sounds like the speaker is trying to clear his throat. Ever watched a French movie? Perfect for insomniacs, guaranteed to send you to sleep with all the yapping.

have you been turned down gy a French girl? 

On 8/5/2019 at 9:14 PM, jesimps said:

Stupid, flowery language, uses ten words to the English one. Takes forever to say something

The Chinese probably say the same thing about English.