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""The French government is earmarking money to offer more French classes to EU civil servants. Officials are contemplating hosting French-language debates featuring the country’s crème de la crème. And then there are the meetings. During the country’s presidency, French diplomats said all key meetings of the Council of the EU will be conducted in French (with translations available). Notes and minutes will be French-first. Even preparatory meetings will be conducted in French. If a letter arrives from the European Commission in English, it will go unanswered" Gonna be amusing watching other countries demand English be used for official business. Brussels is so conflicted since we left. " The French are trying to hold back the tide ...I doubt English will stop being the main working language... | |||
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Just imagine if that had never happened.
Neil Armstrong may have said
" Un petit pas pour un homme
Un pas de géant pour l'humanité."
Or Martin Luther King may have had "Un rêve"
And all because of us pesky English.
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"Would make more sense to use spanish not french, there are a lot for Spanish speakers than french. English is the language of the sea and skies, cant see that changing." As long as its translated into French why do they worry about it. | |||
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"Would make more sense to use spanish not french, there are a lot for Spanish speakers than french. English is the language of the sea and skies, cant see that changing. As long as its translated into French why do they worry about it." Because the French wanted to rule the world but Britain beat them to it... although they didn't do bad at being colonialist bastards.... | |||
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"Sign language. .... that will shut them all up and be inclusive lol" Shame most countries have there own sign language . Kind of makes that all inclusive difficult | |||
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""The French government is earmarking money to offer more French classes to EU civil servants. Officials are contemplating hosting French-language debates featuring the country’s crème de la crème. And then there are the meetings. During the country’s presidency, French diplomats said all key meetings of the Council of the EU will be conducted in French (with translations available). Notes and minutes will be French-first. Even preparatory meetings will be conducted in French. If a letter arrives from the European Commission in English, it will go unanswered" Gonna be amusing watching other countries demand English be used for official business. Brussels is so conflicted since we left. " You put quotes around the statement, but no mention of where the quote comes from? French is one of the procedural languages of the EU (along with English and German). Therefore, there is nothing wrong with the above, apart from that last line (which is why I am interested in the origin). NATO has similar rules. But both organisations have massive translation services, so there's not really an issue. | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? " I don't recommend you go to the Flemish side of Brussels and speak French to them they get quite upset. | |||
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"Sign language. .... that will shut them all up and be inclusive lol Shame most countries have there own sign language . Kind of makes that all inclusive difficult " So negative! Combine mould integrate.... easier than mixing tongues lol | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? " More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either  )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? I don't recommend you go to the Flemish side of Brussels and speak French to them they get quite upset. " | |||
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"When the EEC was first set up the French genuinely believed that French would be the dominant language in Europe. There is a chapter about it in a book called “an utterly impartial history of Britain”" There is a book called "1000 years of annoying the French" by Stephen Clarke. It's a brilliant read and tells you all you need to know about the French Psyche. I think it's still available on Amazon. Even Cap d'Agde gets a mention. | |||
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"There was a question raised in the EU regarding the quality of a brandy made in Normandy (Calvados?) The French MP replied in French and the English delegates started to laugh. The translation came out as "The problem with the "Calvados" is being looked at and will be sorted out by Norman Wisdom." Love it.  | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
"Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages. | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages. "
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia. | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia. "....and maybe some superior attitude | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia.
....and maybe some superior attitude"That comes as part of being english. | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia.
....and maybe some superior attitude
That comes as part of being english."How does pointing out the way language has and will develop suddenly become xenophobic? 
BTW. My language skills are pretty decent, could be better but better than most. | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia.
....and maybe some superior attitude
That comes as part of being english.
How does pointing out the way language has and will develop suddenly become xenophobic?
BTW. My language skills are pretty decent, could be better but better than most."It doesn't, but the development of languages has very little to do with the thread topic and it just seems to be another attempt to bash the French and the idea of communicating in another language | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia.
....and maybe some superior attitude
That comes as part of being english.
How does pointing out the way language has and will develop suddenly become xenophobic?
BTW. My language skills are pretty decent, could be better but better than most.
It doesn't, but the development of languages has very little to do with the thread topic and it just seems to be another attempt to bash the French and the idea of communicating in another language "The words.. tells you all you need to know about the french psyche are not xenophobic in the slightest tbf. | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia.
....and maybe some superior attitude
That comes as part of being english.
How does pointing out the way language has and will develop suddenly become xenophobic?
BTW. My language skills are pretty decent, could be better but better than most.
It doesn't, but the development of languages has very little to do with the thread topic and it just seems to be another attempt to bash the French and the idea of communicating in another language
The words.. tells you all you need to know about the french psyche are not xenophobic in the slightest tbf."Try reading the book. | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia.
....and maybe some superior attitude
That comes as part of being english.
How does pointing out the way language has and will develop suddenly become xenophobic?
BTW. My language skills are pretty decent, could be better but better than most.
It doesn't, but the development of languages has very little to do with the thread topic and it just seems to be another attempt to bash the French and the idea of communicating in another language "If you say so.  | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? " Missing Europe may be? | |||
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"France isn't the only European country where French is spoken. Besides Brussels is bilangual and one of two languages is French. So why not, it's not a complete nonsense idea and I don't see problem. You're not in the club anymore so why bother? More Europeans speak German as a first language than French. Belgium may be a bilingual country but Flemish is the more predominant of the two. Beyond that and France itself it is one of four (Inc. German) in Switzerland, and one of three (also Inc. German) in Luxembourg. For Europe that's about it. Worldwide it is only spoken in one small corner of Canada, a few Pacific islands, and (although slowly dying out) a few former French colonies in Africa. Looking at the bigger picture, language is changing all the time. If you could go back in time say a couple of hundred years the people of that time would barely understand you (if you mentioned the internet they would think you were a fisherman) and with some of the strong local dialects of those days you would struggle as well. Even in English local dialects are dying out and local accents are softening. In Germany and parts of Holland the old "Plattdeutsch" (which Mrs H's grandmother used to speak) is in terminal decline. In France Breton and Catalan are also in decline. Even in Spanish Cataluña Catalan is not the majority language (although it is close) Language is just a form of communication nothing more. Two hundred years ago there were no global communications, no telephones, TV's, or internet. Travel was by horse and cart, nobody jetted off to Spain or Greece for a couple of weeks in the sun (Yes I know they don't now either )
People lived their whole lives in a local bubble and they all understood each other in whatever language, dialect, accent they had.
The times are changing and new language will develop. Not by some made up language like Esperanto being forced on people, but by a natural progression brought on by necessity.
It will take time, maybe another hundred or two years but clinging on to historic languages, in many cases by force, just prolongs the agony.
By all means keep them for history, keep them for scholars, keep them for posterity, but for everyday use they have pretty much had their day.
The major languages (including French) will be around for many years to come but I don't think forever. If they are going to survive they will have to evolve like English has over the centuries. However I can't see the French psyche letting that happen.
Jump into that time machine and fast forward to 2221 and you probably won't understand a word.
Reading this thread I get the impression that the English speakers feel threaten by the idea of communicating in another language than English. Maybe that is because they're normally poor in speaking other languages.
Throw in some of that old classic english xenophobia.
....and maybe some superior attitude
That comes as part of being english.
How does pointing out the way language has and will develop suddenly become xenophobic?
BTW. My language skills are pretty decent, could be better but better than most.
It doesn't, but the development of languages has very little to do with the thread topic and it just seems to be another attempt to bash the French and the idea of communicating in another language "makes a change from bashing the British or wait he’s Lionel to do it lol | |||
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"There was a question raised in the EU regarding the quality of a brandy made in Normandy (Calvados?) The French MP replied in French and the English delegates started to laugh. The translation came out as "The problem with the "Calvados" is being looked at and will be sorted out by Norman Wisdom." Love it too though would not be surprised if it was an arcuate translation | |||
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"Can't wait for the Croat presidency of the EU so they could lead with their own language, though I suppose they will be told to forget it and use German. " they should rotate lol | |||
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"All the more reason for Prince "Henry VIII" Harry to summon up an army, take the throne of England from William, we then invade France and Spain take all their silver, gold and baubles and make them speak cockney English." Yes damn those frenchies and the euro empire, grab your cutlass and amass an armada..... | |||
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"The French aren't xenophobic? Really? Obviously not had much contact with a Frenchman! " Or their trade department or military operations. | |||
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""The French government is earmarking money to offer more French classes to EU civil servants. Officials are contemplating hosting French-language debates featuring the country’s crème de la crème. And then there are the meetings. During the country’s presidency, French diplomats said all key meetings of the Council of the EU will be conducted in French (with translations available). Notes and minutes will be French-first. Even preparatory meetings will be conducted in French. If a letter arrives from the European Commission in English, it will go unanswered" Gonna be amusing watching other countries demand English be used for official business. Brussels is so conflicted since we left. " Obsessed | |||
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