English words invasion ‘threatens French language more than Nazis did’
By ANISaturday, January 9, 2010
LONDON - The escalating use of English words is more threatening to French national identity than the imposition of German under the Nazi occupation, a group of self-styled guardians of the French language have claimed.
Avenir de la langue frangaise (Future of the French language) and eight other groups are calling for a “great national debate” on defending the French language, so that its “planned assassination cannot continue in silence”.
“There are more English words on the walls of Paris than German words under the (Nazi) Occupation”, the Telegraph quoted them as quoting Michel Serres, a leading French philosopher.
The group, writing in articles in Le Monde and l’Humaniti, alleged “French is methodically ousted in favour of simplified English that zealously promotes the international business oligarchy.”
“In 1997, 40 per cent of documents at the European Commission were first written in French, compared to 45 per cent in English.
In 2008, the ratio had fallen to 14 per cent French versus 72 per cent English. Last year French was down to 11 per cent,” the paper said. (ANI)
