nzlegend 1 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Seems Jacques Chirac has got his knickers in a twist about English. Quote: Jacques Chirac pledged yesterday to fight the spread of the English language across the world as he defended his decision to walk out of an EU summit after a French business leader abandoned his mother tongue. Quote: French President Jacques Chirac showed his temper at the EU summit when a French business leader addressed delegates in English. He stormed out of a session when Ernest-Antoine Seilliere said he chose English "because that is the accepted business language of Europe today". Mr Chirac told reporters on Friday he was "deeply shocked" that a Frenchman chose to address the summit in English. Mr Chirac's protest came when Mr Seilliere, the French president of the employers' association UNICE, said he would address the meeting in English. According to a French official, Mr Seilliere was interrupted by Mr Chirac, who asked him in French why on earth he was speaking English. Fighting the use of English? hmmm seems like someone is in dreamland Jacques Chirac gets the impetuous tosser of the week award.... Chirac vows to fight growing use of English Chirac upset by English address Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Ah, public vs the private sector Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Mais qu'est que vous faites la, un? Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I find it completely understandable. English has inundated many languages and some countries are fighting back to preserve their language. There may be a day when the Japanese will limit the use of katakana words. Already many old people have no clue as to what many of the new katakana words mean. Why would you call Chirac a tosser when he is just concerned about protecting his native tongue? Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 I called him a tosser for the manner he went about it, not the fact he his protecting his native tongue. Storming out of an official EU summit because someone wasnt using the language you wanted him to? Quote: Originally posted by Kumapix: There may be a day when the Japanese will limit the use of katakana words. I hope so, I despise Katakana, its ｵﾙﾌﾙ Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 orufuru? I don't understand that Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I laughed when I read that he asked 'why on earth are you speaking English?' That is the typical French way of thinking but yes, it is going a bit overboard to walk out in protest over semantics Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Chirac's a moron. You can preserve your language while still having the ability to use another. My French friend works at Tohoku University and he understands that English is the most common language for all of his multi-national collegues to speak and he doesn't complain about it. His Cuban co-worker doesn't walk out of a room were Spanish isn't spoken, nor should he. The French business man understood that but the leader of France couldn't? Completely childish! Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Did u read the whole article? quote: The walkout provided a vivid illustration of French sensitivity about the decline of the language, which used to dominate the EU... "You cannot base a future world on just one language, just one culture," he said. "It would be a dramatic decline." This article doesn't quite get it right though. It's not so much as keeping French as a leading language as protecting it in it's original form. Until recently when laws were made to make French words for imported English, a hell of a lot of English had gotten common usage in France. Kintaro,your french friend speaking english to communicate while in Japan is a totally different situation. If he speaks English do you think every other Frenchman at university will switch to English?? If a leading French businessman speaks in English at EU conferences because 'English is the language of business' then many others will follow suit. What's to stop businessmen in France from using more and more borrowed English words and eroding the French language? Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I think you are wrong, Kumapix. Regarding the business leader being talked about, it's a matter of adapting to a situation. I don't think a business man alive cares what language you speak as long as you are able to provide a mutual benfefit to each other. Do you think a French business person with a great idea would be denied opportunities b/c of their refusal to contaminate the mother tongue? Besides, languages evolve. Do you hear many people speaking English like Shakesphere these days or complaining about it when other's don't? For a nation's leader to throw a little hissy fit over such a trivial matter is ridiculous. Link to post Share on other sites
firedog23 0 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Kind of funny that it was Chirac doing some protesting. Isn't that what he is trying to calm down right now in his country is protesters and now he is one. It seems that it is not my country (US) that needs to build a wall to fight illegal immigration (which is shortsighted in planning) but it is France so that nothing gets in. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts