Why France's language police are very worried about 'Franglais'.

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3 Dec

Photo by Nick Karvounis of Nice, France.

Why the French language council Académie Française dislikes ‘Franglais’ and what it means for Translation.

There has been a rise in the usage of so-called ‘Franglais’ by France’s residents within the last decade, becoming only more and more prominent of late as cultures amalgamate more seamlessly. This fluidity could seem like a huge win for intersectionality, and the usage of a second language – and while there definitely are some positives to the malleability of language, some people aren’t so happy about it.

The current news in France shows that L’Academie Francaise – an institution created in 1635 to ‘defend the purity of the French language’ – is largely not a fan of Franglais, and has been moved to issue a statement about this new hybrid of language. In this recent speech, they declared that they are ‘deeply worried’ about the state of the French language, and how it would be preserved for centuries to come – concerned that if Franglais continues to develop and be spoken more often, ‘pure’ French will cease to exist.

A 1994 law states that French must be used in all ‘government publications, commercial contracts and advertisements’, a law which the academy argued was being bent to appease Anglian spellings and phrases. The academy asked ‘public institutions to respect the law’, using (and condemning) examples such as the common phrase ‘click and collect’ for commonly being used by French retailers – despite their target audience being French, with French as their first language.

And while L’Academie Francaise’s argument may seem trivial in parts, they do have a point.

There are many positives to languages becoming entwined, such as the breakdown of barriers between nations, the ease of assimilation between expats, travellers and locals, and the world’s most important tool – communication – becoming easier for many. Additionally, the skill of possessing a second language – to the extent that it ‘slips’ into your everyday speech – is extremely favourable to employers. However, every country does have its own culture, quirks, and – crucially – language, that makes us all so different. If Franglais was taken to the extreme, and – for example - every country began speaking English as their first language, the world would quickly become a very boring place indeed.

For translators, Franglais also poses some hurdles to their work. Translators not only provide a piece of text in an alternative language, they also use carefully honed skills and knowledge of the two languages, including slang, colloquialisms, common sayings and metaphors, to make it make sense and appeal to the local reader. This is why the best translations are rarely just direct word-for-word alternatives. When a new hybrid language – such as Franglais – is created, these adaptations become more difficult, or require extra help, and the meaning of the text may – literally - become lost in translation.

However, if you’re looking for expert translation for your business that takes into account ever-evolving and blending languages, give Talking Heads a call. We’d love to hear from you!