This week it goes to the French, or rather one of French Nanny's government departments the Commission Générale de Terminologie et de Néologie (tasked with keeping the French language "pure").
How does it do this?
Simple, it reinvents new French words to replace "evil" new foreign ones that have invaded the language; al la "1984".
Thus it has come to pass that the word "hashtags" has been banned by French Nanny from all legislation and official correspondence etc.
The new French word for hashtags is "mot-dièse" (sharp word).
All very "amusing", no doubt. However, the Commission Générale de Terminologie et de Néologie forgets that a language (if the culture that uses it is still vibrant and living) continues to grow, develop and evolve.
On the assumption that the French language is not yet dead, you can no more stop its evolution than you can disinvent the wheel.
The Commission Générale de Terminologie et de Néologie, well deserving Prats De La Semaine!
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Language is central to a countries identity and I can so no problem with wanting to protect it.
ReplyDeleteIt may be true that all languages ‘evolve’ (if that is the correct term), but the English language evolves far quicker than others and not for the best.
We now have a generation of kids that cannot string together a coherent sentence. The rubbish that they do talk is interjected with nonsense words like ‘innit’. Very few kids could compose and write a letter. Many cannot spell the simplest of words or punctuate the easiest of sentences. They seem to think that talking in a comic ‘Ali G’ type of Jamaican accent makes them appear ‘cool’.
As far as them ever being able to master a foreign language themselves, well let’s put it this way; a nation that with very few exceptions is so staggeringly ignorant of foreign languages really should not criticize.
A prime example.
ReplyDeleteThis is an email that I received on 16th March 2011 from some dullard that was looking for a job. It came with the subject line ‘Job’ and I promise that I have not altered it in any way:-
Hello, I live in Engaland and I am looking to move to spain and I was wondaring if you have jobs going at your Golf resort?
The reply:-
Lo siento. No tengo trabajo aquí para usted y no conozco dónde Engaland está.
¡Suerte!
I heard no more from him.
OMD! RAE! (I think)
ReplyDeleteAu moins ils ont reconnu que le hashtag est le signe pointu dans les termes musicaux
ReplyDeletesorry, I got carried away
At least they have recognised that the hashtag is the sharp sign in musical terms