The English Invasion
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Notes From Abroad
April 3, 2008 - 11:00pmThere is a French institution called the Académie française that strives to control the usage and maintain the purity of the French language. Founded in 1635, the Académie also works to prevent the Anglicization of French. For example, rather than saying “tie-break” or “walkman,” the Académie française imposed the use of “jeu décisif” and “baladeur” in France. Though they do not say as much on their website, I believe the Académie mourns the loss of the era where French was the language spoken in the European courts, the language of the aristocracy.
Alas, my experience thus far has shown me that the Académie française, like many French institutions, is more or less ineffective. I say this because, even in French, I find myself surrounded by English expressions and am eternally reminded of the current omnipresence of the English language in the world.
Naturally, there is some level of Anglo-influence in the language due to the shared origins of French and English. Many English words, such as “bizarre” and “intelligent,” exist in French. Countless other French words are evidently close to their English counterparts. The French “amuser” means to “have fun” and “lumière” means light. The similarities are such that often a French accent and ending can be added to an English word, and voilà! You have a French word. (This technique can backfire. Try ordering your food “sans préservatifs” and the waiter will wonder why you specified that your vegetables be served without condoms.)
However, English is constantly working its way into French in a manner that leaves me wondering what the Académie française is doing with its 35-hour work week. For instance, the French say “faire du shopping,” “faire du shampooing” and “faire du parking” to describe shopping, shampooing and parking. Likewise, stop signs in Paris say “Stop” rather than “Arrêt” and a shocking number of advertisements for American companies such as McDonald’s and Levi’s show English phrases. Such signs presume that though France is a French-speaking country, you’d better have some knowledge of English if you want to understand what that red sign is telling you to do.
English is equally present in French slang, which is no surprise considering that in France American culture — TV shows, movies and music — dominates. At any given moment, there are an equal number of French and English movies playing at the theater. I used to think my French friends at the foyer greeted me with “Hey” and bid farewell with a “Buh-bye” because they wanted me to feel at ease in French culture. Actually, these common English greetings are common in France. And though my first French T.A. told me that “chouette” was the equivalent of “cool” on French soil, I learned that “chouette” has passed its prime. In France, “cool” means “cool.” Even small phrases work their way into the language. Of course, some level of language-exchange is natural. In America, we say “déjà vu,” “café,” “encore” and “à la mode.” Still, how many times have you said “salut” or “coucou” to your friends in place of an American hello? If anything, the excessive quantity of English in French is evidence of English’s dominance in the international environment. Though French may never become completely English, I share the Académie française’s worries. At the foyer, I am pleasantly surprised by the diverse languages — each one completely different — that fly through the hallways, and would never want to see these languages become more homogeneous. Unfortunately, the Académie française may need a 40-hour work week.