english to the rescue of the french-speaking world

At the World Expo in Seville, the French pavilion was a fully transparent building, representing, according to its designers, a culture whose influence encounters no borders. Likewise, France now boasts a unique ministry in charge of Francophonie (a term coined by Onésime Reclus in 1880) and a Ministry of Culture dedicated to promoting, channeling, and disseminating creativity.

The latest Francophonie summit took place last November in Vietnam. Who wouldn’t be pleased to see this new outreach of France in the heart of vast Asia, in a country it once colonized?

However, young people there, as elsewhere, are turning to English because they need it to adapt to the new global landscape. Forty years after the French-Vietnamese split, only two percent of the Vietnamese population still speaks French.

It would be unfounded to dwell solely on weaknesses and fall into outright pessimism. At the end of this century, French should be viewed with the balance and objectivity typical of scientists, without hiding the affectionate attachment they feel for their country. That’s why defending Francophonie is important without portraying a triumphant and universalist France, nor fostering patriotic reactions that are out of season. Instead, the goal is to innovate and imagine a new approach. Indeed, the battle for Francophonie is not lost from the start. We must let go of an outdated dream and commit to implementing a new strategy that aligns with French cultural originality.

ORIGINALITY OF FRENCH CULTURE:

The intellectual and cultural influence of France remains considerable, which is reflected today in the knowledge of the French language among the elites of many countries, like Egypt, which is largely Arabic-speaking.

Origins: The idea of an autonomous French culture has both religious and political origins. It dates back to the Capetians, that is, to the birth, a thousand years ago, of a state centered around a region between the Oise and Loire rivers. The gradually developed idea of a divine mission for France, based on an alliance between its people and God, through figures like Saint Denis, Saint Remi, Saint Louis, and Saint Joan of Arc, and all the kings of a dynasty chosen by Heaven, is certainly not unrelated to the creation and prolonged existence of a culture with universal aspirations. This culture has been perpetuated, transcending all institutional changes and the separation between state and church. To the missionaries of faith, hope, and charity were added, or substituted, those of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and the Ten Commandments were joined by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

It is undeniable that France’s contribution to world culture has been of the utmost importance. One only has to observe the spread of philosophical and political ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers or to admire French Impressionist painters, whose fame can be measured by the presence of their works in museums worldwide.

Heritage: Today, France still holds a unique position. It is fortunate to possess two thousand years of history, whose traces have been little erased by time or war: churches, castles, civil buildings, museums, old cities, or picturesque villages, all reflecting a long cultural journey. Let’s not forget that Cluniac and Cistercian Romanesque architecture, spread throughout Europe, has its roots in Burgundy, and Gothic art is completely “French,” originating from Île-de-France.

But these monuments are only one facet of French cultural expression. The French language has also been carefully crafted over centuries to contribute to the country's influence. French, including its theatrical and literary expression, was the cornerstone of the cultural universe of Louis XIV, created to command admiration and respect across Europe. The Académie Française played the role of guardian, with the mission of making the French language “one and pure.” The “French tree” became clear and open, displaying the strength and refinement of its branches.

This heritage gives France a logical and precise language, with words that define human thought in its complexity and subtlety. Young French people are often criticized for using words of Anglo-Saxon origin, yet it is not widely known that English speakers do the same whenever they need to express conceptual or abstract ideas precisely. In fact, English lacks sufficiently precise words for these notions. According to an American officer studying at the French Defense Inter-Army College, learning French allows him to approach and better understand intellectually and culturally rich books written in his own language. This, he says, is not easily achieved with the vocabulary learned in American schools. The choice of French or French-origin words in artistic, intellectual, or cultural expression has its roots in the writings of the first great American writers of the 19th century.

Language is the privileged channel of culture, beautifully expressed by Heidegger’s phrase, “Language is the palace of being.” France has a very old, rich, and well-preserved culture, which is why the French are attached to their language. Like agricultural produce from a land that yields slowly, there is no spiritual culture without endurance.

THE DREAM: It’s a dream to believe that French is in a dominant position, as it once was, to rise to the top spot above English. This was true in the 18th century when European elites spoke and corresponded in French, whether at the courts of England, Poland, or Russia. When the French church sent missionaries across the globe, it maintained this movement through its missions, schools, and the use of French in sermons.

Indeed, around 134 million people use the French language daily. French is spoken not only in France and its overseas territories but also in some neighboring regions, such as Wallonia in Belgium, French-speaking Switzerland, and in Quebec, Haiti, and states of former colonies. Francophonie is upheld by French schools abroad and the effective work of the “Alliances Françaises.” A good portion of the two million French people abroad are cooperating teachers.

However, French is now only the twelfth most spoken language globally, far behind Asian languages such as Chinese, Hindi, and Indonesian, as well as European languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and especially English. The time when French had such prestige that Marco Polo dictated his memoirs, “The Book of Marvels,” in French is over. We must act in the context of our century and place French correctly in the world.

Today, American English has become the dominant language. Thanks to their power, the United States took over from the British Empire, which was exhausted by the end of World War II. The internet phenomenon, which potentially transforms every inhabitant of the planet into a partner in global communication, only increases their advantage. This strategic vision is partly why the United States promoted the development of information and communication technologies.

A New Strategy:

The new strategy is to recognize that French can only regain influence if it is perceived as a language of culture, as "culture, the nurturing ground of the mind, appears as an inherited thought in which future thought is rooted."

In his work on cultural identity, Lebanese Francophone Professor Selim Abou notes that "language, while being an element ... of culture, ... transcends other elements insofar as it has the power to name, express, and convey them."

However, dominant languages come and go over time. There was Latin, Italian, Spanish, then French, and now English. The goal is not to restore French to its 18th-century status. Today, English is undeniably the dominant language.

To promote French, France faces the following paradox: as many French people as possible must master English.

Only then can we make the resonances of French culture and language felt in the world's dominant language. Francophone singers like Nana Mouskouri, Charles Aznavour, and Céline Dion, who chose to perform some of their songs in the language of the country they perform in, alongside songs in French, provide a good example. This approach draws in non-French-speaking audiences, making French culture more accessible and allowing for easier linguistic discovery.

By supporting French with English, France can continue to attract people worldwide to its culture and its medium: the French language.

French has the potential to become a language of culture for any inhabitant of the earth. Anglo-American culture, for the vast majority of its users, is limited to basic communication needs. Its vocabulary is limited, leaving its cultural foundations accessible only to a small minority.

What do a Pakistani, an Indian, a rapper from Los Angeles, and a resident of Soweto have in common, other than a reduced linguistic currency for simple communication?

French is known for its clarity and logic; practicing or knowing it is already a way to understand France.

In Conclusion:

French has been dethroned by English and then American English. Who knows if tomorrow it will not be Spanish or Mandarin facilitating basic global communication?

In this complex dance, the French language still has its chances if it can assess its strengths and express them in the dominant language of the era.

Burckhardt said, "at the pinnacle of all culture lies a miracle of the mind, languages, whose origin... rests within the very soul of man."

French must sell itself in English. This is the fate of a language of culture and the paradoxical duty of every French speaker.