President Sarkozy vigorously defends French against the onslaught of English but uses some folksy French expressions that would have Victor Hugo turning in his grave.
On the occasion of the International Day of the Francophonie, which took place on March 21, the French President delivered a speech of unusual gusto in favor of spreading the French language throughout the world. At a reception held at the Elysée for 400 guests from the Francophone world, the President denounced the snobbism (or snobbery or snobbishness) of French-speaking diplomats who chose to express themselves in English.
“I say what I think. This is not something we can’t change. The Francophonie is a priority for French diplomacy, and all French diplomats should believe that. They are so happy to speak English. If they don’t speak French, why should be expect others to do so.” With a touch of irony, Sarkozy proclaimed the snobbism of those who believe that they show themselves to be intelligent or modern by always choosing English. “We have nothing against English”, he said, “but we want French to remain an international language.”
Sarkozy recently requested his personal representative to the Francophonie, former Prime Minister Raffarin, to visit the principal international organizations in order to reclaim the status of French. "Every concession we make will bring another in its wake and [French will] go down the slippery slope to surrender". He condemned the activities of UN representatives who serve in French-speaking countries “without knowing a word of our language.”
Sarkozy strongly suggested that the President of the European Commission, Mr. José Manuel Barroso, should not confine himself to responding in French to questions put to him in French, but should also deliver important speeches in French.
The President’s speech was picked up by the New York Times, in an article entitled "Pardon My French" introducing its readers to Eric Zemmour, a journalist for Figaro Magazine and RTL, who has written “French Melancholy” (“Melancolie francaise”), just published by Fayard.
Mr. Zemmour is quoted as saying: “The end of French political power has brought the end of French. Now even the French elite have given up. They don’t care anymore. They all speak English.”
Another Frenchman resigned to the growing pervasiveness of English is lobbyist Jacque Lafitte, who is quoted as saying “"English has become a sort of modern-day Latin and a rather practical one on top of it—why resist its ascendancy?"
Mr. Zemmour and Mr. Lafitte should heed the words of Mr. Sarkozy, who regards the process as reversible.
Meanwhile, Mr Sarkozy himself has been criticized by Le Monde for his choice of words in two public incidents in which he spoke in language that was hardly Molierien. The article, dated April 22, is entitled “Après "casse-toi pauv' con", le "fais pas le malin, toi".
For the former expression, the English equivalent might be “Beat it, asshole”, or “Piss off, you loser” [or “you jerk”] or “butt out, meathead”; while for that of the latter, a rough translation would be “don’t be a smart-arse*” (UK usage) or a “smart ass” (USA usage), or a “wise-guy”; while the addition of the familiar second-person “toi” adds an extra dose of disrespect.
One humorist at Radio Suisse Romand has produced a video clip containing an impersonation of Presidents De Gaulle, Giscard d'Estaing, François Mittérand and Jacques Chirac using similar language.
Perhaps we can expect to hear the President, as the embodiment of French culture and the defender of the purity of the French language, use some of these expressions:
" J'suis en pit ", " Lui, c'est un 100 % roro ", " J'ai invité mes sauces au barbecue ", " Laisse tomber, il a toyé tout le monde ! ", " Aujourd'hui je rince un grec ", " Je suis yomb de toi ".
For another view of Sarkozy’s language, see « Sarkozy mot a mot – La Rhétorique du President »
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* A « smart arse/ass» is a vulgar version of the term “Smart Alec”, meaning a person who is a smug know-all, someone “too clever by half”. According to one theory, the expression originated with Alec Hoag, a New York confidence trickster. According to another theory, “Smart Alec” is one of several names, such as Clever Dick, used as catchwords to describe people who are conceited, self-opinionated or ostentatiously and irritatingly knowledgeable.
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2 responses to “Pardon My French”
” J’suis en pit “, ” Lui, c’est un 100 % roro “, ” J’ai invité mes sauces au barbecue “, ” Laisse tomber, il a toyé tout le monde ! “, ” Aujourd’hui je rince un grec “, ” Je suis yomb de toi “.”
Jonathan, what are you talking about here? “Casse-toi pauvre con” was bad enough – it certainly was a top hit in France and around the world, but this doesn’t mean any thing at all, and I find it offensive for no reason at all.
Particulièrement savoureuse ,la video de la suisse Romande …… le” style “de nos présidents successifs est bien saisi, on retrouve le rythme ternaire de De Gaulle et le pastiche de son discours à la libération de Paris est un régal …… quand à la ” chute ” de notre Jacquot, elle ne manque pas de sel !