France pushes to make French the official language of the EU

[TheDarkling]

Ah the French, a nation so ashamed by how quickly and completely they bent over for the Nazi's that they have been over compensating for 6 decades.

Thanks a bunch De Gaulle.

[Rogue 9]

German is only flexible because it can be flexible.
French could be just as flexible, if not for the Académie française, which controls the development.

That's the worst bit. The French have deluded themselves into thinking you can governmentally control languages. Everyone here knows the story about how 'Quiz' was made, right, as a word?

They seem to be about half-effective at controlling it though; Not enough to stop it, but enough to be annoying. Also, I heard this from someone, but don't know if it's true- if you ask for an airplane ticket in English in the Paris Airport, do you get in trouble?

I don't know about that, but I was once banned from a French message board for speaking English. As in, summary. First post.

[Drooling Iguana]

Don;t they also have French words for MicroWave and TV?

Micro-onde, téléviseur.

[Admiral Valdemar]

I heard about this a few weeks ago. I found it quite pathetic. The French are just wishing they had an empire still and the ability to actually influence the global stage more after the rants they made before Gulf War III. They're sending people to foreign offices to teach French for cryin' out loud! It's just ludicrous, especially when English is already accepted in the EU and is the universal language for science and engineering and trade etc. etc.

[Raptor 597]

kind of amusing how many english words are getting mixed into other european languages, considering that english itself is just a bastardization of the same european languages in question.

Except in France, where assimilation of English words doesn't happen much at all due to their rediculous language-protection laws. Couriel, anyone?

I dunno, French has alot of English cognates, they just steal it but others time they make a new word. For instance:

Le weekend, la tele(tv), la telephone, la radio, etc. I wish I could remember more but I don't have my book. All of the verb tenses: er, ir, aller, avoiv, etc. is all pointless bullshit. Also, all of the vowel marks should be eliminated completely.

[Broomstick]

When will the French get it? English has been widely recognized as the international language of trade and air travel.

Yeah, and they're probably still sore about the latter... French nearly was the language of aviation, and aviation still contains a fair number of French-origin terms such as pilotage, empennage, fuselage, aileron, pitot, and so forth.

[SpacedTeddyBear]

I dunno, French has alot of English cognates, they just steal it but others time they make a new word.

Well, they are trying to phase out the term "E-mail" over there. [/code]

[Edi]

To be fair, Finish isn't the easiest language out there, either

No, it certainly isn't, which is why I didn't even bother suggesting it here, it'd have most people come down with a severe case of tangletongue, and you DON'T want to know about the grammar...

And Italian has some pretty deep pitfalls in pronounciation. Dunno for other mother tongues, but for Germans, the "gli", "gn" sounds are hard to get right. Just let some people order Gnocchi, and you will wish you're deaf

Might have something to do with German being a relatively guttural language, while Italian doesn't have all those throat sounds and is much more melodic. Italian is very easy for Finns to pronounce, because mostly the sounds are the same, with some stuff that doesn't appear in Finnish but is easy for us nonetheless. Finnish has a 1:1 consonant to vowel ratio (most European languages have 1.5:1 to 1.75:1), which makes it more melodic and helps a lot with many languages, especially vowel-rich ones. Conversely, German with the gutturals and French with the retarded nasal sounds are far more difficult to get right. And with all of them, it's the grammar that's the most difficult, because they are from a different language family.

Edi

[wautd]

Half of my country speaks french.

But i'd be damned if i had to speak french

Engish all the way. Relatively easy to learn and its far more of a world language than stupidass french

[Chris OFarrell]

You have GOT to love this. It reminds me of that Simpsons episode with the IOC comming to Springfield in response to Lisa's letter, before Bart ruins it all.

Specificaly:

IOC Chainman:
"So, where will we hold the next Olympics?"

French IOC Member.
"Ahh Paris would make a Tribian city for the next Olypmics!"

IOC Chairman:
"Alright...why is that?"

French IOC Member.
"I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TO YOU!" *throws wineglass and splashes IOC Chairman, then sits down looking smug* "I await your reply!"

*IOC Chairman throws wine back at the astonished Frenchman*

France have been treating the EU as their own private club for the last decade, laughing at the English non stop...but ever so slowly and with great stealth, the cunning English have been steadily gaining influence and power inside the EU to themselves. With all the new nations comming in, all the old nations getting tired of the French, the Brits have been ever so slowly becoming the Palpitine to the EU's Valorum.

And suddenly this year, they have grabed control over just about all the major posts in the EU to the chears of all the members and the French are just staring with ultra wide eyes shouting Sucre'blu!! Until finaly they start "Issuing" desperate memos like this. Which will simply accelerate the process. The Brits have lit the fire on the French's last attempt to grab and empire...and the funny thing is with stuff like this, the French will in fact fan the flames. BWHAHA!



Of course the other option is to accelerate the whole thing. Hire the Germans to march to Paris again and blast the FUCK out of it. Its been a good 50 years, we need another rolling march of the Panzers down through the Arch de Triumph. This time, with Leppoard II's

[HemlockGrey]

nd suddenly this year, they have grabed control over just about all the major posts in the EU to the chears of all the members and the French are just staring with ultra wide eyes shouting Sucre'blu!! Until finaly they start "Issuing" desperate memos like this. Which will simply accelerate the process. The Brits have lit the fire on the French's last attempt to grab and empire...and the funny thing is with stuff like this, the French will in fact fan the flames. BWHAHA!

Of course the other option is to accelerate the whole thing. Hire the Germans to march to Paris again and blast the FUCK out of it. Its been a good 50 years, we need another rolling march of the Panzers down through the Arch de Triumph. This time, with Leppoard II's

My God...

Sir Humphrey Appleby : You see, the British foreign office has had the same basic goal for at least the last five hundred years, and that is to create a disunited Europe. In that cause, we've fought with the Germans against the French and Spanish, with the Turkish and French against the Russians, and with the French and Russians against the Germans and Italians. It's the old divide and rule, you see, that's why we want to break up the European Union. We tried to break it up from the outside, but that wouldn't work. Now that we're inside we're free to make a complete pig's breakfast of the whole thing. We can set the Spanish against the Germans, the Germans against the French, the French against the Italians. Foreign office is terribly pleased, it's just like old times.
James Hacker : But if that's true, why is the foreign office pushing for higher membership?
Sir Humphrey Appleby : I'd have thought that was obvious. The more members an organization has, the more arguments it can stir up. The more futile and impotent it becomes.
James Hacker : What appalling cynicism.
Sir Humphrey Appleby : Yes, minister. We call it diplomacy.

They were RIGHT!

[Admiral Valdemar]

That was always my favourite Yes, Minister quote. And dammit, it was true.

[Gandalf]

Sir Humphrey Appleby : You see, the British foreign office has had the same basic goal for at least the last five hundred years, and that is to create a disunited Europe. In that cause, we've fought with the Germans against the French and Spanish, with the Turkish and French against the Russians, and with the French and Russians against the Germans and Italians. It's the old divide and rule, you see, that's why we want to break up the European Union. We tried to break it up from the outside, but that wouldn't work. Now that we're inside we're free to make a complete pig's breakfast of the whole thing. We can set the Spanish against the Germans, the Germans against the French, the French against the Italians. Foreign office is terribly pleased, it's just like old times.
James Hacker : But if that's true, why is the foreign office pushing for higher membership?
Sir Humphrey Appleby : I'd have thought that was obvious. The more members an organization has, the more arguments it can stir up. The more futile and impotent it becomes.
James Hacker : What appalling cynicism.
Sir Humphrey Appleby : Yes, minister. We call it diplomacy.

They were RIGHT!

That's damn near FUQ-able. But I don't think you can quote TV shows for that.

Anyway, could Russian be made the official EU language? They have the highest population in Europe. (143 million as of July.)

[Chris OFarrell]

Sir Humphrey Appleby > All Civil Servents EVER.

[SecondStorm]

Anyway, could Russian be made the official EU language? They have the highest population in Europe. (143 million as of July.)

They would have to be an EU-member first you dumbarse.

On-topic:
English is by far the better language to have as official language. Also stunts like this doesnt exactly endear anyone to French either.

[Gandalf]

Anyway, could Russian be made the official EU language? They have the highest population in Europe. (143 million as of July.)

They would have to be an EU-member first you dumbarse.

On-topic:
English is by far the better language to have as official language. Also stunts like this doesnt exactly endear anyone to French either.

I thought they joined the EU a few years ago?

[TheDarkling]

I thought they joined the EU a few years ago?

Nope, the Russians still think they are an independent great power.

Even if they wanted into the EU I doubt they would meet the criteria and on top of that I don't think they would be welcome (a little too large).

[TheDarkling]

The Brits have lit the fire on the French's last attempt to grab and empire...and the funny thing is with stuff like this, the French will in fact fan the flames. BWHAHA!

The French have the twin secret weapons of the Sun and the Daily Mail backing them up, not to mention UKIP and the Tories.

I wouldn't count them out yet, the little Englanders may yet bring triumph for the French.

[Rye]

Don;t they also have French words for MicroWave and TV?

I'm fairly sure it's just telévision, though i have no idea about microwaves.

All of it touched off by some miffed Frenchmen that took a moment away from their cheese and wine to be offended by hearing other Frenchmen say "Le Car."

Car is already taken by coaches .

Anyway, there's not much to say that hasn't already been said, English is the language of commerce, and commerce always beats French whine.

[BlkbrryTheGreat]

I thought they joined the EU a few years ago?

Nope, the Russians still think they are an independent great power.

Whats Russians economic and population growth rate anyway? If they're high enough they really COULD be a "Great" power (meaning a match, economically, for USA/India/China) again.

[TheDarkling]

Whats Russians economic and population growth rate anyway? If they're high enough they really COULD be a "Great" power (meaning a match, economically, for USA/India/China) again.

The Russian population is contracting ( -0.45% is the current rate according to the CIA) just like the other countries which were on the wrong side of the Iron curtain.

Their economy is growing nicely (7%) but they are starting from a rather low base (behind Poland, Mexico and Malaysia to give you an example of their relative GDP per capita) and so should be expected to have a high growth rate.

Russia’s problems of course go beyond simple figures as they have quite a few issues to overcome before they could be considered a nation of real power (power which is not a hang over from the USSR that is).

[Mange]

No offense to any French speaking persons on these boards, but English is the most widely understood language in the European Union. I would never consider learning French just to please France. Deal with the fact that English is the language that de facto is lingua franca.

[Dillon]

Link. *snip*

That's incredible, The politicians from France are just as good whiners as the members of Parti/Bloc Quebecois!