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French Government Bans Term 'E-Mail'
Licensed2Hack writes "'Goodbye "e-mail," the French government says, and hello "courriel" -- the term that linguistically sensitive France is now using to refer to electronic mail in official documents.' .
Curriel? 'Hey Pierre, curriel me those sales figures.' Just sounds wrong!" Especially if you don't actually speak french ;)
Which is funny because Quebec frenchers speak with how you say "Anglisms" [actually I don't think that is how you spell it].
Even more so though. Franch french people are acting like pricks and they want to remain pure and all that jazz. Quebec french people are pricks and they want to remain pure [by pure they mean make up their own french and cram it down the throats of the federal govt].
Seems french people are asses anywhere...
(And yes I'm Kiddin!)
Tom
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
At least the french take a shot at preserving their linguistic identity, even though it makes them look pathetic. I swear the next time a Japanese person mentiones 'erekutoronikku meeru' or 'monorisikku puroguramu dezain' I'm going to fucking strangle him.
Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
Time to have some Freedom Toast, Freedom Fries, and Freedom Kiss the wife. Take that and stick it in your Freedom Horn.
Just when most of us had started to let it go, these idiots try to start another dick size war.
Just another day in Paradise
I wish I had some way to keep english, and more broadly the US, from invading my culture and language. The US culture is spreading like small pox and essentially deteriating other cultures in the process. If I never see Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jennifer Lopez or an ad for a reality tv show I would gladly dance a jig.
Unfortunately I live in Seattle, WA and can only escape the US silliness of greed, corruption and unending bombardment of adverstisements by vacationing to other countries, which rarely happens because I have to work like a dog to pay for the glamourous lifestyle of an American (especially one who lives in Seattle; very glamorous for sure). It's not all bad though, I just woke up and haven't had my coffee yet so I am bitter.
Uh oh there's my coffee now, thanks Pierre. Can I get some freedom fries with that?
LoRider
Bring on the jingoist attitudes of stupid Americans once again. It's called "culture". We all have differences in our cultures. Well... except for most Americans who have no culture at all. Yes, I am American, but I can't stand the non-culture anymore. The only things we export to the world are our own ignorance and our own fear. These are truly sad times.
Un-news
They are adamant about keeping American words out of the English language but they were the first to kiss our butts when we liberated them from the Nazis. They are veterans of the war of words but are the first to surrender in a war of worlds.
The French Academie is there to make sure that words aren't poorly used, important words don't change meaning (by taking over the meaning of an existing word like the word radical in English that suddenly started meaning cool, wait a second cool already means...). They act as a point of reference so that people can all use the same language no matter where they are.
French is no perfect language, it isn't better than English. But having an Academie makes sure it's usage is easier and more effective for everyone.
Likening French xenophobia to American xenophobia is analagous to saying German public transportation is just like American public transportation. The reality is one is much more pervasive and widely used than the other.
The French look everyone else in the world as their inferior. They look at the French Canadians as their inferior. The Parisians look at the French as inferior.
I don't think it's unreasonable for a country to choose an official language and use it. In parts of the southwest USA you've got whole communities of spanish speakers who don't understand english, and it only creates a mess. It's a severe waste of time and money if you have to set up two signs on every road, translate every legal document (which would be a source of great argumentation among lawyers), etc. If you're going to live in a country, just learn the official language and speak it like everyone else in schools and in public places.
In other news the French have also removed the word PUBERTY from their vocabulary.
Slashdot taught me how to use the preview button!
I, too, am an English Quebecois and all I have to say is that historically the English of Canada have screwed the French of Canada over left, front and sideways. Innumerable agreements broken, people murdered (yes, true fact), land and wealth stolen. Even the dreaded language police in full force cannot possibly tip the scales in the other direction.
I bought the story that was handed down (like RC church being in control, etc.) until I found the real facts.
I am not a troll. But I don't take Slashdot seriously either. No one should.
Un-news
To Americans arrogance is something they only recognize in others.
You call that insightful? I call that sad and ignorant. IMO any statement that uses generalization to achieve validity or justification is either uninformed - and therefore ignorant - or malicious and barbed - and therefore both ignorant and terminally invalid.
I'm quite surprised such an obvious troll was modded as insightful. I guess it's hip to bash on nationality now, right? Or were you just karma whoring?
You do understand that your statement embodies the exact behavior you berate, don't you? I don't think it matters where you come from to recognize that one.
It goes from God, to Jerry, to me.