Angry Chirac leaves summit as Frenchman speaks English.
- Thread starter Blackleaf
- Start date
I am sure that President Chirac would be shocked and appalled to come to Canada and watch the procedings of our House of Commons, where English-speakers speak French, and French-speakers speak English ... unless, of course, you look to the far-left benches of the House, that is; where the Bloc Québecois Members of Parliament refuse to speak in anything other than French, even in Committees to English witnesses, for fear that muttering a word in English would cause the catastrophic implosion of their distinct society.
Quebec's Language Police reminds me of the Morality Police of Saudi Arabia with canes whipping young girls who show their ankles in public.
the french - are a wonderfull intelligent creative people who have contributed more to western civilisation than perhaps any other single nation.
people of that caliber will always attrack the ire of --- the envious ones
well done Jacques!
vive la france
viva europa
people of that caliber will always attrack the ire of --- the envious ones
well done Jacques!
vive la france
viva europa
The French are no better than anyone else. They are just people. There is nothing special about them that should advance them above any other race.
Re: RE: Angry Chirac leaves summit as Frenchman speaks Engli
Athens, Greece has more culture than all of France, should we all be speaking Greek?
cortez said:
Athens, Greece has more culture than all of France, should we all be speaking Greek?
Paris is beautiful. One of my favourite cities in the world.
There are all sorts of wonderful museums in the city of lights.
And if France doesn't change the mindset evidenced by these demonstrations, then one day, it will be one vast, giant open-air museum!
There are all sorts of wonderful museums in the city of lights.
And if France doesn't change the mindset evidenced by these demonstrations, then one day, it will be one vast, giant open-air museum!
Re: RE: Angry Chirac leaves summit as Frenchman speaks Engli
Been there and many other much more culturally important cities in other countries. Three days and that was enough to not need to go back again. The only thing that stood out was the Lido, Moulin Rouge and Louvre. There are many other major cities I would love to return to before I go back to Paris.
I stayed at the Royal Hotel and had waiters serving me wearing 17th Century costumes and white wigs. Cost me $5,000 for the three days fifteen years ago for the hotel and meals. I remember I did not even like the food.
Another memory of note was being stuck in their air port till 3 a.m. because I had a Canadian Passport and needed a special visa to get into France because I was frmo Canada. I did not need one for any other major European Countries back them and US Citizens did not have the same visa requirement and got in without one.
Go figure.
cortez said:
Been there and many other much more culturally important cities in other countries. Three days and that was enough to not need to go back again. The only thing that stood out was the Lido, Moulin Rouge and Louvre. There are many other major cities I would love to return to before I go back to Paris.
I stayed at the Royal Hotel and had waiters serving me wearing 17th Century costumes and white wigs. Cost me $5,000 for the three days fifteen years ago for the hotel and meals. I remember I did not even like the food.
Another memory of note was being stuck in their air port till 3 a.m. because I had a Canadian Passport and needed a special visa to get into France because I was frmo Canada. I did not need one for any other major European Countries back them and US Citizens did not have the same visa requirement and got in without one.
Go figure.
Re: RE: Angry Chirac leaves summit as Frenchman speaks Engli
im not suggesting we all speak french
but that the french be allowed to speak it
to each his own
translators ---get lots
no biggie
i say no to ay ONE global language-- even if its the one im -- sort of fluent in
but the thread i think has veered--
i alway find myself defending the french---
just because--
well ive got to be different
ive tried to hate them-- to fit in around here
but i cant....
last september i spent a week in paris-- my second time there
i loved it
i found-- quite contrary to what i had been told to expect -- the people friendly charming helpfull and interesting..
my french is so-so-- but i was never made to feel bad about it
and by the way-- i feel the same about the united states--- the people are wonderfull--
its cliche but --its the system that dissapoints me
i geuss thats your gripe about france
I think not said:
im not suggesting we all speak french
but that the french be allowed to speak it
to each his own
translators ---get lots
no biggie
i say no to ay ONE global language-- even if its the one im -- sort of fluent in
but the thread i think has veered--
i alway find myself defending the french---
just because--
well ive got to be different
ive tried to hate them-- to fit in around here
but i cant....
last september i spent a week in paris-- my second time there
i loved it
i found-- quite contrary to what i had been told to expect -- the people friendly charming helpfull and interesting..
my french is so-so-- but i was never made to feel bad about it
and by the way-- i feel the same about the united states--- the people are wonderfull--
its cliche but --its the system that dissapoints me
i geuss thats your gripe about france
Re: RE: Angry Chirac leaves summit as Frenchman speaks Engli
Who ever said that the french should not be allowed to speak their language?
The French Language has never been harmed by anyone. It is dying of natural causes. All the people fighting to keep it alive can do it at their own expense and without inconvenience or cost to any non-french speaking Canadians.
Alternatively they can do Canada a favour and all move back to Quebec, separate and make their own country as they like, rather than force everyone else to accomodate you.
They are entittled to speak their language the same way the Punjabi or any other non-french speaking Canadians speak theirs.
The problem with French Canadian Language issues is that the want to force everyone else to accomodate them. It is not right and it is at the very least arogant and hollier than thow atitude of worse and Non-french speaking Canadians should not have to put up with it in their own country.
If more non-french Canadians became more vocal at least things like the Conseil Scolaire du District Centre Sud Ouest can be eliminated form the non-french speaking parts of Ontario so the public does not have to pay to bus french families kids to schools fifty killometers away at huge expense and have all these half empty French Language Schools all over the Province while regular publilc schools have a field of portables to hold the extra kids and denser class sizes.
Why do the french canadians deserve better educational services than non-french canadians? We all pay the same rates of taxes!
cortez said:
Who ever said that the french should not be allowed to speak their language?
The French Language has never been harmed by anyone. It is dying of natural causes. All the people fighting to keep it alive can do it at their own expense and without inconvenience or cost to any non-french speaking Canadians.
Alternatively they can do Canada a favour and all move back to Quebec, separate and make their own country as they like, rather than force everyone else to accomodate you.
They are entittled to speak their language the same way the Punjabi or any other non-french speaking Canadians speak theirs.
The problem with French Canadian Language issues is that the want to force everyone else to accomodate them. It is not right and it is at the very least arogant and hollier than thow atitude of worse and Non-french speaking Canadians should not have to put up with it in their own country.
If more non-french Canadians became more vocal at least things like the Conseil Scolaire du District Centre Sud Ouest can be eliminated form the non-french speaking parts of Ontario so the public does not have to pay to bus french families kids to schools fifty killometers away at huge expense and have all these half empty French Language Schools all over the Province while regular publilc schools have a field of portables to hold the extra kids and denser class sizes.
Why do the french canadians deserve better educational services than non-french canadians? We all pay the same rates of taxes!
Re: RE: Angry Chirac leaves summit as Frenchman speaks Engli
I don't think anybody said the French shouldn't be speaking their own language. I have visited France also, in all cases I had a leasant experience except for one day up North, other than that, all was good. Paris is a tourist attraction, the entire city revolves around tourism, meaning they intentionally spiff it up to attract tourists. I enjoyed the Louvre, Notre Dame etc... but I wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination refer to Paris as the cultural epicenter of the world, it takes alot more than buildings to give a city culture.
The point of this thread was the arrogant reaction of Chirac, let's face it, the French feel French (the language) is the epitome of human communication, while English is the pitty. I wonder if he knows French (like all other Romance Languages) descended from Vulgar Latin and not Classical Latin as is widely believed. Maybe he would have a different attitude knowing he speaks language of the slaves, it may humble him a tad.
cortez said:
I don't think anybody said the French shouldn't be speaking their own language. I have visited France also, in all cases I had a leasant experience except for one day up North, other than that, all was good. Paris is a tourist attraction, the entire city revolves around tourism, meaning they intentionally spiff it up to attract tourists. I enjoyed the Louvre, Notre Dame etc... but I wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination refer to Paris as the cultural epicenter of the world, it takes alot more than buildings to give a city culture.
The point of this thread was the arrogant reaction of Chirac, let's face it, the French feel French (the language) is the epitome of human communication, while English is the pitty. I wonder if he knows French (like all other Romance Languages) descended from Vulgar Latin and not Classical Latin as is widely believed. Maybe he would have a different attitude knowing he speaks language of the slaves, it may humble him a tad.
Re: RE: Angry Chirac leaves summit as Frenchman speaks Engli
I think that the French example by Chirac and the French Canadian approach are similar. These are imposing acts on others who are non-french speakers who are forced to pay for or pander to their feelings of cultural superiority over everyone else.
American English is not like this. It is taking over without anyone going out of their way to advance it or put down other languages so that it can advance. These are the distinct issues of most relevance and all of the emotional garbage the french put into their efforts is just a facade to get more for themselves at other peoples expeense. Who cares about any lanuage? Its what people have to say that is importaant not the frivolousness of HOW people say things.
iamcanadian said:
I think that the French example by Chirac and the French Canadian approach are similar. These are imposing acts on others who are non-french speakers who are forced to pay for or pander to their feelings of cultural superiority over everyone else.
American English is not like this. It is taking over without anyone going out of their way to advance it or put down other languages so that it can advance. These are the distinct issues of most relevance and all of the emotional garbage the french put into their efforts is just a facade to get more for themselves at other peoples expeense. Who cares about any lanuage? Its what people have to say that is importaant not the frivolousness of HOW people say things.
Maybe those who don't like French Language laws can just pack it up pack it in and move to Ontario. I mean what's the deal? You don't like the laws and the parties that run the province, what's the desire to stay? Your daddy's father used to run the local lumber mill and your proud of the fact French people were never given the opportunity and sticking around rubs it in their face? :lol: