The Olympics, a platform for French to challenge the dominance of English

“Skateboard” On the contrary “Skateboard” And “figure” to “trick”: By providing French words, the Olympic Games provide a platform for Moliere’s language, even if English dominates.

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At the Paris Games, France set itself the task of promoting its language in the English-dominated field of sports and finding alternatives to the Anglicisms of the new fields.

Daniel Zielinski is Ministerial Representative of the Francophonie at the Ministry of Sports and the Olympic Games. He coordinates a committee with the French Academy that proposes regulations in their absence. Linguists are working, he assures AFP “With Quebec and Belgian counterparts” Discover French-speaking words, not just from France.

For these Paris Olympics, the team focused on four sports that appeared there: breaking, surfing, skateboarding and climbing. Glossy publications such as “Do you speak surfing?”Give translations like “hat roller” to “Point Spacing”.

Despite this, “Skateboard” It finds it difficult to establish itself among the general public, and uses much of its equivalent English.

“Loss of Influence”

Looking ahead to the 2028 Games, Daniel Zielinski, “We’re working on vocabulary for sports like baseball, softball, flag football.”Many of the typically American fields we see in Los Angeles.

Two and a half months before the Games, the National Assembly passed a resolution inviting organizers, participants, spectators and journalists. “Use French”No longer possible.

“Olympics reflect our language’s loss of influence”The rapporteur of the resolution, Anne Geneverde (Les Républiques), regretted it.

If French has always been the official language of the Olympic Games, English has established itself thanks to Pierre de Coubertin, the promoter of modern sports. “Like his successor in the 1930s.” Even more so after 1945, according to historian Patrick Claustress.

Frenchwoman Johanne Defay won the bronze medal in surfing in the small final in Tahiti on August 5.

Photo: AFP/VNA/CVN

French is the fifth most spoken language in the world with 320 million speakers.

Among the Olympic disciplines, fencing is an exception to being refereed entirely in French: “For guard. Are you ready? Come on!” Otherwise, English dominates all conversations between athletes, referees and other officials.

“The French Window”

But according to Marc Cruz, professor of French at Arizona State University in the US, the Paris Olympics are the most effective advertisement for France. “Success in sport is a form of soft power and provides a powerful way to promote a country internationally”he explains to AFP.

“Olympics is a window on France, Paris and the French language”, confirms Cecilia Jordan, an influencer known for her understanding of French to foreign audiences on her Instagram account @hellofrenchnyc. And “Videos about the Olympics in particular have a huge reach.” she mentions. “Social Media Algorithms Highlight Our Content.”

French Academy and Institut de France in Paris on October 5, 2023.

Photo: AFP/VNA/CVN

In the French capital during these games, not everyone knows French, but those who learn it say they enjoy practicing it.

British couple Richard and Michelle Murray, aged 46 and 40, are happy to see their children take risks. “They learn it at school and try a little bit here too, ordering things and talking to people. It’s good for them to have some practice and hear the language. It’s a good learning experience.”According to them.

American designer Gabriella Seibert, 25, also took advantage of the opportunity. “Every time I go to a bakery, I try to order in French. They usually correct my accent. So I try to sound a little more French.”

Fanrui Liao, 39, a Chinese tourist, hasn’t tried it. “I know Paris is an international city and we can speak English here. That’s enough for me.”

AFP/VNA/CVN