Sorbonne University is no longer called Sorbonne University, but rather Sorbonne University, to be closer to the English language. The prestigious Paris Institute of Political Studies now prefers that conferences be presented in English. There are many examples of the English in France.
But the French president doesn’t care. He opened the French language city at Château de Villey-Cotterêts. A great initiative that deserves praise. But this French city pales in comparison to the worship that many French people, including the president, devote to the English language.
The global decline of the English language
However, the English language is in decline around the world. It is declining in Asia, especially in China, where it is no longer a subject in the entrance examination for major universities.
The Chinese government believes that it is now up to foreigners to learn Mandarin if they want to interact with the Chinese.
Many countries whose lingua franca was the language of their former colonizers were able to resort to Mandarin Chinese, if only because China had become the primary trading partner for the majority of the world’s countries. In addition, China is a very great scientific and military power.
In Sudan, whose official languages are Arabic and English, Russia aims to replace English with Russian. Algeria has abandoned teaching the French language, and Russia has opened Russian language institutes there.
In fact, those who are fascinated by the English language do not understand that English is becoming less and less the language of the future. It is less and less the case to the extent that global demographic developments tend to favor other languages and to the extent that the United States is, for various reasons, in the process of self-destruction.
France has lost its former attractiveness. But it will remain stronger if France defends it within its borders without succumbing to intimidation. The French Language City is a step in this direction, but it is a very small step.
And French in Quebec?
French is also declining in Quebec. Thus, French-language songs no longer represent a very small portion of the songs that Quebeckers listen to. Even cultural critics, in various media, discuss creations in English more willingly, more frequently and more easily, rather than those written in French.
It must be said that French-language creativity in Quebec is much less diverse than it was in the 1970s, and is also strongly influenced by what we should call American cultural imperialism.
However, Quebecers have become more educated and speak better English. Why would they accept a cultural tradition produced in Quebec when they have access to the original in English? We have come very close to the sun of American culture. It dries us up.
