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Legislating in Defence of the French Language*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2009

Roderick Munday
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Extract

In the preface to his memoirs, Casanova outlined his reasons for writing them in French. Having noted that the clarity, precision and grace of the French language are such that a cultivated person cannot help but fall beneath its spell, he went on to mention one further feature:

It is worth observing that among all the living languages in the republic of letters, French is the only one which its presiding judges have sentenced not to enrich itself at the expense of the other languages.

Arguably this is a proud posture for a language to strike, hermetically cocooned within a self-imposed cultural bridewell. Nevertheless, Casanova's observation was, to a degree, an accurate representation of the cultured French of his day and, curiously, is probably truer today that it has ever been.

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The Cambridge Law Journal , Volume 44 , Issue 2 , July 1985 , pp. 218 - 235
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Copyright © Cambridge Law Journal and Contributors 1985

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References

1 The History of My Life (1967: London), Vol. I, p. 37.Google Scholar

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5 A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1965: Oxford) s.v. “French words”.Google Scholar

6 1964. Paris: Gallimard, Collection Idées. For other accounts of the French reaction to franglais, see: Munday, , “Legislating a Language” (1977) 99 Cambridge Review 121Google Scholar; Carbonneau, , “Linguistic Legislation and Transnational Commercial Activity: France and Belgium” (1981) 29 Am. J. Comp. L. 393.Google Scholar

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9 J.C.P. 1976. III. 43735; J.O. 4 January 1976, p. 189. At the time of writing, fresh legislation, extending the ambit of the Law of 31 December 1975, seems imminent: The Times, 1 March 1985, p. 10.

10 Decree n° 66–203 of 31 March 1966, J. O. 7 April 1966, p. 2795. See also, Decree n° 80–414 of 11 June 1980, J.O. 13 June 1980, p. 1451.

11 Ministerial order of 7 July 1970 (unpublished); ministerial order of 16 June 1971, J.C.P. 1971. III. 38009.

12 Decree n0 72–19 of 7 January 1972, J.C.P. 1972. III. 38727; J.O. 9 January 1972, p. 388; modified by Decree n° 78–493 of 3 April 1978, JO. 4 April 1978, N.C. p. 1483.

13 Decree n° 72–19, art. 2 (emphasis added).

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15 Decree n° 83–243 of 25 March 1983, J.O. 29 March 1983, p. 955; Gaz.Pal. 1983.1. 324. See also Decree n° 84–91 of 9 February 1984, J.O. 10 February 1984, p. 554 setting up a Consultative Committee for the French Language.

16 Ibid., art. 4.

17 Ibid., art. 7.

18 Ibid., art. 8.

19 Ibid., art. 9. see below at pp. 225–226.

20 Ministerial order of 15 December 1983, JO. 24 December 1983, N.C. p. 11489.

21 Decree n° 84–153 of 29 February 1984, J.O. 3 March 1984, pp. 770 and 1087.

22 Ministerial order of 2 May 1984, J.O. 15 May 1984, N.C. p. 4329.

23 Ministerial order of 15 May 1984, J.O. 31 May 1984, N.C. p. 4839.

24 Ministerial order of 6 April 1984, J.O. 2 June 1984, N.C. p. 4855.

25 Ministerial order of 16 July 1984, J.O. 21 July 1984, N.C. p. 6384.

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28 Ibid., Bit. II, Chap. XII. Du Bellay's argument in the Deffence was that the French language could primarily be enriched by gallicising Greek and Latin words. Similar sentiments were expressed in Renaissance England by such as Sir John Cheke, defending “our own tung … cleane and pure, unmixt and unmangeled by borowing of other tunges” against an influx of “ink-horn” words: Letter of 16 July 1557 to Sir Thomas Hoby, cited in Castiglione, , Book of the Courtier (1966. London: Everyman), p. 7.Google Scholar

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30 1930. Paris: Gamier (Humbert, ed.).

31 Supra, note 6.

32 Supra, note 7.

33 Dictionnaire de I'Académie Frangaise 1931, 1st fascicule, p. iv.

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37 Sènat, J.O. 23 October 1975, p. 3037.

38 This may be borne out by Decree n° 84–171 of 12 March 1984, J.O. 13 March 1984, p. 830 setting up a new Supreme Francophone Council (Haul Conseil de la francophonie).

39 Circular of 14 March 1977, J.O. 19 March 1977, p. 1483.

40 Circular of 20 October 1982,J.C.P. 1982. III. 53321. See Daily Telegraph, 30 October 1982, p. 5. The confusion engendered by this second Circular is highlighted by Girard in his note to the recently reported Court of Appeal case, Heuillet et société Gehrig, Aix-en-Provence (5C Ch.corr), 10 January 1984, Gaz.Pal., 3–4 April 1985, p. 9. Girard, incidentally, argues that the Aix-en-Provence court's adept ruling in this case sidesteps the problem that the Law of 31 December 1975 may conflict with the provisions of the Treaty of Rome: see infra, note 41.

41 See (1983) 4 Bus.L.R. 2 9. Art. 169 provides that, if the Commission considers that a Member State has failed to fulfil its treaty obligations, it shall deliver a reasoned opinion on the matter after giving that State an opportunity to submit its observations. If the State fails to comply with the Commission's opinion within the period stipulated by the Commission, the latter may bring the matter before the Court of Justice.

42 These examples are taken from the Prime Minister's Circular of 14 March 1977, J.O. 19 March 1977, p. 1483. These provisions also apply to broadcasting by wireless or television (art. 1).

43 Law of 1 August 1905, D.P. 1906.4.47. See also. Decree n° 84–1147 of 7 December 1984, J.O. 21 December 1984, p. 3925, art. 4. Cp. Paris (13C ch.) 28 March 1985, unreported.

44 Ass.Nat., J.O. 19 December 1975, p. 10126 (M. Marc Lauriol, rapporteur).

45 See now, Code du Travail, arts. L. 121–1 and L. 311–4.

46 SEITA's conviction was affirmed by the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation on 12 March 1984. The Times, 1 March 1985, p. 10 reported that about 200 companies and individuals have now been successfully prosecuted for offences under this Law. The fines and damages awarded, however, tend to be small.

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48 Kolasinski. Cass.(Crim.), 28 June 1983, Gaz.Pal. 1983. 2 Somm. 389; La Vie Judiciaire, 26 December 1983–1 January 1984, n° 1968, p. 4.

49 Supra, note 10.

50 Decree n° 78–493 of 3 April 1978, J.O. 4 April 1978, p. 1483.

51 Decree n° 84–171 of 12 March 1984, J.O. 13 March 1984, p. 830.

52 Decree n° 80–414 of 11 June 1980, J.O. 13 June 1980, p. 1451.

53 Ministerial order of 29 November 1973, J.C.P. 1974, III. 41218.

54 Ministerial order of 29 November 1973,J.C.P. 1974. III. 41245; ministerial order of 28 October 1980, J.O. 1 December 1980, N.C. p. 10711; ministerial order of 22 December 1981, J.O. 17 January 1982, N.C. p. 624; ministerial order of 30 December 1983, J.O. 19 February 1984, N.C. p. 1740.

55 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 728. See also ministerial order of 16 July 1984, J.O. 21 July 1984, N.C. p. 6384.

56 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 754.

57 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 741.

58 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 745.

59 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 743.

60 Ministerial order of 2 January 1975, J.O.. 16 January 1975, p. 669; ministerial order of 7' December 1978, J.O. 17 December 1978, N.C. p. 9648.

61 Ministerial order of 12 August 1976, J.O. 9 November 1976, N.C. p. 6499. See also ministerial order of 5 October 1984, J.O. 30 December 1984, N.C. p. 12196.

62 Ministerial order of 24 January 1983, J.O. 18 February 1983, N.C. p. 1938.

63 Ministerial order of 17 March 1982, J.O. 3 April 1982, N.C. p. 3273.

64 Ministerial order of 27 April 1982, J.O. 24 June 1982, N.C. p. 5980; ministerial order of 3 October 1984, J.O. 10 November 1984, N.C. p. 10262.

65 Ministerial order of 22 December 1981, J.O. 17 January 1982, N.C. p. 624; ministerial order of 25 September 1984, J.O. 20 October 1984, N.C. p. 9627.

66 The Ministry of Justice, too, has recommended that courts eschew those foreign words that have been outlawed by the various terminological commissions: Circular of 15 September 1977, J.C.P. 1977. III. 46255. See generally Schroeder, , Le Nouveau Style Judiciaire (1978: Paris), pp. 129–142; Mimin, “L'anglicisme au Palais”, (1961) 10 Défense de la Langue Franqaise 44.Google Scholar

67 Le Jargon des Sciences (1966: Paris), p. 59.Google Scholar

68 Ministerial order of 28 October 1980, J.O. 7 December 1980, N.C. p. 10711.

69 Ministerial order of 30 December 1983, J.O. 19 February 1984, N.C. p. 1741.

70 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 741. See also, Ministerial order of 30 December 1983, J.O. 19 February 1984, N.C. p. 1741 (data processing).

71 Ministerial order of 29 November 1973, J.C.P. 1974. III. 41245.

72 Ministerial order of 17 March 1982, J.O. 3 April 1982, N.C. p. 3273 (voyage forfaitaire). Does le document bring out the full significance of “artwork”?: Ministerial order of 24 January 1983, J.O. 18 February 1983, N.C. p. 1940.

73 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 754. Amongst similar successes, one might count the Ministry of Communications' choice of “le remue-méninges” to replace “le brainstorming”: Ministerial order of 24 January 1983, J.O. 18 February 1983, N.C. p. 1941.

74 Ibid., at p. 744.

75 Ibid., at p. 752.

76 Ibid., at p. 750.

77 Ministerial order of 17 March 1982, J.O. 3 April 1982, N.C. p. 3273. Two other possibilities are suggested (le liche-vitrines or le magasinage, the latter being a Québecois expression) but for present purposes this is irrelevant. Le chalandage and chalander are the primary recommended terms.

78 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 754.

79 Ibid.

80 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 728.

81 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 754.

82 Ministerial order of 29 November 1973, J.C.P. 1974. III. 41218.

83 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 741.

84 These general problems of pronunciation are evoked in the opening stage direction to Marcel, Pagnol'sMarius (1931: Paris) which indicates that the old sea-dog who operates the ferry across the port of Marseille always refers to his craft as “le ftriboite.”Google Scholar See also Raymond, Oueneau, Un Rude Hiver (1939: Paris), Chap. 5.Google Scholar

85 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 754.

86 Ministerial order of 12 January 1973, J.O. 18 January 1973, p. 728. The commission enjoyed greater success with less established machinery like motorgraders (les niveleuses) and scrapers (les décapeuses), not to mention pulvimixers (les tritureuses) and the expressive hammer-grab (le trépan-benne).

87 Ministerial order of 12 August 1976, J.O. 9 November 1976, p. 6499.

88 Ministerial order of 24 January 1983, J.O. 18 February 1983, N.C. p. 1940.

89 Ministerial order of 29 November 1973, J.C.P. 1974. III. 41218.

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89 Ministerial order of 29 November 1973, J.C.P. 1974. III. 41218.

90 Ministerial order of 27 April 1982, J.O. 24 June 1982, N.C. p. 5980.

91 Boswelliana. The Commonplace Book of James Boswell (1874: London), ed. Rogers, , p. 233Google Scholar. Boswell's views on the matter, however, were far from consistent—see Boswell in Holland (1952: London) ed. Pottle, p. 130Google Scholar. More recently, Burchfield has observed, “When one turns to vocabulary one cannot but be impressed by the amazing hospitality of the English language”: The English Language (1985: Oxford), p. 25.Google Scholar

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