This is the stuff of revolutions! The French are turning to using English, in preference to French, in universities.
"For the first time, English has begun to replace French in, of all places, French universities! No wonder an almighty row has broken out in France. Once, French was the language of diplomacy and international relations throughout the world. Even our ancient Order of the Garter still preserves its motto in Norman French: “Honi soit qui mal y pense”. But now French universities have been urged to teach certain courses in English.
Oops, I have just demonstrated with that last sentence what the lovers of “correct” French don’t like about the influence of English – the use of the passive. They cringe when their fellow citizens say “vous êtes demandé au téléphone”. What they wish to hear is “on vous demande au téléphone”.
In fact, giving French universities this linguistic freedom makes excellent sense. It is designed to help them attract more foreign students. The present situation is that about 30 per cent of students who leave their home countries to study abroad go to the US. Some 18 per cent of them come to the United Kingdom and 13 per cent attend German universities. The comparable proportion for France is 11 per cent. And, of these, many come from France’s former colonies in Africa.
So in terms of competing for students from the so-called BRIC economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China – where English is widely taught, France is not really a competitor. And it naturally wants to be. Not only do foreign students pay high fees, they also tend to have fond memories of studying abroad, and become enthusiasts for the country where they once lived for a year or two. So for French universities to teach some courses in English is simply good business."
"For the first time, English has begun to replace French in, of all places, French universities! No wonder an almighty row has broken out in France. Once, French was the language of diplomacy and international relations throughout the world. Even our ancient Order of the Garter still preserves its motto in Norman French: “Honi soit qui mal y pense”. But now French universities have been urged to teach certain courses in English.
Oops, I have just demonstrated with that last sentence what the lovers of “correct” French don’t like about the influence of English – the use of the passive. They cringe when their fellow citizens say “vous êtes demandé au téléphone”. What they wish to hear is “on vous demande au téléphone”.
In fact, giving French universities this linguistic freedom makes excellent sense. It is designed to help them attract more foreign students. The present situation is that about 30 per cent of students who leave their home countries to study abroad go to the US. Some 18 per cent of them come to the United Kingdom and 13 per cent attend German universities. The comparable proportion for France is 11 per cent. And, of these, many come from France’s former colonies in Africa.
So in terms of competing for students from the so-called BRIC economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China – where English is widely taught, France is not really a competitor. And it naturally wants to be. Not only do foreign students pay high fees, they also tend to have fond memories of studying abroad, and become enthusiasts for the country where they once lived for a year or two. So for French universities to teach some courses in English is simply good business."
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