BBC: ’More or Less’: Are Half the Words in English from French?

Are almost half the words in the English language of French origin? It’s a claim one of our loyal listeners found surprising. Tim Harford talks to Dr Beth Malory, lecturer in English Linguistics at University College London, who explains why so many words derived from French have ended up in English.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Daniel Gordon
Series Producer: Jon Bithrey
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot
(Picture: A French dictionary showing the entry 'Dictionnaire'…)

Click here to listen to the BBC podcast.

‘Unacceptable’: Outrage as Air Canada Chief Gives Quebec Speech in English

THE GUARDIAN: Michael Rousseau’s decision not to speak French in Quebec address inflames longstanding grievances over linguistic rights

The head of Canada’s largest airline is facing public outrage and calls for his resignation after giving a speech in English to business leaders in Quebec – a misstep that has inflamed longstanding grievances over linguistic rights and protections in the country’s lone Francophone province.

The row began last week, when in his first major public appearance as head of Air Canada, Michael Rousseau chose to address the city’s chamber of commerce without speaking French.

Rousseau’s gaffe comes as the Quebec government attempts to dramatically strengthen protections for the French language amid fears English is overtaking it, especially in large cities. » | Leyland Cecco in Toronto | Monday, November 8, 2021

Are Americans Trashing the English Language? | The Economist

Britons often grumble that Americanisms are creeping into British English. Lane Greene, our language guru, asks where American words really come from—and whether they pose a threat to the Queen's English.

Jean-Claude Juncker Says English Is 'Losing Importance' after Brexit as UK 'Abandons' Europe

THE TELEGRAPH: Jean-Claude Juncker has accused Britain of "abandoning" the EU and joked that the English language is "losing its importance in Europe" because of Brexit.

Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, on Thursday warned Theresa May and Mr Juncker that Brexit negotiations could become "impossible" if they become "emotional".

However despite the call for calm Mr Juncker, the President of the European Commission, told a conference in the Italian city of Florence that Brexit is a "tragedy". (+ video) » | Steven Swinford, Deputy Political Editor | Friday, , May 5, 2017

Gambia President Rejects English Language

President Yahya Jammeh has given Gambian public sector
workers a weekly extra day off

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: President's decision to shift official language from English to local language comes months after its decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth

Gambia's president said that he wants to implement a policy change that would shift the country's language from English to a local language.

"We no longer subscribe to the belief that for you to be a government you should speak English language. We should speak our language," President Yahya Jammeh said during the swearing-in ceremony of Gambia's new Chief Justice that aired on state-run Gambia Television Services on Friday.

The announcement comes months after the West African country announced it is withdrawing from the Commonwealth, a collection of 54 nations made up largely of former British colonies, saying it would "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution."

The United Kingdom recently warned its citizens of rising anti-British rhetoric from the president, who last year accused the former colonial power and the United States of organizing coup attempts in the West African nation. The allegations were denied. » | AP | Sunday, March 09, 2014

Benefits 'To Be Stripped from Immigrants Who Cannot Speak English'

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron intends to make the cuts in order to slash the country’s welfare bill, according to reports

Benefits will be stripped from immigrants who cannot speak English, it has been reported.

David Cameron intends to make the cuts in order to slash the country’s welfare bill, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The Prime Minister reportedly wants to stop printing welfare literature in foreign languages and prevent claimants using taxpayer-funded translators at benefits offices.

According to the newspaper the measures, which were due to be announced on Monday, have been delayed following a row with Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister.

It is hoped the scrapping of foreign-language documentation explaining how to claim benefits will make it harder for immigrants to make use of the UK’s benefits system, while encouraging those already in the country to learn English. The measures would also save the money spent on translators. » | James Edgar | Sunday, January 19, 2014

Boycott the English Language Says Top French Intellectual

Michel Serres,  French philosopher

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: French philosopher complains there are more examples of the English language in Toulouse than there was German during occupation

A leading French intellectual has called for a boycott of all products whose advertising slogans use English and of films whose titles are not translated, in the latest salvo in a rearguard action against the "invasion" of France by the English language.

"There are more English words (in adverts) on the walls of Toulouse than there were German words during the Occupation," said philosopher Michel Serres, a member of the Acadamie française, the state body which aims to protect the French language.

"I want to invite the French to go on strike. Each time that advertising is English, you don't buy the product, each time a film's title is not translated, you don't go into the cinema," he said in an interview with la Depeche du Midi [sic] [La Dépêche du Midi] newspaper.

Serres' appeal came just months after government plans to allow more courses to be taught in English at French universities caused uproar.

The battle by parts of the French elite against the perceived violation of their mother tongue goes back decades, with a law passed in 1994 that stipulates that French is compulsory in education, business and public services. » | Rory Mulholland, Paris | Tuesday, October 22, 2013

MY TELEGRAPH BLOGS: The French philosopher who needs to meet the punks » | stephenclarke | Tuesday, October 22, 2013

King James Bible: How It Changed the Way We Speak
BBC: The impact of the King James Bible, which was published 400 years ago, is still being felt in the way we speak and write, says Stephen Tomkins.

No other book, or indeed any piece of culture, seems to have influenced the English language as much as the King James Bible. Its turns of phrase have permeated the everyday language of English speakers, whether or not they've ever opened a copy.

The Sun says Aston Villa "refused to give up the ghost". Wendy Richard calls her EastEnders character Pauline Fowler "the salt of the earth". The England cricket coach tells reporters, "You can't put words in my mouth." Daily Mirror fashion pages call Tilda Swinton "a law unto herself".

Though each of those phrases was begotten of the loins of the English Bible, it's safe to say that none of those speakers was deliberately quoting the Bible to people they expected to be familiar with its contents. » | Monday, January 17, 2011

France Declares War on English Language

Census 2011: The Areas Where English Is Not Spoken
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Up to a quarter of households in parts of London have no one who speaks English as their main language, according to figures contained in the census.

In a string of boroughs across the capital, between 20 and 25 per cent of all families do not have anyone who regularly speaks the language and in thousands of others only children do so.

Findings released by the Office for National Statistics earlier this week showed a transformation in the make-up of British society over the last decade, with the number of foreign-born residents rising by 50 per cent.

In London itself less than half the population described themselves as white in the national headcount conducted last year.

Headline figures showed that there are around a million households in which no one speaks English as a “main language” – just over four per cent of the total.

But a detailed breakdown of the figures published with alongside the main census data show that in some areas the proportion is more than five times this level. » | John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor | Wednesday, December 12, 2012