The French (or rather, the Parisian) zealotry with language purity was always absolutely incomprehensible to me. All languages are bastardized versions of another one. Most are the byproduct of nationalistic fervor, an imposition mandated by the state on the populace in order to create a "single nation".
France's attitude to her language is IMHO marred by deep hypocrisy and a backward, reactionary worldview of "preservation" of something that for most is just a tool.
Languages live, evolve, and die. We should cherish and try to save as many as we can while giving people the tools to communicate with as many other humans as possible. It's crucial to stop languages from getting extinct, but that cannot mean that nationalistic chauvinism should be tolerated. Languages, especially smaller ones, are incredibly powerful echo chambers.
To conclude, it's ironic that France tries so hard to keep French "pure" (from what, I ask myself) when France is one of the worst offenders regarding the utter hostility it has shown multiple times against the linguistic rights of minorites and regional languages.
France lost any moral justification to "preserve her national language" when she failed to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
France's attitude to her language is IMHO marred by deep hypocrisy and a backward, reactionary worldview of "preservation" of something that for most is just a tool.
Languages live, evolve, and die. We should cherish and try to save as many as we can while giving people the tools to communicate with as many other humans as possible. It's crucial to stop languages from getting extinct, but that cannot mean that nationalistic chauvinism should be tolerated. Languages, especially smaller ones, are incredibly powerful echo chambers.
To conclude, it's ironic that France tries so hard to keep French "pure" (from what, I ask myself) when France is one of the worst offenders regarding the utter hostility it has shown multiple times against the linguistic rights of minorites and regional languages.
France lost any moral justification to "preserve her national language" when she failed to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.