A French linguist has controversially claimed that the English language “does not exist” and is simply “mispronounced in French.”
Bernard Cerquiglini, a linguistics professor from Lyon, points out that the English language uses thousands of words borrowed from French about 1,000 years ago.
Ironically, many of them have since returned to the French language, but in a bastardized English form, such as ‘stew’, ‘people’ and ‘shopping’.
Professor Cerquiglini, an adviser to President Macron, has already criticized the continued use of English words in French culture as “distressing”.
His comments are reminiscent of spy officer Crabtree from the 80s comedy ‘Allo Allo’, who is British but thinks he can speak French fluently and with a convincing accent.
Bernard Cerquiglini (pictured), an adviser to President Macron, has already criticized the continued use of English words in French culture as “distressing”.
Professor Cerquiglini’s new book is called ‘The English language n’existe pas’. C’est du français mispronounced’
This translates to “The English language does not exist.” It is mispronounced in French.
“French gave English an essential vocabulary: law, commerce, spirituality, art and government,” says Professor Cerquiglini, as reported the times.
“If English is a prestigious and international language today, it is thanks to French.”
In his book, Professor Cerquiglini argues that French has been the “official and common language” of England for several centuries.
In the Middle Ages, people in the British Isles spoke a variety of languages, from Cornish to English to Norn, an extinct language from northern Germany.
But after the Norman Conquest of 1066, led by William the Duke of Normandy, French became an important language in England.
Examples of English words with Norman French origins include “accuse”, “bacon”, “enemy”, “surrender”, “people”, “chivalry”, “majesty”, “fashion”, and “portport”.
However, many of the current spellings of these words are different from the original French, not to mention the pronunciation.
For example, “people” comes from the Old French word “pueple,” which has since become “peuple,” referring to a general population, a specific nation, or an ethnic group.
After the Norman Conquest, led by William the Duke of Normandy, French became an important language in England. Pictured is a scene from the Bayeux Tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
His comments are reminiscent of the desperate spy Officer Crabtree (Arthur Bostrom) from the 1980s comedy ‘Allo Allo’, who is British but thinks he can speak French fluently and with a convincing accent.
The English version, ‘people’, has infiltrated the French language and is a word used in France to refer to celebrities.
Butler comes from ’bouteiller’, the name of a wine steward, while caterpillar comes from the French ‘cateplus’, hairy cat.
Vintage comes from ‘vendanges’, coward is ‘couard’, tennis is ‘tenez’, enemy is ‘enemi’, majesty is ‘majeste’ and fashion is ‘façon’.
Wicket, the cricket term that conjures up images of Englishness, actually comes from ‘guischet’, meaning counter.
Many French words adapted by the English are related to cooking; For example, the English word “stew” comes from the Old French estar, meaning to steam, while pudding comes from “boudin.”
Mushroom comes from the ancient Norman word “mousheron”, while beef comes from “buef”, toast comes from “tostée”, and porridge comes from “potage”.
And gin, one of the best-loved British drinks, comes from ‘genevre’, the word for the juniper berry used in the creation of the drink.
According to the expert, up to 40 percent of all English words are of French origin, that is, about 80,000 in total.
Professor Cerquiglini points out that many of them have come full circle: they started out as French, were borrowed and adapted by the English, and the English versions have since re-entered the French lexicon, albeit in their new English form.
He maintains that it would be appropriate to reappropriate them, at least pronouncing them in the French way.
Professor Cerquiglini’s new book is called ‘The English language n’existe pas’. C’est du français mal prononcé’ This translates as ‘The English language does not exist’. It’s poorly pronounced French.
Professor Cerquiglini is not the only Frenchman who does not like the English terms that enter the French language.
Another language teacher, Jean Maillet, has called his compatriots lazy for allowing an invasion of English words into the French vocabulary.
For example, the French use the English word “look” as a noun, instead of French variations such as “aspect,” “appearance,” “tenue,” or “allure.”
Professor Maillet, who taught English at the University of Paris, said: “There have never been so many Anglicisms in our vocabulary.
‘There is up to ten percent and it is increasing exponentially.
‘The reason is partly due to linguistic laziness, because many English words are shorter and easier to use than their French counterparts.
“They don’t sound good to the ear, but we use them because they have become automatic.”