Bottom story of the day.

FRENCH STRUGGLES TO HAVE LAST WORD

NICOSIA, Cyprus April 2, 2006 (WT) - [Hadelin de La Tour-du-Pin, France's ambassador to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus,] said French "is the only language present on all continents; it is important in aeronautics, rail transport, food, luxury and fashion industries."

"Food" here is more "fancy eating" than agribusiness. Aeronautics aside, the French language is not in the forefront of the industries that are shaping the world.

Mr. de La Tour-du-Pin made his claim in a letter to the Cypriot press after the Chirac walkout March 23... He assured Cypriots that 6,000 EU civil servants from the recently admitted 10 nations can learn French in special courses established by the French government ["a pluriannual plan for reinvigorating the French language in Europe through intensive French courses"].

Talks for the accession of former communist countries and of Malta and Cyprus were conducted in English.

The French ambassador's letter to Cypriots was in French with an English translation attached.

M. de La Tour-du-Pin had us curious. Which continent is absent English? What the ambassador actually said was:

Although less widely spoken than Chinese or Hindu, alongside English, it is the only language present on all our continents.

The "alongside English" somewhat spoils the "only" claim. But we Anglophones appreciate the ambassador's parembolic nod.

You can read the ambassador's spirited defense of French ("Why the French language matters") here.

[Emphases added.]

PFFT (What is this?): Advancing French 1 | Rayonnement français 1