"French", "English" etc. etc.

8 posts / 0 new

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Mon, 2002-08-12 15:52

I'm reading a book of French Short Stories at the minute - handily translated into English so that those of us who only have partial-Welsh and long-forgotten German can understand them.

Some of these stories don't come from France at all but from Haiti, Quebec and other Francophone bits of the globe.

Now, whilst I am sure these are fine stories (haven't got to them yet but they've all been good so far) I wouldn't really term them as "French" as that's only the language they were written in and doesn't necessarily describe the situation in which they were written.

But now I'm wondering how I would feel if I came across a book of English short stories that had ones in it from India, Australia, Gibraltar and New Mexico. Sure, they'd all be in the same language but would they have anything unifying them beyond that?

So basically is calling something "French" or "English" or whatever when it refers to the language in which the work is written a useful thing to do? I mean, is Dylan Thomas English?

I've a feeling I've just written a load of drivel but if you can understand it and feel like replying please do ...

Mon, 2002-08-12 16:17

gail

sounds potentially more interesting than a book of short stories only from France. when I was teaching in Japan you were seen as an English teacher equally if you were from England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, America etc etc. To our students we all represented "English". In fact my school used only American textbooks which was very weird with all the different accents and cultures involved. I always blushed when we got to the lesson that involved the question: "what colour are his pants?"

Mon, 2002-08-12 17:49

iceman

I guess you must have had a field day with expressions like: "I need a shave, I look like a bum" "So I gave her a slap on the fanny and told her to get in the car."

Mon, 2002-08-12 18:15

donignacio

What's worse is that my geography teacher last year said that the French absolutely hate Quebecian's version of the language. They call it a "bastardized" French, if there's anything worse than that! Probably worse than what youse guys think of what Americans have done to English...(it's not my fault, though!)

Mon, 2002-08-12 18:45

jon smalldon

I heard that said about Walloon French, which isn't significantly different to French as spoken in France (apparently) as well. Some people in France seem very protective of the language. And as for US English, what with its simplified spelling and more direct grammar it is nothing more than an insult to Good Queen Bess!

Mon, 2002-08-12 21:06

donignacio

I've considered adopting a British accent, but I find it too difficult. (Sorry Good Queen Bess!)

Mon, 2002-08-12 22:18

jon smalldon

If Dick van Dyke can do it so can you!

Tue, 2002-08-13 20:17

andrea

Not to mention Meryl Streep (who did it brilliantly, unlike v Dyke)...

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&quot;French&quot;, &quot;English&quot; etc. etc.

"French", "English" etc. etc.