Attitudes Toward Anglicisms in Montpellier, France: A Study on Linguistic Purism and Americanization
Abstract
France is known for its attitudes of linguistic purism; not only are there institutional and legal measures in place to protect the language, but many travelers report experiencing cold treatment if they do not speak French. All of this has been compounded by the sharp increase of anglicisms that accompanies the spread of American music, TV, and pop culture via the internet. As it becomes “trendy” to include English words or phrases in their media and advertisements, and as certain concepts originating in English do not always receive a French translation of equally popular usage, French preservation institutions such as the Académie Française attempt to prevent the influx of English use from encroaching upon French language and culture. As a French major studying abroad in Montpellier, I was interested to see how I would encounter these purist attitudes and whether or not the average person considers the French language to be compromised by the use of anglicisms. I conducted a series of interviews with students and professors from my university examining their views on anglicisms and protecting the French language. I was also interested in observing whether or not there was a marked generational divide on the issue.
Erratum
Sponsored by Jennifer Guzmán
Recommended Citation
Riggio, Brianna
(2021)
"Attitudes Toward Anglicisms in Montpellier, France: A Study on Linguistic Purism and Americanization,"
Proceedings of GREAT Day: Vol. 2020, Article 17.
Available at:
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/proceedings-of-great-day/vol2020/iss1/17
Additional graphs
Riggio Appendix 2.pdf (250 kB)
Survey and full interview text