In any French teenage group nowadays, you will hear a myriad of English words being mixed around with French slang. Phrases like ‘Ouais, c’est chill’, ‘t’as fais quoi le week-end’ and ‘on va faire du shopping?’ are examples of English’s creeping influence in France.
For centuries, the nation has fiercely defended its language against outside influences, particularly English, with institutions like l’Académie française and strict language laws working to preserve its linguistic purity. In fact, the Toubon law of 1994 was not only introduced to promote French music, but it also required all official government documents, workplace communication and traditional media to be solely in French. Even ads were ‘strongly encouraged’ to be French and if not, the company had to provide a translation.
The Académie has famously rejected anglicisms for years, attempting to convince the public to replace ‘e-mail’ with ‘courriel,’ ‘hashtag’ with ‘mot-dièse,’ and perhaps the most diabolical example, ‘wifi’ with ‘l’accès sans fil à Internet’ (Wireless access to the Internet). Although most of these changes have not been widely adopted, it’s clear that linguistic purists in France have tried incessantly to get rid of these foreign words.
However, in today’s digital world, English has found its way into everyday conversations, media and even education. While older generations may be resistant to changes, younger French speakers are quickly embracing the language. Social media, globalised pop culture and English music have made it trendy among teenagers. The popularity of TikTok, YouTube, Netflix and Instagram have made English not just practical but also fashionable as it shows ‘international flair’. This has led to many nicknaming the language younger generations speak as ‘Franglais’, a mixture of Français (French) and Anglais (English).
The influence of English is not just limited to slang though, it’s now made its way into academia and the professional world as well. Recently, top French universities have introduced courses in English to attract international students and compete globally. For example, Sciences Po in Paris offers Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhDs fully in English with half of their 15,000 students coming from abroad. Top Economics and MBA courses at HEC and La Sorbonne also offer programs in English despite many French students complaining about the increased competition. Furthermore, in the French business world, English has become essential. Most international companies operating in France require employees to be fluent in English as well and job applications heavily favour candidates who speak both languages.
Is France fighting a losing battle? I think the use of English will persist in casual conversations, but it will be a while before it becomes the true second language in France. The truth is, even today, English proficiency in France is still one of the lowest in Western Europe with only 20% of the population being fluent whereas countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and other Scandinavian nations boast an English fluency rate of around 90%.
This is because although many English courses are offered at universities, English as a foreign language was not taught to a high level across schools in France until recently. Most parents have struggled with it and evidently do not encourage their children to use it frequently. Students also find it much harder learn than other European languages similar to French like Spanish, Italian and German. Finally, while it is true that French people love British and American TV shows, movies and videos, most of them are dubbed in French, limiting their natural exposure to the language.
Despite some resistance, English is undoubtedly embedded in French life, whether through social media, business or education, younger generations are becoming more comfortable around it. Franglais is now a reflection of France adapting to a modern and globalised society, with many arguing for more linguistic fluidity moving forwards.
