Is The French Language More Peaceful Than English?

Search

Plain Talking

One of the more cumbersome arguments on why the Lebanese should be learning French.

According to this lecture in the Department of Journalism at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik,

knowledge of the French language brings academic, economic and political advantages in terms of curbing terrorism, spreading peace and ending tribalism.

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that countries that speak French have as much issues –If not more– than countries that speak English.

I do love French, but I think that’s one lame argument to promote a dying language

Do you like this post? Would you like to be always updated with new posts on this website? If so, please subscribe to this blog's RSS feed? (tell me more)

Share This Post:

Print it:

Email it:

-->

Discussion

No comments for “Is The French Language More Peaceful Than English?”

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that countries that speak French have as much issues –If not more– than countries that speak English.

actually, i got the impression that this is exactly what he meant — that because so many troubled areas are francophone, learning to speak french will help people communicate and engage more deeply in these regions (and thus more effectively combat terrorism, spread peace etc.).

still, pretty over the top sentence :) you frenchies… ;)

Posted by c | April 17, 2008, 2:34 pm
ah crap… tag didn’t work. only the first par should be italicized. sorry!!

Posted by c | April 17, 2008, 2:38 pm
French is not a dying language. Actually it is the language of the elites in Lebanon, Tunis and Morocco.

The French speaking world is more philosophical. Knowing an extra language is having a whole new perspective, widening ones consciousness wether it be English, French or Punjabi.

It reminds me of this debat sur France 24: http://www.france24.com/en/20080417-french-song-eurovision-making-headlines-music-eurovision

Posted by Jester | April 17, 2008, 3:03 pm
Dear friend,

actually i assisted to this francophonie conference with the canadian ambassador.

This sentence, I didn’t notice it as there were many others interesting things said.

However I do not think that french is dying. French was always a sort of “élite” langage through out history. Small anecdote for exemple, the russian tsar court was not talking russian from the 16 century till it collapsed but french.

French needs to remain the langage of the brillant spirits and culture worldwide and in that conference in the USEK, they resumed this point of view I am sharing with them.

Posted by frenchy | April 17, 2008, 3:14 pm
hahahaha what a stupid elitist almost racist statement. French language is beautiful and eloquent but to label it this way is just insolent.

Posted by Dania | April 17, 2008, 5:10 pm
Mustapha,

Not to play the spoilsport here, but who cares about French vs. English language, when we have this kind of thing happening today (that apparently none of you bloggers seems to be interested in discussing):

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/Lebanon/D84AD37D05A3A530C225742E00607665?OpenDocument

Following this story from yesterday:

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/Lebanon/F05921F9F3000A47C225742E001C64BE?OpenDocument

And yet, some people find it disrespectful that the US is funding and training the ISF….I don’t know about you, but this blatant disrespect of the law by Hizbullah and their sympathizers seems a lot more disrespectful to me. Why is this stuff allowed to continue happening? How do we ever expect to have any kind of functional society if we keep letting certain elements of it get away with flaunting the law at every turn?

Posted by Bad Vilbel | April 17, 2008, 5:52 pm
Am with BV here, Steve,

I mean the Hezbo guys must be laughing their heads off seeing discussions of French-lessons-curbing-terrorism and of toilet-seat-installations mending our civil war problems.

Posted by JoseyWales | April 17, 2008, 6:56 pm
Sorry Mus, but with these sort of ideas for solutions(bathrooms and French lesson) you are definitely leading the flock astray.

Posted by Bronx-man | April 17, 2008, 7:10 pm
Dear Everybody complaining about Mustapha’s “lighter side” posts:

It’s OK to take a time out for the other things in life, even during times like these the brain needs a break.

All war and no fun makes one…..Hizballah.

Posted by Lalebanessa | April 18, 2008, 8:10 am

Post a comment

Hello, my name is Mustapha and I blog in The Beirut Spring about Lebanese society and politics. I started in February 2005 after the killing of P.M. Rafik Hariri.