French Language Hysteria Hits Hilarious New Lows

Every time you think that the French language debate in Quebec couldn't get stupider it invariably hits a new low.
Two stories in the French press went largely unreported in the English media but bear repeating for those of us interested in the language debate.

Let's start with an absurd story written in the spirit of 'pastagate' and then move on to what I can only categorize as fake news.

Not many of us read the insufferable snobbish bore that is Denise Bombardier of Le Journal du Montreal, a hoity-toity self-proclaimed defender of classic French which she sadly reminds us is becoming more and more bastardized and debased because as she tells us, it's just plain too hard for the young and modern generation of doofuses to master.

In an article entitled  "Le pouvoir du lobby LGBTQ+"  (The Power of the LGBT+ Lobby) she rages against the LGBT+ activist community for trying to rid French from its natural Male/Female structure and its attempt to create gender-neutral pronouns.

The Quebec LGBT Chamber of Commerce, financially supported by the OQLF, has found a niche in the organization and has managed to instrumentalize it by imposing a progressive transformation of the French language, which as we know, use the masculine and the feminine....
...Thus the OQLF  somehow approves bi-gender words by proposing the use of terms that combine the masculine and the feminine form. For example, to replace the words brother and sister, it proposes 'frouer"and 'tancle'** to designate aunt or uncle. Not shying away from any obstacle or absurdity, the OQLF also suggests that the pronouns 'him' and 'her' should also be replaced....

....Taxpayers are subsidizing linguists who are debasing the French language, which amounts to destroying its genius, its beauty and its ability to define reality.

.... The Trudeau government is exemplary in showing unreserved tolerance for transgender demands. The Canadian passport now offers three options: male, female or other.

 ...Faced with these attempts which seek to impose upon the vast majority of citizens delusional diktats that have the sole purpose of accommodating a tiny percentage of the population, what are we to do? 
We simply must refuse to allow French in Quebec to be hacked by a lobby....

* -a combination of 'Frere' and 'souer' ed.
** a combination of 'Tante' and 'Oncle' ed.

Hmmm.... That was something unexpected!
I think she made a legitimate argument about defending classical French but totally descended into bashing transgenders when she couldn't resist the passport issue and thus reveals her  'vrai nature'
...Ha! Ha!

The second item is about another whining diatribe in the Journal du Montreal over a poll that purports to indicate how francophones view their perilous language situation.

The reason I classify this story as fake news is because it is based on a poll, one that is totally contrived and without any real scientific merit.

As an old-time political organizer who used polling to determine where my candidate stood, I quickly learned how easily polls can be manipulated as well as how unreliable they can be.
Without getting into a long discussion on polling, suffice it to say that today, for a variety of reasons polling is more inaccurate than ever.
At its best, when voters are asked whom they are voting for, polls should generally get it right, but even then, none predicted a Donald Trump win and none predicted the size of the Boris Johnson majority.
Polling descends into the ridiculous when opinions are sought in relation to loaded questions which invariably deliver the results the pollster looked for.
Asking francophones if they believe that their language is in peril is like asking supermarket shoppers if food prices are too high. A question meant to elicit a contrived result that supports a foregone conclusion.
Like Heisenberg's 'uncertainty principle' which posits that observation changes outcomes, in polling terms, asking a loaded question delivers a loaded result.

Here's a portion of what was asked;

In your opinion, is the situation of French in Quebec currently better, the same or worse than it was ten years ago?

• Better:                               1%
• Same:                               29%
• Worse:                             56%
• DK / Refusal:                   4%

In your opinion, in 10 years will the situation of French in Quebec will be;

• Better:                             8%
• The same:                     29%
• Worse:                          56%
• DK / Refusal:                7%

Do you feel concerned about the use of French in public space?

• Very concerned:        26%
• Fairly concerned:      36%
• Not very concerned: 21%
• Not at all concerned:  1%
• DK / Refusal:             2%

Who should act to protect French to act?

• It’s everyone’s business to protect French :
• Citizens 58%
• Government: 32%
• DK / Refusal: 10%

These questions almost descend to the level of a "Push Poll," one designed not to test opinion, but rather to shape it.

At any rate....

But here is where it gets interesting because the poll went on to asked respondents what they themselves were prepared to do to protect the French language.

What is interesting about the poll is not that the majority feel that French is in peril, but rather how little those who were asked actually cared.

What gesture (s) or action (s) would you be ready to take to ensure better protection and promotion of French?

• Boycott a company or business that does not respect the French language:      37%
• Vote for a political party that makes the French language one of its priorities: 37%
• Sign a petition asking for better protection of the French language: 31%
• Report a situation to the Office québécois de la langue française: 28%
• Denounce, on social media, a situation where the French language is not respected: 22%
• Participate in a demonstration  demanding better protection of the French language:  9% 
• None of these gestures /actions:  30%

So while 58% of respondents tell pollsters that it is the responsibility of citizens to protect the French language, only 9% would participate in a demonstration and only 22% would report a lack of respect for French on their social media., a big difference in what they say they should do and what they would actually do.
And please note that even the small number who say that they'll take action is over-stated. 
In actuality, it's easy to say that you'll take action, but few will.
What's more telling is how many are unabashedly admitting that they won't lift a finger.

Ha!Ha! ...  Good luck protecting your language!! 


Dear readers.
I hope you enjoyed a Merry Christmas and a Happy Channukka and please accept my best wishes for the New Year!

See ya next decade!